True or False: A hard cap cannot be exceeded for any reason.

The statement that a hard cap cannot be exceeded for any reason is accurate. In the context of the NBA, a hard salary cap is a strict limit on the total amount of money that a team can spend on player salaries in a given season. This means that once a team reaches this cap, they cannot increase their payroll beyond this limit, no matter the circumstances.

In contrast to a soft cap, where teams can exceed the salary cap through various exceptions (such as the mid-level exception or bird rights for re-signing players), a hard cap operates with no such allowances. Examples of situations where a hard cap might apply include certain provisions in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) associated with the salary cap structure. Therefore, recognizing the nature of a hard cap is crucial for understanding salary management and team strategy within the NBA.