Overview
- Speaking on The Old Man and the Three this week, the Jazz veteran called the apron system “really f--king stupid,” saying it punishes teams that draft and develop.
- Love cited Oklahoma City’s championship trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, whose recent extensions could complicate keeping the group together under the new thresholds.
- Second-apron penalties include loss of the mid-level exception, no ability to take back extra salary in trades, tighter rules on trade exceptions and future firsts, and a ban on sending cash, with draft placement penalties for repeated years above it.
- Analytics outlet Le Basket Lab pushed back, arguing the Thunder can retain their stars by paying the tax, contending the policy limits flexibility rather than mandating breakups.
- Love warned the framework will shrink opportunities for veterans as teams lean toward cheaper deals to avoid harsher restrictions.