The only silver lining of the Sixers’ otherwise egregious KJ Martin salary dump is that it got them far enough below the first apron to give them more flexibility on the buyout market.
Teams above the first apron aren’t allowed to sign players who were previously earning more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.8 million this season) before they got bought out. Teams below the first apron are allowed to sign those players, which gives the Sixers a leg up on title hopefuls such as the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks.