Jimmy Butler may have lost out on nearly $33 million by being traded to the Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal

However, the numbers may have changed slightly. The NBA’s projected salary cap has actually fallen in recent days, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reporting the cap is projected at $99 million in 2017-18, down from $101 million and $108 million as was initially projected when the league signed a new TV deal.

According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Butler’s DPE projection ranged from $217 million to $246 million over five years, depending on the salary cap. If we assume his DPE with the Bulls would have been $217 million, which comes to a projected salary cap of $106 million in 2019-20, he will still have lost out on a good a chunk of change.

By being traded to the Wolves, Butler is obviously no longer with the team that drafted him, eliminating his shot at the DPE. The Wolves now have Butler’s Bird Rights, so if Butler opts out of his contract in 2019-20, he could sign a max contract with the Wolves worth 30% of the salary cap with 8% annual raises.

Under a $106 million salary cap, Butler could sign a deal with the Timberwolves worth approximately $184 million over five years — a $33 million difference from the low-end projection of his DPE.

Butler has other options. He could opt into his 2019-20 option, then sign a “one-plus-one” deal with the Wolves in 2020 to become a free agent again the next season and sign a max contract worth 35% of the cap because he’ll have played 10 or more years in the league.

However, if Butler wants to leave the Wolves in 2019, he only stands to lose more money. By leaving the Wolves, another team wouldn’t have Butler’s Bird Rights and could thus only sign him to a deal worth 30% of the cap, with 5% annual raises, over four years. Under a $106 million salary cap, that would come to approximately four years, $136 million.

Butler, like many star players, still plans to benefit immensely in free agency because of the increased salary cap. But the DPE is the ultimate contract, the so-called “super max” designed to help teams keep their star players. By getting traded, Butler can no longer get the super max.