Pels sign C Daniel Theis [Feb 5: Pels trade Theis to the Thunder to get under the luxury tax]

So what was so important about being under the tax? Just to avoid it?
Because if we were over the tax, the Pelicans would have to pay the taxpayer penalty. By being under the tax, they receive the taxpayer penalty distribution given to those teams under the tax (estimated to be about $14-$17 million). So Griffin just earned Gayle $14-$17 million+.