NBA Approves of Disabled Player Exception for Brooklyn Nets

Shortly after Brook Lopez went down, the Brooklyn Nets applied for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE). This exception would allow the Brooklyn Nets to spend $5.25 million on a player to essentially "replace" Brook Lopez. Adrian Wojnowski tweeted the news.

The NBA has approved a $5.25M Disabled Player Exception for the Brooklyn Nets, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 8, 2014

Clarification: DPE expires on March 10 --- not Dec. 10. With full roster, Nets would have to create a spot to sign or trade for a player.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 8, 2014

The Brooklyn Nets don't need to use the exception just yet, and as Wojnowski pointed out, the team has until March 10th to use it. The player is only allowed to be signed for one year or can be used to trade for a player who is on a one-year contract or whose contract is expiring.

Wojnowski has pointed out that if the team plans on using the full $5.25 million (which is unlikely), then the total cost due to the luxury tax would be around $25 million. The least it can cost is an additional $4 million.

NetsDaily points out a few more specifics for this exception.

Under the CBA, a team that loses a player for the season can apply to the league for a DPE. The amount of the DPE is limited to half the disabled player's salary or in the case of a max contract, an amount equal to the full MLE ... $5.15 if used to sign a free agent, $5.25 million if used in a trade (the MLE + $100,000). The team had until January 15 to file for the DPE. It can be used in a trade up until the February 20 deadline and can be used to sign a free agent up until March 15. At that point, it expires.

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