Transaction Summary

  1. IND receives Thomas Bryant
  2. MIA receives the right to swap its 2031 2nd Rd Pick with IND’s 2nd Rd. Pick

Cap Discussion

Waiver of Bryant’s Implied No Trade / December 15th Trade Eligibility

  1. Because Bryant signed one-year contract with MIA and MIA would have Early Bird Rights after the season, Bryant was to have an implied No Trade Clause in his contract because a team acquiring him via trade loses his Bird Rights. However, under the new CBA, a player can waive his implied No Trade Clause at the time of signing, which Bryant did.
  2. Unlike most trades, Bryant’s Bird Rights do not transfer to IND.
  3. Bryant was traded on his first day of eligibility (12/15), as he signed as a free agent this offseason.

Salary Cap Exception / IND Tax Status

  1. IND acquired Bryant using the Minimum Player Salary Exception (can acquire a player with 2 years or less receiving their applicable minimum salary).
  2. IND’s waiver of Moses Brown opened the roster spot for Bryant, and provided enough salary cushion to keep the team just below the Luxury Tax threshold, with over $2 million in pending likely/unlikely bonuses that could effect IND’s tax status.

IND’s Ability to Use Bryant in Subsequent Trade

  1. Generally, if a player is acquired using a salary cap exception like Bryant, they cannot be aggregated (combined with other players in outgoing salary) in a trade for two months.  However, if the player is acquired prior to December 17th, then the player may be included in such trade if the trade occurs the day prior to the Trade Deadline or on the day of the Trade Deadline.

IND existing DPE not Effected

  1. IND was granted two Disable Player Exceptions (DPE) due to the injuries of Isaiah Jackson ($2.2 million) and James Wiseman ($1.1 million).  Because Bryant could be acquired using the Minimum Player Exception, IND retains both DPE’s. However, because both Jackson and Wiseman remain on their books regardless of the DPE, IND has limited room under the Luxury Tax threshold to use the DPE (and have no current available roster spots) absent additional roster maneuvers.
  2. Should a player become available they are interested in, IND has the option of waiving Wiseman  and/or James Johnson.  Both are under non-guaranteed contracts until the universal guarantee date of 1/10. Should either be waived, IND will be subject to a Dead Money prorated cap hit based upon the length of time the player is with the team. Therefore, the sooner IND is able to make a transaction the more money they would be able to save.
  3. IND could also seek to use Jackson or Wiseman as outgoing salary in a trade, thus extinguishing their cap hit and related DPE, similar GSW’s trade of De’Anthony Melton.

MIA Must Fill Roster Spot / Created a TPE

  1. MIA drops to 13 Roster spots which is only permitted for 14 consecutive days and 28 days for the entire Regular Season.
  2. MIA creates a TPE worth the value of Bryant’s salary ($2,087,519), which must be used by the end of the Regular Season should MIA remain over the First Apron.