June 1 Means Nothing This Year

We’ve mentioned this topic a few times over the past few months, but since it’s June 1 we probably should repeat it. There will be no second wave of free agency this year, commencing after June 1. Because it’s the last year with a salary cap under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the full amount of any bonus acceleration applies to this year’s cap figures, regardless of whether a player is cut before or after June 1. In past years, dumping a player after June 1 resulted in no bonus acceleration for amounts applicable to future years. The team still carried the bonus allocation for the current year. Actually, June 1 became less relevant in 2006, when revisions to the CBA allowed teams to cut up to two players per year before June 1, and to process the transaction as a post-June 1 termination. Though June 1 might again have relevance in future years, June 1 has no meaning on this year’s cap calendar.