New NBPA executive director David Kelly believes the NBA’s second apron has become overly restrictive and wants changes made in the next round of labor negotiations.
Speaking with The Athletic on July 10, Kelly joined union president Fred VanVleet in criticizing the salary-cap mechanism, arguing that it now hurts players, fans and even teams.
“It’s not good for fans. Not good for players,” said Kelly. “I don’t think the (general managers) love it, although they may not say it on the record. Coaches don’t love it. The only people who really seem to really love it are the owners.
“Then, I think it’s gone too far. So whether it’s an unwinding of it, or a softening of the apron, or tweaking it, we can call it whatever we will. But … I do think it’s gone too far.”
Kelly believes the system has become more than a luxury-tax deterrent, instead limiting roster building and reducing teams’ willingness to invest in talent.
The current collective bargaining agreement runs through the 2029-30 season, although either side can opt out one year early.
NBPA Believes NBA Revenue Would Be ‘Growing More’ Without Second Apron https://t.co/fyyRDRGIc4
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 17, 2026
