NBA Trade Machine & Cap Studio

Interactive collective bargaining agreement (CBA) trade simulator, salary matching validator, and roster spacing analyzer.

Source Verification: @ShamsCharania "The Atlanta Hawks are trading Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith, sources tell ESPN."

Trade Presets:

Atlanta Hawks

Taxpayer / Below 1st Apron

Tax Room: $4.2M

Payroll: $171.8M 1st Apron: $178.1M

Hawks Roster Assets Action

Cash Sent: $2.50M

Charlotte Hornets

Under Cap / Non-Taxpayer

Cap Room: $12.4M

Payroll: $148.2M Cap: $140.5M | Tax: $170.8M

Hornets Roster Assets Action

Cash Received: Max $7.61M per season $2.50M

CBA Collective Bargaining Validation

✓

Salary Matching Limits

Hawks outgoing ($10.8M) allows receiving up to $18.3M. Received: $13.5M.

✓

Second Apron Aggregation

Neither team is over the 2nd Apron ($188.9M). Multi-player outgoing allowed.

✓

Cash Consideration Ceiling

$2.50M is within the $7.61M 2024–25 seasonal transaction cap.

✓

Roster Size Minimums/Maximums

Hawks: 14 roster spots. Hornets: 15 roster spots (Standard 15 max).

Floor Spacing & Tactical 3PT Impact +2.4 Def Rating

Hawks Net Salary Shift

+$2,700,000

Hornets Net Salary Shift

-$2,700,000

Hawks Tax Projection

$1.8M Tax Est.

Hornets Cap Room Left

$15.1M Space

Real salary data computed on device.

Understanding the 2024–2025 CBA Matching Rules

Under the current NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, trade salary matching depends directly on the sending team’s bracket relative to the Tax Apron lines:

Team Apron Bracket	Permitted Salary Inflow
Non-Taxpayer (<$7.5M outgoing)	Up to 200% + $250,000
Non-Taxpayer ($7.5M to $29M)	Outgoing + $7,500,000
Non-Taxpayer (>$29M outgoing)	Up to 125% + $250,000
First Apron Teams	Strict 100% (Dollar-for-Dollar)
Second Apron Teams	Cannot aggregate 2+ players or send cash

Why Atlanta & Charlotte Make Strategic Sense

Atlanta Hawks Motivation: Dorian Finney-Smith provides proven 3-and-D wing depth with a 6-foot-7 frame, allowing Atlanta to upgrade wing defensive switchability and lock down perimeter assignments in crunch time while staying below the punitive First Apron hard-cap trigger.

Charlotte Hornets Motivation: Charlotte absorbs Buddy Hield’s contract to provide veteran movement shooting alongside their young core, acquires Ryan Nembhard’s upside, and takes on $2.5M in cash considerations utilizing their sub-tax cap room flexibility.

Note: Real CBA contracts use official 2024–25 cap estimates: Salary Cap ($140.588M), Luxury Tax ($170.814M), 1st Apron ($178.132M), 2nd Apron ($188.931M).