What is a common strategy teams use to manage salary cap space?

Restructuring contracts to lower cap hits is a widely used strategy among teams to manage salary cap space effectively. By renegotiating contracts, teams can convert a portion of a player's salary into a signing bonus, which can then be spread out over the life of the contract. This not only lowers the current year’s salary cap hit but also allows teams to allocate more resources toward improving their roster in other areas, such as acquiring new talent through free agency or retaining existing players.

Furthermore, this strategy helps teams navigate the complexities of the salary cap by providing immediate relief, which can be crucial for maintaining competitiveness. It gives teams flexibility in their financial planning while ensuring they can keep key players on the roster without exceeding the salary cap limit. Other options, such as increasing the number of players on the roster or focusing exclusively on trades, do not directly address salary cap management in as effective a manner. Avoiding negotiations with free agents can be detrimental as it limits opportunities to enhance the team’s performance.