A vital tool within the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement is the trade exception. While it come in many flavors, allowing teams to take back salary in return for outgoing players, the Standard Traded Player Exception (STPE) is the type that lasts a full calendar year.

For teams that are under the first apron ($178,132,000 for the 2024-25 season), the STPE can be used to take in up to $250,000 more than its value. For instance, a $10 million STPE can bring back a player earning up to $10,250,000 in salaries. Or it can be used to take back two players earning $5,250,000 each (as separate transactions).

Franchises above the first apron don’t get that extra $250,000 in padding, so a $10 million STPE can bring back a player earning up to $10 million. Additionally, after the season, teams above the first apron cannot use any preexisting trade exceptions.

Starting with in 2024-25, teams will be able to use their Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception (NTMLE), Mid-Level Salary Exception for Room Teams (RMLE) and Bi-annual Exception (BAE) as if they were trade exceptions, provided they are under the first apron.

Trade exceptions cannot be combined. The following is the current list of NBA TPEs. Also included are any Disabled Player Exceptions (DPE), which can only be used to acquire a single player whose contract expires after the 204-25 season.

For teams that were over the first apron in 2043-25, their preexisting trade exceptions are unusable. Additionally, teams above the second apron cannot use a TPE generated by a player going out via sign-and-trade.

Atlanta Hawks

  • $13,101,561 expiring 2/6/26 (Bogdan Bogdanović) — preexisting
  • $3,500,00 expiring 2/6/26 (Cody Zeller) — preexisting
  • $6,700,00 expiring 7/6/26 (Clint Capela) — sign-and-trade

Boston Celtics

  • $4,018,363 expiring 2/6/26 (Jaden Springer) — preexisting
  • $22,531,707, expiring 7/7/26 (Kristaps Porziņģis)
  • $4,721,429, expiring 7/7/26 (Jrue Holiday)

Brooklyn Nets

  • None

Charlotte Hornets

  • None

Chicago Bulls

  • $6,186,573 expiring 2/3/26 (Zach LaVine) — preexisting

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • $8,500,000 expiring 2/6/26 (Georges Niang) — preexisting
  • $1,000,000 expiring 7/6/26 (Isaac Okoro)

Dallas Mavericks

  • $11,000,000 expiring 2/2/26 (Maxi Kleber) — preexisting
  • $2,087,519 expiring 2/2/26 (Markieff Morris) — preexisting
  • $4,296,682 expiring 2/4/26 (Quentin Grimes) — preexisting

Denver Nuggets

  • $6,880,985 expiring 7/8/26 (Michael Porter Jr.)
  • $5,426,400 expiring 7/13/26 (Dario Šarić)

Detroit Pistons

  • $14,104,000 expiring 7/13/26 (Dennis Schröder) — sign-and-trade

Golden State Warriors

  • $8,780,588 expiring 2/6/26 (Kyle Anderson) — preexisting
  • $2,196,970 expiring 2/6/26 (Lindy Waters III) — preexisting

Houston Rockets

  • $3,539,760 expiring 7/6/26 (Cam Whitmore)

Indiana Pacers

  • $14,104,000 expiring 3/10/26 (Tyrese Haliburton) — DPE

LA Clippers

  • $6,539,000 expiring 2/2/26 (PJ Tucker) — preexisting
  • $2,087,519 expiring 2/2/26 (Mo Bamba) — preexisting
  • $4,158,439 expiring 2/6/26 (Bones Hyland) — preexisting

Los Angeles Lakers

  • $1,891,857 expiring 12/29/25 (Maxwell Lewis) — preexisting
  • $893,140 expiring 12/29/25 (D’Angelo Russell — preexisting
  • $187,500 expiring 2/2/26 (Anthony Davis) — preexisting

Memphis Grizzlies

  • None

Miami Heat

  • $2,087,519 expiring 12/15/25 (Thomas Bryant) — preexisting
  • $7,763,122 expiring 2/6/26 (Jimmy Butler III) — preexisting
  • $3,051,153 expiring 2/6/26 (Josh Richardson) — preexisting
  • $16,834,692 expiring 7/7/26 (Duncan Robinson) — sign-and-trade

Milwaukee Bucks

  • None

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • $4,686,880 expiring 10/2/25 (Karl-Anthony Towns) — preexisting
  • $7,580,900 expiring 7/6/26 (Nickeil Alexander-Walker) — sign-and-trade

New Orleans Pelicans

  • $2,087,519 expiring 2/5/26 (Daniel Theis) — preexisting
  • $13,016,200 expiring 2/6/26 (Brandon Ingram) — preexisting
  • $13,445,122 expiring 7/6/26 (Kelly Olynyk)

New York Knicks

  • $2,092,344 expiring 2/6/26 (Jericho Sims) — preexisting

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • $501,669 expiring 6/29/26 (Dillon Jones)

Orlando Magic

  • None

Philadelphia 76ers

  • $3,862,319 expiring 2/4/26 (Caleb Martin) — preexisting
  • $7,975,000 expiring 2/6/26 (KJ Martin) — preexisting
  • $2,087,519 expiring 2/6/26 (Reggie Jackson) — preexisting

Phoenix Suns

  • $726,547 expiring 7/29/25 (David Roddy) — preexisting
  • $3,250,000 expiring 1/15/26 (Josh Okogie) — preexisting
  • $2,282,000 expiring 2/6/26 (Jusuf Nurkić) — preexisting
  • $3,628,720 expiring 6/30/26 (Vasilije Micić)

Portland Trail Blazers

  • None

Sacramento Kings

  • $4,741,800 expiring 10/15/25 (Jalen McDaniels) — preexisting
  • $16,830,357 expiring 2/3/26 (Kevin Huerter) — preexisting
  • $1,891,857 expiring 2/5/26 (Sidy Cissoko) — preexisting
  • $2,120,691 expiring 2/6/26 (Colby Jones) — preexisting
  • $4,968,600 expiring 7/13/26 (Jonas Valančiūnas)

Toronto Raptors

  • None

Utah Jazz

  • $3,564,000 expiring 2/6/26 (PJ Tucker) — preexisting
  • $225,000 expiring 6/29/26 (Collin Sexton)
  • $26,580,000 expiring 7/7/26 (John Collins)

Washington Wizards

  • $9,900,000 expiring 2/5/26 (Jonas Valančiūnas) — preexisting
  • $329,127 expiring 2/6/26 (Johnny Davis) — preexisting
  • $13,445,122 expiring 7/9/26 (Kelly Olynyk)

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X/Twitter @EricPincus.

(Updated on 7/26/25)