Trades
A trade kicker is a bonus a player negotiates into his contract that pays out if he gets traded, worth up to 15% of the salary he has left. It is a sweetener for giving up the stability of staying put.
It matters beyond the player's wallet: the bonus gets added to his salary for matching, which can make an otherwise legal trade suddenly not fit.
See it live: pick any team and tap the numbers on its cap sheet.