What happens to the salary cap if a player is released after June 1 and has a prorated bonus?

When a player is released after June 1 and has a prorated bonus, it affects the salary cap in a specific way. The prorated signing bonus, which is typically spread out over the life of the contract for cap purposes, is handled differently when the release occurs after this date.

In this scenario, any remaining prorated bonus that counts against the salary cap for the current year is accelerated into the following year. This means that instead of having the full bonus count against the current year's cap immediately upon release, only a portion that is allocated for the current year will apply now, while the remainder (the future years of the prorated bonus) will impact the salary cap for the next year. This allows teams more flexibility in managing their cap space by pushing the financial impact into the subsequent cap period.

This mechanism serves as a strategic tool for teams to manage their financials, providing a buffer in the current year's salary cap while still addressing any cap implications in the future.