Hornets hold record $40.7 million trade exception

The Ball deal created a one-year window to absorb salary

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 281 min read

Latest Substack (free, subscribe!): NBA Trade Exceptions (as of 7/27/26) - notably, the Charlotte Hornets have a giant o Via @EricPincus on X

What happened: Charlotte generated the exception when its four-team LaMelo Ball trade became official July 10. Eric Pincus' updated tracker lists the slot among the NBA's active trade exceptions.

Why it matters: Charlotte can use the slot to acquire a contract without sending back matching salary. The exception cannot be combined with another exception, limiting how the Hornets can structure a larger deal.

By the numbers: The exception is worth about $40.7 million, the largest in NBA history.

What to watch: Charlotte has until July 2027 to use the exception. The 2027 trade deadline is the next major window to monitor.

Sources

@EricPincus 2026-07-28T22:20:09.504281+00:00

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Hornets hold record $40.7 million trade exception

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