The NBA has implemented new rules to prevent teams from stacking their rosters with stars. The latest changes to the second apron rules has done the trick, effectively ending the last era of the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. Boston was forced to shed salary via trade. The Suns did the same with Kevin Durant, but they had to buy out the rest of Bradley Beal’s contract.
Stars on big contracts have become double-edged swords in today’s game. For example, the NBA world was shocked when the Milwaukee Bucks waived Damian Lillard and stretched out his contract. However, the move gave the Bucks the flexibility they needed to sign Myles Turner.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out that Durant and Beal are on an exclusive list. Those two, along with Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Lillard, were signed or traded for in 2023. When the new second apron rules were introduced, their teams decided that the players were not worth the trouble and moved on from them.
Durant’s trade to the Houston Rockets has been the biggest move of the offseason so far. Beal’s arrival to the Los Angeles Clippers turned heads, but it was viewed as the inevitable outcome based on his situation in Phoenix.
However, the fact that all five of those players were moved could be a preview of what is to come. Under the new rules, it is difficult to keep a group of stars together, regardless of how it is built. The Thunder, for example, drafted all three of their star players. However, they face serious financial problems in a few seasons when all three contracts fully kick in.
Durant and Beal were a failed experiment alongside Devin Booker on the Suns. Phoenix washed their hands of both in an effort to clean out their cap sheet moving forward. For better or worse, the second apron is working as intended. Front offices around the NBA have to keep their eyes on the aprons as they try to build championship rosters.