CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Washington Wizards · Salary cap report
Wizards are $24.5M over the cap on payroll.
Washington Wizards payroll for the 2026-27 season is $189.5M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the money committed to the roster, is signed salaries, dead money, and drafted-rookie holds: $189.5M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Wizards' cap number rises to $211.3M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open -$24.5M of room and give up Bird rights. Drafted-rookie holds count against the cap, not the luxury tax.
Run Wizards' offseason yourself→Under the tax on payroll
What the numbers mean
Payroll$189.5M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$211.3M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineUNDERby $11.0M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineUNDERby $19.6M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze.
Where the Wizards 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 books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Anthony Davis | F | $58.5M | PO$62.8M | – |
| Trae Young | G | $47.3M | $51.1M | $54.9M |
| Alexandre Sarr | C | TO$12.4M | TO$15.6M | – |
| Bilal Coulibaly | G | TO$9.2M | – | – |
| Tre Johnson | G | $8.6M | TO$9.1M | TO$11.5M |
| Deandre Ayton | C | $8.1M | – | – |
| Khris Middleton | F | $5.6M | $5.9M | $6.1M |
| Cam Whitmore | F | TO$5.5M | – | – |
| Carlton Carrington | G | TO$4.9M | TO$7.3M | – |
| Will Riley | F | $3.7M | TO$3.9M | TO$6.2M |
| KyShawn George | F | TO$3.1M | TO$5.4M | – |
| Tristan Vukcevic | F | $3.0M | TO$3.0M | – |
| Justin Champagnie | F | $2.7M | TO$3.0M | – |
| Jamir Watkins | F | TO$2.2M | – | – |
| Signed subtotal | $174.7M | $167.0M | $78.7M | |
| Draft picks · on roster, rookie-scale hold | ||||
| AJ Dybantsa · No. 1ROOKIE | – | $14.7M | – | – |
| Payroll | $189.5M | $167.0M | $78.7M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Alondes WilliamsNON-BIRD | G | $2.8M | – | – |
| Dante ExumNON-BIRD | G | $2.8M | – | – |
| Anthony GillNON-BIRD | F | $2.8M | – | – |
| Kadary RichmondNON-BIRD | $2.4M | – | – | |
| Keshon GilbertNON-BIRD | $2.4M | – | – | |
| Skal LabissiereNON-BIRD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Sharife CooperMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Julian ReeseMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Felix OkparaMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Cam WhitmoreBIRD 300% | F | – | $16.4M | – |
| Will RileyBIRD 300% | F | – | – | – |
| Carlton CarringtonBIRD 300% | G | – | – | $21.8M |
| Anthony DavisBIRD 150% | F | – | – | $66.1M |
| Tre JohnsonBIRD 300% | G | – | – | – |
| Justin ChampagnieNON-BIRD | F | – | – | $3.6M |
| Bilal CoulibalyBIRD 300% | G | – | $27.7M | – |
| Jamir WatkinsNON-BIRD | F | – | $2.9M | – |
| Alexandre SarrBIRD 300% | C | – | – | $46.8M |
| KyShawn GeorgeBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $16.3M |
| Tristan VukcevicNON-BIRD | F | – | – | $3.6M |
| Deandre AytonEARLY BIRD | F | – | $10.5M | – |
| Counts against the cap | $211.3M | $224.5M | $240.0M | |
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 Jaden Hardy tradeup to $0.4M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jul 3, 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
Anthony Davis $62.8M player option, Alexandre Sarr $15.6M team option, Tre Johnson $9.1M team option, Carlton Carrington $7.3M team option, KyShawn George $5.4M team option, Will Riley $3.9M team option, Justin Champagnie $3.0M team option, Tristan Vukcevic $3.0M team option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Bilal Coulibaly $9.2M, Deandre Ayton $8.1M, Cam Whitmore $5.5M, Jamir Watkins $2.2M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Wizards 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 Wizards control 8 first-round and 9 second-round picks, 2 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 1st (own) · No. 1
2026 2nd (via MIN) · No. 51
Minnesota's own second conveyed to Washington at pick 51, routed via Detroit and New York.
2026 2nd (via OKC) · No. 60
Oklahoma City's own second conveyed to Washington at pick 60, routed via San Antonio and Miami.
Their own 2nd, owed to HOU · No. 31
Washington's own second reached New York at pick 31, then on draft night the Knicks traded it to Houston, which selected Bruce Thornton at 31.
2027
2027 1st (own)
2027 2nd (via BKN)
Washington takes the more favorable of the Brooklyn and Dallas 2027 seconds and Milwaukee the less favorable; Detroit's earlier claim moved to Milwaukee in the July 2026 six-team trade. Brooklyn's own slot lands with Washington or Milwaukee.
2027 2nd (via DAL)
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.
Their own 2nd, owed to NYK
WAS's own second went to New York in the same substitution package triggered by the 2026 first-round protection.
2028
2028 1st (own, swap rights attached)
WAS can swap its 2028 first for the less favorable of the MIL and POR 2028 firsts (Portland has first swap priority on Milwaukee); its own slot is retained. From the Lillard and Khris Middleton trades.
2028 2nd (via DEN)
Owed to Washington, protected 31-33 (DEN keeps it only if it lands 31-33).
2028 2nd (own)
2029
2029 1st (own)
Their own 2nd, owed to IND
Indiana takes the more favorable of the Indiana and Washington 2029 seconds and Portland the less favorable; Washington's own slot conveys to Indiana or Portland, never Washington. From the June 2023 Bradley Beal trade chain.
2030
2030 1st (own, swap rights attached)
Washington's own 2030 first is swap-encumbered in a Washington, Phoenix, Memphis pool: Washington takes the more favorable of its own and Phoenix's, Memphis the more favorable of its own or the less favorable of that pair, and Phoenix the least of the three. Washington retains a 2030 first pending resolution. From the Beal and July 2023 Memphis-Phoenix deals.
Their own 2nd, owed to PHI
Washington's own second went to Philadelphia, which may convey it to Boston; Boston takes the most favorable of the Phoenix, Portland, and Washington 2030 seconds and Philadelphia the middle claim. From the February 2025 Philadelphia-Washington deal and the July 2026 Jaylen Brown trade.
2031
2031 1st (own)
2031 2nd (via MIA)
Miami's own second conveys away in the Washington, Memphis, Indiana 2031 pool: Washington takes the more favorable of the Indiana and Miami seconds, Memphis the more favorable of its own or the less favorable of that pair, and Indiana the least of the three. Miami retains none.
Their own 2nd, owed to LAL
Washington's own second owed to the Lakers in the July 2026 Deandre Ayton for Jaden Hardy trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)
2032 2nd (via UTA)
Utah's own second, owed to Washington from the Walt Clayton Jr. deal, then folded into a Memphis swap by the July 2026 six-team trade: Memphis takes the most favorable of the Memphis, Philadelphia, and Utah 2032 seconds, otherwise Utah's goes to Washington.
Their own 2nd, owed to LAL
Washington's own second owed to the Lakers in the July 2026 Deandre Ayton for Jaden Hardy trade.
2033
2033 1st (own)
2033 2nd (via DAL)
Dallas's own second owed to Washington, unprotected, in the July 2026 six-team Khris Middleton sign-and-trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to MEM
Washington's own second owed to Memphis in the July 2026 six-team Khris Middleton trade.
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Wizards draft picks page.
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