What can happen if a team exceeds the salary cap?

When a team exceeds the salary cap, they face financial penalties and restrictions. The salary cap is designed to maintain competitive balance among teams by limiting how much they can spend on player salaries in a given season. If a team violates this rule, the league may impose significant fines and may also restrict the team's ability to sign new players, make trades, or benefit from specific financial mechanisms intended for compliance.

These penalties can severely impact a team's roster management and overall strategy, leading to a situation where they need to part ways with key players or significantly alter their financial approach to comply with league regulations. This framework helps ensure that no single team can dominate the league simply by outspending their competition, thus fostering a more level playing field.