Glossary · Cap and contractsHard cap
A hard cap is a payroll line a team cannot cross for any reason: no exception, no re-signing right and no trade can take total salary past it. "Hard-capped" means a team has triggered that line for the rest of the season.
In HoopSim the hard cap is the second apron, $207.8M by default, and it applies to every team all the time rather than being triggered by a particular move. No exception signing, Bird-rights deal, extension or salary-adding trade can finish above it. The one exception is a minimum contract, which can take you past the hard cap only while you have fewer than 15 players. The cut screen, the trade builder and the offer screen all check it before you confirm.
| Cap type | Can you go over it? | HoopSim default |
|---|---|---|
| Soft cap | Yes, with exceptions and Bird rights | $154.6M |
| Hard cap (second apron) | No, except a minimum deal with fewer than 15 players | $207.8M |
In the rulebook: Money, the chapter this term comes from, with the exact numbers the engine uses.
Related terms
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