NBA's Second-Apron Rules Shrink LeBron's Suitor Pool

LeBron James, 41, is in free agency after eight years with the Lakers. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, second-apron penalties limit payroll flexibility for big-market franchises. Any team bidding for James must model not just his salary but downstream cap and tax consequences—a constraint absent in his 2018 or 2010 free agencies. The mechanics determine whether contenders can actually afford him.