Cap hold

A cap hold is a placeholder amount charged to a team's cap for each of its own free agents, sized as a percentage of his previous salary (his Bird bracket). It exists to stop a loophole: without holds, a team could spend all its cap space on outsiders and then still re-sign its own stars with Bird rights.

Holds count against the salary cap only, never the luxury tax or aprons. They stay on the books until the player re-signs, signs elsewhere, or the team renounces him (forfeiting his Bird rights).