What If Every Western Conference Team Could ERASE One Contract?

September 8, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On a recent episode of Locked On NBA Daily, hosts Wes Goldberg and Matt Morton Hayes ran a thought experiment: what if every Western Conference team could use a one-time amnesty clause to erase a single contract from its books? The discussion builds on a previous episode covering the Eastern Conference and is not a dry accounting exercise. It is a window into how front offices actually think about roster construction, cap flexibility, and the tension between loyalty and pragmatism. The hosts quickly eliminate several teams—the Thunder, Spurs, and Rockets, for instance—before diving into the more interesting cases where a reset button could fundamentally reshape a franchise.

The Nuggets' Dilemma: Christian Braun vs. Zeke Nnaji

Denver presents perhaps the most layered decision. The Nuggets are over the second apron, and the hosts agree they would almost certainly amnesty Zeke Nnaji without a second thought. As Hayes puts it, "They would amnesty Zeke Nnaji before the minute that the memo went out." Nnaji is a clear overpay with little upside, and cutting him would immediately relieve tax pressure.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:12) **Opening & Episode Framework** - Hosts West Goldberg and Matt Morton Hayes introduce the premise: give every Western Conference team a one-time amnesty clause to erase one contract, following yesterday's Eastern Conference episode.
2 (03:06) **Eliminated Teams: Blazers, Suns, Grizzlies** - The hosts explain why Portland, Phoenix, and Memphis don't have obvious amnesty candidates despite some interesting names.
3 (08:09) **The LA Clippers Question** - The hosts debate whether the Clippers deserve elimination or have an amnesty-worthy contract.
4 (11:26) **Segment Transition** - After eliminating eight Western Conference teams, the hosts preview the next segment where they'll nominate specific teams and contracts for the amnesty clause.
5 (13:06) **Denver Nuggets: Christian Braun or Zeke Nnaji?** - The hosts dive into Denver's most interesting amnesty dilemma, focusing on two overpaid contracts.
6 (18:18) **Sacramento Kings: Zach LaVine** - Hayes immediately says Zach LaVine "would be up out of there" if the Kings had an amnesty clause.
7 (19:34) **Golden State Warriors: The Jimmy Butler Hypothetical** - The hosts explore whether the Warriors would use an amnesty on Jimmy Butler and what they'd do with the cap space.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Wes Goldberg

Show Notes

What if every Western Conference NBA team got a one-time amnesty clause to erase one contract from its salary cap? Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore and Haize finish their two-part NBA Amnesty experiment by putting the West under the microscope.

Which teams would actually use their amnesty? Which expensive contracts would disappear overnight — and which surprising stars could suddenly become free agents? With the second apron and luxury tax creating difficult roster decisions, the guys debate whether some teams would actually make themselves WORSE simply to clean up their books and regain financial flexibility.

From contenders carrying massive payrolls to rebuilding teams stuck with unwanted contracts, Wes, Matt and Haize go team-by-team to identify the Western Conference’s best amnesty candidates and debate how ruthless NBA front offices would really be if given a financial reset button.
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