Early NBA trade guide: Two timelines, superstar futures and apron issues

Just implicit 1 twelvemonth ago, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves made a uncommon blockbuster determination that progressive 7 players, including All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle. The commercialized was 1 of lone 2 deals earlier the 2024-2025 regular season, and the adjacent commercialized did not hap until Dec. 15.

The Feb. 5 commercialized deadline is 4 months away, and though the 118 players who signed contracts this offseason cannot beryllium traded now, it is ne'er excessively aboriginal to interruption down the top-14 teams to watch, arsenic good arsenic immoderate quick-hit notes astir the league.

We commencement with the Golden State Warriors, who are looking to widen the title model of 37-year-old Stephen Curry.

The closing model to vie for a championship

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors were staring astatine an undesirable presumption -- before signing Jonathan Kuminga connected Sept. 30.

Golden State had the first-round draught superior -- the Warriors tin commercialized up to the maximum 4 first-round picks and besides swap successful the adjacent 7 years -- to marque a important commercialized during the season. But, dissimilar the sizable contracts disposable successful the Jimmy Butler commercialized past February (Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson), that did not beryllium this season. Curry, Butler and Draymond Green harvester to gain much than 75% of the Warriors' squad wage cap, leaving Golden State without capable wage to cobble unneurotic a woody if an interaction subordinate were available. The Warriors' 3 adjacent highest-paid players -- Moses Moody, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski -- person a full wage adjacent to $24 million.

Golden State benefits successful aggregate ways with Kuminga not signing the $8 cardinal qualifying offer. Although helium can't beryllium traded until Jan. 15, the Warriors present person a $22.5 cardinal commercialized asset. By waiving his one-year Bird restriction, Golden State tin besides commercialized Kuminga without his approval.

But determination are fiscal consequences with the caller Kuminga declaration and signing Al Horford to the taxation midlevel exception.

The Warriors are present hard-capped astatine the 2nd apron -- they are $2 cardinal beneath -- and not allowed to instrumentality backmost much wage successful a commercialized and aggregate contracts if it leaves them implicit the 2nd apron.

The 2 timelines

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