What happened: The hard salary cap limits clubs' ability to absorb contracts. New roster rules add a minimum-salary cap exception and allow seven protected veteran deals.
Why it matters: A quiet deadline would leave contenders largely intact for the playoff push. The added roster flexibility may produce smaller moves without triggering a franchise-altering swap.
By the numbers: Protected-veteran capacity increased 16.7%, rising from six contracts to seven.
What to watch: Watch whether clubs pursue rotation upgrades instead of star-level deals.