The NBA’s second apron has no shortage of critics these days. Now, the head of the players’ union is joining the list.
Speaking Friday, NBPA executive director David Kelly said he’d like to see the league soften — or even eliminate — the second apron, arguing it has forced teams into making financial decisions instead of basketball ones, according to ESPN’s Ben Golliver.
“We are not fans of the second apron,” Kelly said. “We’re seeing it decimate teams and force decisions to be made that are not basketball decisions.”
Kelly, who became the union’s executive director in February, also pushed back on commissioner Adam Silver’s stance that the apron system promotes parity. Instead, Kelly suggested its primary purpose has been to limit spending on player salaries.
The debate has only intensified this offseason.
The Celtics pointed to second-apron concerns when they traded Jaylen Brown to the rival 76ers, while Knicks owner James Dolan has publicly indicated New York intends to stay below the threshold as well. Even Victor Wembanyama‘s new extension with the Spurs has become part of the conversation after the reigning Defensive Player of the Year passed on contract escalators that could have increased the deal by roughly $50 million.
NBPA president Fred VanVleet said the concerns aren’t limited to players.
According to Golliver, VanVleet said team executives, agents and even owners have increasingly voiced frustration with the current system, calling opposition to the second apron “almost a consensus.”
Any changes, however, won’t come anytime soon. The current collective bargaining agreement runs through the 2029 season, meaning the next opportunity to revisit the apron structure won’t arrive until the league and players begin negotiating a new deal.
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