The Bucks have applied for a disabled player exception in the wake of a major injury to Taurean Prince, who underwent neck surgery last month to address a herniated disk, league sources tell Eric Nehm of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Nehm’s report suggests the Bucks think Prince, who is officially out indefinitely, will miss the remainder of the season. While that may end up being the case, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, since the request has not yet been granted by the NBA.
An NBA team becomes eligible for a disabled player exception when one of its players sustains an injury that is considered more likely than not to sideline him through June 15 of that league year.
A disabled player exception doesn’t grant the team an extra roster spot, but it generates some additional cap flexibility. The exception can be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waiver claim, or to sign a free agent to a one-year deal.
The value of the disabled player is equivalent to either the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or half of the injured player’s salary, whichever is lesser. Prince’s cap hit is $3,303,774, well below the MLE, and if the DPE is granted, it would only be worth $1,651,887.
Still, there’s no reason for Milwaukee to not apply for the disabled player exception, particularly if the team thinks Prince will miss the rest of the year. The value may be relatively modest, but it’s another potential tool for the Bucks to work with as they consider roster changes.