Two words have become a lightning rod in the NBA:
Second apron.
Introduced in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement but not phased in until last offseason, the salary cap's second apron has leveled the playing field by reducing roster mechanisms for high-spending teams that are at or over the threshold.
In other words, teams outspending their competition, stacking their roster or adding an All-Star in a trade or free agency comes with future roster-building consequences.
"The second apron rules do not allow a team to jump to the head of the line in how you build a roster," an Eastern Conference GM told ESPN.