Clippers apply for disabled player exception after Bradley Beal injury

The Clippers have applied for a disabled player exception following Bradley Beal’s season-ending hip injury, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line/Bleacher Report.

Beal was diagnosed last week with a hip fracture, and the Clippers expect him to be sidelined through June, making them eligible for the exception.

The disabled player exception doesn’t create an extra roster spot, but it does offer a little cap flexibility. It can be used to trade for a player on an expiring deal, claim a waived player or sign a free agent to a one-year contract.

The value of the DPE is either half of the injured player’s salary or the non-taxpayer mid-level amount, whichever is smaller. Beal’s cap hit is $5.34 million, so the exception would be worth $2.67 million.

The Clippers already used their full mid-level exception and don’t have access to the bi-annual exception this season, making the DPE potentially useful for adding help above the veteran minimum or acquiring a near-minimum contract in a trade.

The challenge is the cap. Los Angeles is operating just $1.28 million below the first apron. Because teams cannot cross the apron under any circumstances, the Clippers would be unable to use more than that amount unless they move salary.

The deadline to use a disabled player exception is March 10.