NBA Salary Cap Going Up; How it Affects Doncic & Mavs

The NBA salary cap is projected to increase next season to $121 million. DallasBasketball.com explains how it affects Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

The summer of 2016 will live in infamy for the salary cap increase the NBA experienced. Big contracts were flying around to anyone and everyone, and one of the biggest transactions of that offseason was superstar Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors.

As a result of that, the Dallas Mavericks signed Harrison Barnes to a four-year $94 million max contract in a sign-and-trade. We all thought contract amounts were crazy then, but six years later, inflation keeps getting higher and higher, making those former contracts not look so hefty.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA estimates that the 2022-2023 season will have a $121 million salary cap and $147 million cap for the luxury tax level. 

This news could have free agency implications, given that these new estimates are $2 million more than what was previously projected. How will it affect the Mavs, who have superstar Luka Doncic's supermax contract officially making its appearance on their books next season?

Well, more money to play with is always good thing, even if the Mavs have to move some other contracts around to be able to really benefit from it. Second, an increase in salary cap means Luka Doncic will see a slight raise in his supermax contract, as the salary cap total dictates it (Doncic will make 30 percent of the team's total salary cap).

If the current projections hold true, Doncic will earn nearly $3.5 million more than what he originally signed up for. Before the estimates, Doncic was set to make a total of $207 million beforehand, and now that number is supposed to be $210.5 million - talk about inflation.

Although making a splash in 2022 free agency is virtually impossible for Dallas due to the projected $69 million owed to Kristaps Porzingis and Doncic, the real number to watch for is the luxury tax line. It wouldn't be a shock of the Mavs look to move off of Tim Hardaway Jr.'s four-year, $74 million deal either before the trade deadline or later in the offseason.

Obviously things could change depending on how the trade deadline goes and how the Mavs perform in the postseason this year. But if all stays relatively the same, will Mark Cuban be willing to dip into the luxury tax for a roster that hasn't made it out of the first round of the NBA playoffs yet? Cuban hasn’t paid the luxury tax in over a decade. Perhaps the pressure of Doncic wanting to win big now will change his tune. 

Follow DallasBasketball.com for more updates on the NBA salary cap and everything relating to the Dallas Mavericks.