CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Dallas Mavericks · Salary cap report
Mavericks are $19.0M over the cap on payroll.
Dallas Mavericks payroll for the 2026-27 season is $183.9M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the money committed to the roster, is signed salaries, dead money, and drafted-rookie holds: $183.9M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Mavericks' cap number rises to $203.0M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open -$19.0M of room and give up Bird rights. Drafted-rookie holds count against the cap, not the luxury tax.
Run Mavericks' offseason yourself→Under the tax on payroll
What the numbers mean
Payroll$183.9M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$203.0M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineUNDERby $16.5M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineUNDERby $23.7M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze. The apron figure counts $1.3M in unlikely bonuses on top of payroll: incentive money a player probably won't earn, which counts against the aprons but not the cap or tax.
Where the Mavericks land · payroll against the cap lines
Cap$165.0MTax$200.4MApron 1$209.0MApron 2$221.7M
The solid bar is real payroll. The hatched extension is a free-agent hold crossing the cap line. Renounce it and the room clears.
The apron math · what counts toward the aprons
Payroll (contracts, dead money, drafted rookies)$183.9M
Unlikely bonuses+$1.3M
Apron figure$185.3M
First apron $209.0MUNDERby $23.7M
Second apron $221.7MUNDERby $36.4M
Free-agent cap holds never count toward the aprons. Only payroll (with drafted rookies booked as signed) and unlikely bonuses, incentive money a player probably won't earn, do.
The books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Kyrie Irving | G | $39.5M | PO$42.4M | – |
| P.J. Washington | F | $19.8M | $21.4M | $23.0M |
| Klay Thompson | G | $17.5M | – | – |
| Daniel Gafford | F | $17.3M | $18.1M | $19.0M |
| Santi Aldama | F | $17.0M | $17.0M | – |
| Cooper Flagg | F | $14.5M | TO$15.2M | TO$19.2M |
| Caleb Martin | F | $10.0M | PO$9.4M | – |
| Naji Marshall | F | $9.4M | – | – |
| Max Christie | G | $8.3M | PO$8.9M | – |
| Dereck Lively II | C | TO$7.2M | – | – |
| Marcus Sasser | G | $5.2M | – | – |
| Tarik Biberovic | F | $2.9M | $3.1M | – |
| Ryan Nembhard | G | TO$2.2M | – | – |
| Signed subtotal | $170.8M | $135.5M | $61.2M | |
| Draft picks · on roster, rookie-scale hold | ||||
| Morez Johnson Jr. · No. 9ROOKIE | – | $6.8M | – | – |
| Sergio de Larrea · No. 25ROOKIE | – | $3.2M | – | – |
| Dead money | ||||
| JaVale McGee | – | $2.2M | $2.2M | – |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | – | $1.0M | $1.0M | – |
| Payroll | $183.9M | $138.7M | $61.2M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Dwight PowellBIRD 190% | F | $7.6M | – | – |
| Brandon WilliamsNON-BIRD | G | $2.7M | – | – |
| Moussa CisseMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| John PoulakidasMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Tobi LawalMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Vsevolod IshchenkoMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Naji MarshallBIRD 190% | F | – | $17.9M | – |
| Dereck Lively IIBIRD 300% | C | – | $21.7M | – |
| Ryan NembhardNON-BIRD | G | – | $2.6M | – |
| Klay ThompsonBIRD 150% | G | – | $26.2M | – |
| Caleb MartinBIRD 190% | F | – | – | $17.8M |
| Kyrie IrvingBIRD 150% | G | – | – | $63.6M |
| Max ChristieBIRD 190% | G | – | – | $16.8M |
| Daniel GaffordBIRD 150% | F | – | – | – |
| Cooper FlaggBIRD 250% | F | – | – | – |
| Santi AldamaBIRD 150% | F | – | – | $25.5M |
| Marcus SasserBIRD 300% | F | – | $15.6M | – |
| Counts against the cap | $203.0M | $222.7M | $192.5M | |
What they can add
Non-Taxpayer MLEup to $15.0M
The full mid-level signing slot for adding an outside free agent. Using it locks their spending at the first apron for the rest of the season.
Bi-Annual Exceptionup to $5.4M
A smaller signing slot, usable every other year. Using it also locks their spending at the first apron.
Bird rightsLets them re-sign their own free agents for more than other teams can offer, up to the max.
Trade exceptions
Trade exception · from the Anthony Davis tradeup to $3.8M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Jaden Hardy tradeup to $6.0M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Dante Exum tradeup to $2.3M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the AJ Johnson tradeup to $3.2M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jul 1, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Khris Middleton tradeup to $5.6M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jul 13, 2027.
A trade exception is a credit from an earlier trade, not money on the books, so it does not count toward the cap, tax, or apron. On file as of Aug 1, 2026; may not be complete.
Decisions ahead
Option calls before 2027-28
Kyrie Irving $42.4M player option, Cooper Flagg $15.2M team option, Caleb Martin $9.4M player option, Max Christie $8.9M player option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Klay Thompson $17.5M, Naji Marshall $9.4M, Dereck Lively II $7.2M, Marcus Sasser $5.2M, Ryan Nembhard $2.2M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Mavericks offseason
Take these exact books into the GM Machine and re-sign, sign, waive, stretch, and draft, with every cap rule checked and explained as you go.
Draft picks through 2033
The Mavericks control 8 first-round and 2 second-round picks, 2 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 1st (own) · No. 9
2026 1st (via LAL) · No. 25
The Lakers' own first (pick 25) traded to Dallas on 2026 draft night; Dallas selected Sergio de Larrea.
2026 2nd (via PHX) · No. 48
Phoenix's own second conveyed to Dallas at pick 48, routed via Washington.
Their own 2nd, owed to OKC · No. 37
Dallas's own second conveyed to Oklahoma City at pick 37.
2027
2027 2nd (via CHI)
Acquired by Dallas in the February 2026 Anthony Davis trade; CHI's 2027 second had been routed through Washington.
Their own 1st, owed to CHA
Owed to Charlotte, protected 1-2; if DAL picks 1 or 2 the first does not convey and Charlotte instead receives a Miami 2028 second. From the February 2024 PJ Washington trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to WAS
Washington takes the more favorable of the Dallas and Brooklyn 2027 seconds and Milwaukee the less favorable; Dallas's own slot conveys to Washington or Milwaukee, passing through Detroit, which holds no residual claim after the July 2026 six-team trade.
2028
2028 1st (own, swap rights attached)Stepien-locked
OKC holds the right to swap its 2028 first for DAL's, acquired February 2024.
Their own 2nd, owed to LAC
Owed to the Clippers, unprotected, acquired by Indiana then sent on to the Clippers in the February 2026 Ivica Zubac trade.
2029
2029 1st (via LAL)
Traded to Dallas, unprotected, in the February 2025 Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade.
Their own 1st, owed to HOU
HOU takes the two most favorable of the DAL, PHX, and HOU 2029 firsts and BKN keeps the least favorable; HOU controls DAL's slot via the June 2024 Rockets-Nets trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to BKN
Owed to Brooklyn, unprotected.
2030
2030 1st (own, swap rights attached)
San Antonio holds the right to take the most favorable of the San Antonio, Dallas, and Minnesota 2030 firsts (Minnesota protected 1); Dallas keeps its slot unless San Antonio swaps for it. From the Grant Williams and Rob Dillingham deals.
Their own 2nd, owed to BKN
Owed to Brooklyn, unprotected.
2031
2031 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to DET
Owed to Detroit, unprotected; routed to Philadelphia in the July 2024 Buddy Hield six-team trade then to Detroit in the February 2025 KJ Martin trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to NYK
Dallas's own second owed to New York, unprotected, from the June 24 2026 four-team draft-night trade.
2033
2033 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to WAS
Dallas's own second owed to Washington, unprotected, in the July 2026 six-team Khris Middleton sign-and-trade.
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Mavericks draft picks page.
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