What triggers an NBA hard cap?
Certain moves — using the full MLE or BAE, taking back extra salary under expanded matching, acquiring a player by sign-and-trade, signing a waived player whose prior contract topped the mid-level, combining salaries in a trade to drop through the second apron, or sending cash in a trade — freeze a ceiling (first or second apron) the team may not cross for the rest of the season, for any reason. The ceiling is tested against apron salary, not cap holds. Your hard cap sticks across moves: a trade today can kill a signing next week, and vice versa.
2023 CBA · Art. VII §2(e)
First-apron triggers
Using more than the taxpayer portion of the non-taxpayer MLE, using the bi-annual exception, acquiring a player via sign-and-trade, signing a waived player whose prior contract topped the mid-level, taking back more than 100% in a trade through expanded matching, or using a pre-existing traded-player exception.
Second-apron triggers
Using the taxpayer MLE, acquiring a player with aggregated trade matching while landing at or below the second apron, sending cash in a trade while landing at or below the second apron, or using a traded-player exception for a sign-and-traded contract hard-caps the team at the second apron.
Hard-capped teams right now (15)
Common questions
Can a hard cap be removed?
No. Once triggered it binds for the entire league year — the only relief is shedding salary to fit under it.
See it enforced, not just explained.
Build a trade or signing and the sim rules on it, with the relevant citation when one applies.