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DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 21: Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant (35) question the referee after a defensive foul call against Green during the first half on Sunday, October 21, 2018. The Denver Nuggets hosted the Golden State Warriors at the Pepsi Center in Denver. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 21: Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant (35) question the referee after a defensive foul call against Green during the first half on Sunday, October 21, 2018. The Denver Nuggets hosted the Golden State Warriors at the Pepsi Center in Denver. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors dynasty is waiting to return this NBA season. After a poor year where the Warriors missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012, they will look to come back strong. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant in free-agency in 2019 to the Brooklyn Nets. Additionally, the season was rough on them, having lost Klay Thompson and Steph Curry to injury.
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DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 21: Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant (35) question a call to a referee during the first half agains the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, October 21, 2018. The Denver Nuggets hosted the Golden State Warriors at the Pepsi Center in Denver. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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The roster of the Golden State Warriors was drastically different after the 2019-20 season. KD and Andre Iguodala left the franchise. This leaves them with a significant amount of money and cap space, allowing them to sign another superstar. Yet they weren’t able to get anyone significant. Shortly after acquiring D’Angelo Russell, they traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins’ contract is quite massive, not warranted by his play so far. Therefore, the Warriors cannot add another superstar due to the salary cap limitations. But due to Iguodala leaving, they do have their mid-level exception available to bring in another veteran for a maximum of $17 million. They will go over the luxury tax if they go above the exception amount.
Golden State Warriors benefit from BRI reduction
This is possibly a significant victory for the Warriors and rival teams are already upset (again). https://t.co/lyNv3EJgGe
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 10, 2020
Perhaps that is a more considerable option for the Warriors. Reports are emerging that the NBA is negotiating the salary cap and luxury tax now. This is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial strain it has put on the league. Given that ticketing revenue for the league and the franchises were eliminated, basketball-related income (BRI) will significantly drop.
Therefore, the renegotiation was in order. Part of the reports suggests that the luxury tax charged to NBA teams will reduce in proportion to BRI reduction. This would benefit the Golden State Warriors, who can go over the salary cap and pay less in luxury tax. Naturally, this development is infuriating to other franchises, who feel as though the Warriors are benefiting from the League’s convoluted rules over the salary cap. They point to the Kevin Durant signing as another example of the NBA’s rules being inconsequential for the Warriors.
The NBA franchises will point fingers claiming favoritism towards the Golden State Warriors if the league implements the rule. The complaints about how the financial rules are bent for them to be able to succeed will increase.
