What happened: A traded player’s full-season salary moves to her new club, regardless of how much has already been paid. Matching salaries are unnecessary, but each side must exchange an asset and finish below the cap with a legal roster.
Why it matters: A 3.5-game gap between the top eight teams and bottom seven creates natural groups of buyers and sellers. Limited roster space and contract length could still restrain activity.
By the numbers: For trade purposes, the pregnancy and childbirth exception excludes $276,585 committed to replacement players Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and Nadia Fingall. That adjustment changes the applicable cap position from $128,145 over to $148,440 under.
What to watch: Potential buyers and sellers have five days to align cap space, assets and roster size.