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Phoenix Suns: Salary Cap Explosion May Hinder Rebuilding

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek looks on against the Portland Trail Blazers at US Airways Center. The Trail Blazers won the game 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek looks on against the Portland Trail Blazers at US Airways Center. The Trail Blazers won the game 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 19, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver (right) watches a Houston Rockets tribute during halftime of the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets game at Toyota Center in honor of the 20th anniversary the Rockets were honoring their 1993-94 and 1994-95 champion NBA teams. Rockets won 118 to 108. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sportss /

Skyrockets In Flight

Ever since the league signed its new TV contract worth $9 billion last October, everyone has been bracing for the projections of the skyrocketing salaries that will become commonplace once the deal kicks in.

For the uninitiated, the NBA’s salary cap normally doesn’t expand at a drastic year-to-year rate. In 2013-14, the cap was set at $58.7 million with the luxury tax threshold at $71.7 million. In 2014-15, it saw a “significant” increase to $63.2 million ($77 million for the luxury tax).

Even next season’s increases in the salary cap ($67.1 million) and luxury tax ($81.6 million) are relatively mundane despite being the largest in league history. But after the 2015-16 season, things get hectic.

One summer from now, we’ll be entering completely uncharted territory when it comes to free agency. With the salary cap expected to increase by around $22 million, teams are going to have a whole lot of money to throw at free agents. Giving them ANOTHER $19 million in 2017-18 is only going to amplify the magnitude of every new acquisition.

The severity of bad contracts and the importance spreading the wealth will only become more prominent moving forward. So how does this impact a team like the Suns?

Next: This Summer's Free Agency Crop

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