NBA salary cap exercise: What player would every team amnesty?

Portland Trail Blazers – Rodney Hood

This was a tougher call than most because the Blazers cap sheet is relatively clean. With the mammoth contract for Hassan Whiteside coming off the books this summer (that they did not even sign) they will be down to $109.9 million on the payroll. Their top two stars, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, combine to make more than half of that but they are well worth it.

Jusuf Nurkic is making just $12 million to play like a possible All-Star at his position and Ariza is making slightly more to be their best perimeter defender. They will have to make fill out the bench a little more but they mostly have the money to do so.

Rodney Hood is the unfortunate outlier because he suffered a devastating Achilles injury earlier this season. Whether or not he is available next season in a reasonable capacity is undetermined. Freeing up the $6 million player option for next season could help add another bench player in his stead or aid in bringing back Carmelo Anthony, who has been much better than people expected.

There is also the potential Zach Collins extension looming. He is extension eligible during this offseason and has been touted as part of their core moving forward. It is impossible to discern much from his third season in the league so far. He got hurt after playing only three games and did not return until the bubble. The potential is clear though so these dollars could go far.