Portland Trail Blazers Salary Cap

What the Blazers owe, what counts against the cap, and how much room they have to add players. Every number is computed live; tap any underlined term or figure to see how it's built.
2026-27 cap report
Over the cap
Blazers are $5.2M over the cap on payroll.
An over-the-cap team builds with exceptions, not cap space. $30.8M of room before the luxury tax.
Dead money is salary owed to players no longer on the roster (waived or stretched). The Blazers carry $268K of it, and it counts against the cap, the tax, and the aprons. What is dead money?
Real payroll$170.2M
Free-agent holdsplaceholder$59.2M
A cap hold is a placeholder charge for a team's own free agent, sized by his Bird bracket. The Blazers carry $59.2M in free-agent holds; these count against the cap only, never the tax or aprons. What is the cap hold?
Counts against the cap$229.4M
League cap line$165.0M
Salary capBlazers are here
Build via exceptions
$5.2M over
vs $165.0M · payroll
The salary cap is $165.0M (projected). The Blazers' cap salary (contracts, dead money and holds) is $229.4M, putting them $64.4M over the cap, so they build the roster with exceptions and Bird rights instead of cap space. What is the salary cap?
Luxury tax
No tax bill
$30.8M under
vs $201.0M · payroll
The luxury-tax line is $201.0M (projected); holds don't count against it, only contracts and dead money ($170.2M for the Blazers). They have $30.8M of room before the luxury tax. What is the luxury tax?
1st apron
Full toolkit
$37.5M under
vs $209.0M · payroll
The first apron sits at $209.0M (projected), about $8.0M above the tax line. The Blazers have $37.5M of room before the first apron. What is the first apron?
2nd apron
Below the ceiling
$50.5M under
vs $222.0M · payroll
The second apron sits at $222.0M (projected). The Blazers have $50.5M of room before it. What is the second apron?

The four lines a team's spending crosses, low to high. The highlighted one is where the Blazers sit now; faded lines aren't a factor this season. Tap any line for what it means.

Holds intact = an over-the-cap team with Bird rights. Renounce all free-agent holds (keeping draft picks) and room becomes −$5.2M, forfeiting Bird rights. How renouncing works →

The books · 2026-27 focused

PlayerPos2026-27cap $165.0M2027-28cap $176.6M2028-29cap $188.9M2029-30cap $202.1M2030-31cap $216.3M
Signed contracts
An over-the-cap team can't spend cap space, but the CBA still gives it tools: exceptions. The Blazers' current tools are Non-Taxpayer MLE ($15.1M), Bi-Annual Exception ($5.4M), plus Bird rights to re-sign their own free agents. How do teams build over the cap?
Jrue HolidayG$34.8MPO$37.2M
Jerami GrantF$34.2MPO$36.4M
Shaedon SharpeG$20.1M$21.7M$23.3M$24.9M
FTO$18.1M$19.5M$21.0M$22.4M
Toumani Camara holds a team option for $18.1M this season; the Blazers decide whether it's exercised. What is a team option?
GTO$13.6M
Scoot Henderson holds a team option for $13.6M this season; the Blazers decide whether it's exercised. What is a team option?
Damian LillardG$13.4MPO$14.1M
Deni AvdijaF$13.1M$11.9M
CTO$7.5MTO$9.6M
Donovan Clingan holds a team option for $7.5M this season; the Blazers decide whether it's exercised. What is a team option?
FTO$5.3M
Kris Murray holds a team option for $5.3M this season; the Blazers decide whether it's exercised. What is a team option?
Hansen YangC$4.6M$4.9M$7.5M
Vit KrejciG$2.7MTO$3.0M
Sidy CissokoG$2.5M
Signed contracts subtotal$169.9M$158.2M$51.7M$47.3M$0.0M
Dead money
Dead money is salary owed to players no longer on the roster (waived or stretched). The Blazers carry $268K of it, and it counts against the cap, the tax, and the aprons. What is dead money?
Didi Louzada$0.3M
Didi Louzada$0.3M
Didi Louzada$0.3M
Dead money subtotal$0.3M$0.3M$0.3M$0.0M$0.0M
Cap holdsplaceholders, not paid
A cap hold is a placeholder charge for a team's own free agent, sized by his Bird bracket. The Blazers carry $59.2M in free-agent holds; these count against the cap only, never the tax or aprons. What is the cap hold?
Free agents · Bird % of prior salary, renounce to clear
F$25.2M
Robert Williams III carries a 190% cap hold: 190% of his $13.3M prior salary = $25.2M against the Blazers' cap until he re-signs, is renounced, or signs elsewhere. What are Bird rights?
F$21.9M
Matisse Thybulle carries a 190% cap hold: 190% of his $11.6M prior salary = $21.9M against the Blazers' cap until he re-signs, is renounced, or signs elsewhere. What are Bird rights?
F$2.8M
Blake Wesley carries a 120% cap hold: 120% of his $2.3M prior salary = $2.8M against the Blazers' cap until he re-signs, is renounced, or signs elsewhere. What are non-Bird rights?
F$2.7M
Rayan Rupert carries a 120% cap hold: 120% of his $2.2M prior salary = $2.7M against the Blazers' cap until he re-signs, is renounced, or signs elsewhere. What are non-Bird rights?
F$2.2M
Players on the roster without a standard contract (two-way, Exhibit-10) carry a flat minimum hold of $2.2M (projected) each against the Blazers' cap. What is the minimum cap hold?
F$2.2M
Players on the roster without a standard contract (two-way, Exhibit-10) carry a flat minimum hold of $2.2M (projected) each against the Blazers' cap. What is the minimum cap hold?
F$2.2M
Players on the roster without a standard contract (two-way, Exhibit-10) carry a flat minimum hold of $2.2M (projected) each against the Blazers' cap. What is the minimum cap hold?
F$55.8M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$54.6M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$40.8M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$28.7M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$26.8M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$22.6M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$22.4M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$15.9M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$5.7M
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
F$3.0M
Non-Bird rights (after one season) only allow a raise to 120% of prior salary; the cap hold is likewise 120% of prior salary. What are non-Bird rights?
Cap holds subtotal$59.2M$59.7M$194.1M$22.4M$0.0M
Counts against the cap$229.4M$218.2M$250.7M$84.4M$20.9M
Hold values are computed: draft picks at 120% of the rookie-scale slot (season-adjusted), free agents at the Bird % of prior salary (Non 120%, Early 130%, Bird 150/190/250/300%), or a flat minimum. This table is read-only; edit source data in the database to change values.

Tax & apron position · 2026-27

FLOOR
$149.0M
TAX
$201.0M
APRON 1
$209.0M
APRON 2
$222.0M
Blazers $171.5M
Marker = tax/apron salary (contracts + dead money); holds don't count here. Cap space is separate (includes holds) and shown in the report above.

Free-agent capacity · 2026-27

Non-Taxpayer MLEup to $15.1M
Hard-caps you at the first apron.
The Blazers can offer the full non-taxpayer mid-level: up to $15.1M (projected) starting salary, up to 4 years. Using it hard-caps them at the first apron. What is the mid-level exception (non-taxpayer)?
Bi-Annual Exceptionup to $5.4M
Every other year. Also hard-caps at the first apron.
The Blazers can use the bi-annual exception: $5.4M (projected) starting salary, up to 2 years, but only if they didn't use it last season. It hard-caps them at the first apron. What is the bi-annual exception?
Bird rights
Re-sign your own free agents up to the max.
Bird rights let the Blazers re-sign their own free agents up to the max even while over the cap. The attached cap hold is 150–300% of the player's prior salary, depending on tenure and salary level. What are Bird rights?
25%
0–6 yrs
$41.3M
30%
7–9 yrs
$49.5M
35%
10+ yrs
$57.8M
Max starting salary by experience tier. Tap for how the tiers work.
Max contracts scale with experience (projected): $41.3M starting salary for 0–6 years, $49.5M for 7–9, $57.8M for 10+ (25/30/35% of the cap). How do NBA max salaries work?
Outside FAs can only be signed at the max using cap space; otherwise capped by the tools above.

Decision points · 2026-27

Option calls ahead of 2027-28
Jrue HolidayPlayer option$37.2M
A player option (PO badge) lets the player choose between staying for that year's salary or becoming a free agent. What is a player option?
Jerami GrantPlayer option$36.4M
A player option (PO badge) lets the player choose between staying for that year's salary or becoming a free agent. What is a player option?
Damian LillardPlayer option$14.1M
A player option (PO badge) lets the player choose between staying for that year's salary or becoming a free agent. What is a player option?
Donovan ClinganTeam option$9.6M
A team option (TO badge) lets the Blazers choose whether to keep the player for that year's salary or let him become a free agent. What is a team option?
Vit KrejciTeam option$3.0M
A team option (TO badge) lets the Blazers choose whether to keep the player for that year's salary or let him become a free agent. What is a team option?
Expiring after 2026-27Scoot Henderson$13.6MKris Murray$5.3MSidy Cissoko$2.5M
The forks in the road as the books stand: options someone must pick up or decline, and salaries that come off after 2026-27. Tap an option for how it works.

Draft picks through 2032

The Trail Blazers control 9 first-round and 6 second-round picks, 1 carrying swap rights.

2026

Their own 1st, owed to CHI · No. 15Portland's own first conveyed to Chicago, landing at pick 15, from the 2021 Larry Nance Jr. three-team deal once the lottery protection lapsed.
Their own 2nd, owed to SASPortland's own second conveyed to San Antonio at pick 42, routed via New Orleans.

2027

2027 1st (own)
2027 2nd (via MIN)Unprotected second owed to Portland, acquired in a 2024 three-team trade.
2027 2nd (own, swap rights attached)CHA holds a swap right and takes the less favorable of the POR and CHA 2027 seconds.

2028

2028 1st (via ORL)Unprotected first owed to Portland, acquired by POR via Memphis in 2025 draft compensation.
2028 1st (own)
2028 2nd (own)
2028 2nd (via SAC)Owed to Portland, unprotected.

2029

2029 1st (via BOS)Unprotected first owed to Portland from the October 2023 Jrue Holiday acquisition; the obligation survived the June 2025 Holiday-for-Simons return trade.
2029 1st (via MIL)Unprotected first owed to Portland from the September 2023 Damian Lillard trade.
2029 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to MEMUnprotected second owed to Memphis.

2030

2030 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to PHIOwed to Philadelphia or Washington from the 2024 Deni Avdija trade; Philadelphia is credited with the more favorable of the POR and PHX 2030 seconds.

2031

2031 1st (own)
2031 2nd (own)

2032

2032 1st (own)
2032 2nd (own)

Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Trail Blazers draft picks page.