The NBA sees the second tax apron as a way to give more teams a chance. The players’ union sees a system that makes keeping a good team together unnecessarily difficult.
NBPA executive director David Kelly wants changes, whether that means easing the restrictions or eliminating the second apron altogether.
“If we have a system in place that forces teams to make trades that are based on business decisions and not basketball decisions, then we think that provision has gone too far,” Kelly told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
Kelly acknowledged that the union agreed to the provision in the current collective bargaining agreement. He also said its effects have exceeded what the players anticipated.
The league has pointed to increased parity. Kelly’s counter is that the NBA had five different champions in the five years before the second apron arrived in 2023-24. In his view, competitive balance doesn’t require all the roster restrictions that now accompany expensive payrolls.
He also wants exceptions that help teams retain homegrown stars. That’s an argument fans who watch a successful core get dismantled over payroll concerns can probably appreciate.
Whether the disagreement could contribute to a work stoppage is another question. Kelly hopes to avoid one but said the union is preparing players for that possibility.
“We’ve had conversations and there’s some steps that we’re taking to make sure that we’re prepared,” he said.
The current agreement runs through 2029-30, with either side able to opt out a year early.
Kelly left room for compromise on exceptions, penalties and the repeater tax. The union wants relief. The next negotiation will help determine how much the owners are willing to give.
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