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The Los Angeles Clippers have claimed Rodney McGruder off waivers today, which will allow the Miami Heat to successfully avoid paying the luxury tax for the 2018-19 NBA season.
McGruder’s expiring $1.5 million contract will transfer to the Clippers, who will get his early Bird Rights, after the Heat made the decision to waive McGruder two days ago. The roster still stands at 13 players, but Miami can still sign two more players without having to be a tax paying team this season.
NBA salary cap expert Albert Nahmad has more on how the move by the Clippers affects the Heat.
Heat, by sliding under the luxury tax line, will: (i) wipe away their entire tax bill (projected at $9.7M at season start), (ii) collect a $3.1M distribution from proceeds of taxpaying teams, and (iii) push out repeater tax concerns another season (to 2022-23 at the earliest).
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) April 9, 2019
Heat are now $164K below the luxury tax line to 13 players. That’s plenty to sign two final players (which they will certainly do). And they’ll drop $564K below once they officially miss the playoffs, giving them even more to play with, which they can access, if desired, via MLE.
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) April 9, 2019
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