Max Cap Room
$37.4 million (not including their first round pick)

$8.8 million Room Mid-Level Exception

Potential Free Agents​​

• Zion Williamson ($39.4 million non-guaranteed salary)

• Brandon Ingram ($46.4 million cap hold, Full Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Daniel Theis ($2.3 million cap hold, Non-Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Javonte Green ($2.3 million cap hold, Non-Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2 million cap hold, Early Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Antonio Reaves ($2.2 million non-guaranteed salary)

Summary

The Pelicans could only really create cap room if they let Ingram walk away in free agency and waive Williamson's non-guaranteed salary, which is very unlikely. Therefore, the Pelicans will likely be operating over the cap.

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If Williamson is retained, the Pelicans will be $37 million below the luxury tax, $45 million below the first apron, and $55 million below the second apron with 8 players under contract (not including their first round pick). Re-signing Ingram would take up a big chunk of that room.

 

The Pelicans could have the full $14.1 million Non-Taxpayer MLE and the $5.1 million Bi-Annual Exception to add talent if they can remain below the first apron. Otherwise, they may just have the $5.7 million Taxpayer MLE to add talent and stay below the 2nd apron. If their own free agents push them over the 2nd apron, they will only be able to offer minimum contracts to free agents.

Potential Free Agency Targets
Bigs

• Myles Turner

• Brook Lopez

• Clint Capela

​Depth

• Jericho Sims

• Al Horford

• Bojan Bogdanovic

Secondary creation

• Malcolm Brogdon

• Bruce Brown

• Tyus Jones