Another lurker here

Hello! Coming from England (probably not a real excuse), I didn't really know a great deal about the NBA or the Portland's local NBA team. Found this sub just before the all-star break, and, thanks to all of you, I now know more about the NBA and the blazers as a franchise. There are a few questions I have that made me come out of the shadows:

• What should I expect during the summer? Are there any specific dates to note down in the calendar? A transfer window of some kind?

• How does the tax system work? People on the sub talk about the 'luxury tax' and 'going over the cap'. Are there different layers of taxes based on salary caps? If so, what are the benefits/problems with staying within a cap or going over it?

• How do rookie contracts work? When the fever spread, I heard that Nurk was still on a rookie contract. I guess I'm trying to figure out how if he was drafted in 2014.

Thanks in advance for reading and/or replying- happy to finally be part of this wonderful community!