The NBA's "Apron Era"
A few months ago, I wrote an article detailing how the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) had already begun to significantly change how the league’s top teams build their rosters:
That shift is even more apparent now, especially as we watch the Conference Finals unfold. When looking at the current contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, and contrasting them with early playoff exits like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, it's clear: the new CBA is already having major consequences.
What is the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?
On July 1, 2023, the NBA implemented a new CBA, marking a drastic change in how the salary cap functions. Central to the new rules is the introduction of a “two-apron” system. This framework places much stricter restrictions on teams that exceed the salary cap, essentially penalizing high-spending teams more severely than ever:
In essence, going over the first or second apron now comes with such harsh financial and roster-building consequences that few owners or general managers are willing to deal with it. While the league avoided using the phrase "hard cap," the reality feels very close.
The intent wasn’t malicious. After years of the Golden State Warriors dominating the league, fueled by owners willing to write nine-figure luxury tax checks, small-market teams had no way to compete. By preventing exorbinantly wealthy owners from buying their way to success, the playing field was level — especially for small market teams.
The Consequences
The impact of the new system is already being felt. In less than two years, it’s forced teams to make decisions that would’ve been unthinkable under the previous CBA.
The Luka Doncic trade
There are many narratives surrounding the Luka Dončić trade—some say it stemmed from Nico Harrison’s frustration with Luka’s defense or injury concerns. While that is correct, it was a far more financial decision than anything.
This summer, Dončić was eligible for a five-year, $345 million contract extension that would’ve made him the highest-paid player in NBA history. While there were legitimate concerns about giving that kind of money to a player with defensive and health question marks, the more pressing issue was roster flexibility.
Nico Harrison understood he couldn’t build a championship roster around a player making nearly 50% of the team’s cap. Even if the trade itself was questionable in execution, the logic was sound: get ahead of the issue by trading Luka for a proven player who will remain on a lower, constant salary over the next few years. That way, they could grab more pieces to have continued playoff success.
Rather than lock themselves into a decade of cap crisis, constantly tinkering at the margins around Dončić and never having a championship-level roster, they made a bold move to preserve long-term flexibility.
Future Celtics fire-sale
The Boston Celtics, who built a championship-caliber roster in the summer of 2023, now face an offseason where they may be forced to disband. They're about $20 million over the second apron, looking at a staggering $238 million luxury tax payment, strict trade restrictions, and the likely loss of their 2032 first-round pick.
Despite having valuable trade pieces like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis, Boston’s options are limited—because in this new CBA world, money is everything.
Take this example: a hypothetical trade that would be ideal for both teams would only save the Celtics $3 million. Under the new CBA, that’s not nearly enough to matter:
Boston now faces a harsh reality: they may have to trade expensive, talented veterans for minimal return. Unless a team is willing to swap a rising rookie on a team-friendly contract for an aging star like Holiday—a highly unlikely scenario—the Celtics are stuck.
Making matters worse, only one team (the Brooklyn Nets) is currently under the salary cap. And they don’t have the kind of cheap, impactful players Boston would need to maintain its championship core.
Looking further ahead, things could become even more dire. By the 2026–27 season, when Jayson Tatum returns from injury, the Celtics will be paying him and Jaylen Brown over 86% of the salary cap. That financial reality makes a Jaylen Brown trade in the near future almost inevitable—likely breaking up one of the most successful duos in recent NBA history.
Current Success and the Future of Rosters
While the new CBA has squeezed big-spending teams, it’s created a path for the small to thrive. The Thunder and Pacers, the two cheapest teams remaining in the playoffs, offer a model for how to win in this new financial landscape.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder finished 68–14 and are the betting favorite to win the NBA Finals. More than any team, they’ve mastered the two-apron era.
Their success starts with a commitment to smart drafting, development, and asset management. Years ago, they traded Russell Westbrook and Paul George for a haul of first-round picks and a future MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This wasn’t luck—it was strategy. Feeling the financial tide of the NBA was about to shift, OKC prioritized flexibility. They’ve built around a single superstar in SGA, while supporting him with talented, young, and affordable players like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, both still on rookie deals.
Their depth—Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace—costs just under $40 million combined. This allowed them to add key veterans last offseason without financial strain.
They’re the cheapest team in the Conference Finals, and the best. And with 11 first-round picks through 2030, they’re set up to either draft future stars or attach picks to move off bad contracts and retain superstars when the time comes.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers, leading 1–0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, have followed a similar blueprint.
They traded Domantas Sabonis for rising guard Tyrese Haliburton, then later acquired Pascal Siakam from a tanking Raptors team. The rest of their rotation has been built through smart drafting and opportunistic trades.
Like OKC, Indiana has amassed draft capital and built a team around one star surrounded by versatile, cost-effective role players. With their current cap situation and future flexibility, they’re positioned to compete for years.
Instead of looking down the barrel of recreating their team after a few playoff runs in the next few years, they have the assets and flexibility to retool, thrive, and contend.
Looking Ahead
The Thunder and Pacers have built something special—but replicating their models won’t be easy. Elite young stars like SGA and Haliburton are rare, and consistently finding talent in the draft is incredibly difficult.
Still, the message is clear: the age of the “super team” is over. The next decade will be defined by teams built around one franchise player and a rotation of skilled, affordable contributors.
Don’t be surprised if your favorite team looks dramatically different in just a few years. Under the new CBA, the NBA’s era of financial reckoning has already begun—and there’s no turning back.