After the last couple weeks of trades and free agent signings, a lot has changed in the world of NBA team salaries. Only 5 teams did not have any change to their salaries: Lakers, Magic, 76ers, Pistons, and Pacers.
There were many small changes, but I think only four big changes that need to be identified. The Mavs just signed free agent Corey Brewer to a 3 year contract. This bumps their payroll up $2.5 mil, which makes them the 2nd highest payroll in the league, moving ahead of Orlando and only trailing the Lakers. The Carmelo trade makes up the last 3 big changes. As I said last week, the Nuggets saved around $25 mil from the trade, including luxury taxes. It saved them about $18 mil on their payroll for this season, while costing the Knicks $8.5 mil and the T-Wolves around $8.2 mil. So that one trade has changed the rankings significantly.
Only 6 teams, Bulls, Spurs, Kings, Wizards, Raptors, and Cavs, hold the same spot in the rankings as they did in the last one.
For only the 2nd time, and the 1st since early December, there is no team with a losing record ahead of a team with a winning record in the rankings. This proves that it is better to spend a little more money and win, than try to save money and lose.
Biggest improvement: Nuggets (+14)
Biggest decline: Knicks (-8), Warriors (-7)
Rank-Team-Projected Wins-Cost per Win-(Last rankings)
1. Bulls - 57 - 963,954.68 (1)
2. Spurs - 68 - $1,021,456.35 (2)
3. Thunder - 52 - $1,105,365.35 (4)
4. Heat - 57 - $1,154,541.93 (3)
5. Celtics - 62 - $1,337,213.68 (7)
6. Nuggets - 48 - $1,372,310.27 (20)
7. Hawks - 49 - $1,446,434.71 (6)
8. Mavs - 61 - $1,480,157.92 (10)
9. Hornets - 46 - $1,487,724.04 (8)
10. Suns - 44 - $1,494,064.41 (12)
11. Blazers - 46 - $1,524,906.30 (9)
12. Grizzlies - 44 - $1,584,853.68 (11)
13. Knicks - 42 - $1,585,168.81 (5)
14. Lakers - 57 - $1,606,485.25 (13)
15. 76ers - 42 - $1,651,434.43 (18)
16. Magic - 52 - $1,714,223.00 (17)
17. Jazz - 42 - $1,760,940.07 (15)
18. Pacers - 36 - $1,788,011.69 (19)
19. Clippers - 29 - $1,793,978.83 (16)
20. Rockets - 40 - $1,814,690.10 (22)
21. Warriors - 36 - $1,866,459.17 (14)
22. Bobcats - 35 - $1,903,122.11 (21)
23. Kings - 21 - $2,096,695.05 (23)
24. Bucks - 31 - $2,246,617.16 (25)
25. Pistons - 29 - $2,273,028.31 (24)
26. Nets - 24 - $2,462,021.67 (27)
27. T-Wolves - 19 - $2,796,861.16 (26)
28. Wizards - 20 - $2,971,164.05 (28)
29. Raptors - 22 - $3,157,311.14 (29)
30. Cavs - 16 - $3,329,000.94 (30)
