What exactly is the point of the moratorium period?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Why can't teams/players go straight to signing contracts?
Excuse me ahead of time if this didn't need its own thread.

[coyotes_geek]

This when all the accountants get together and figure out what the salary cap is going to be.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

If that's true, then why allow players to negotiate future contracts and come to agreements with teams if the team doesn't even know the salary cap? Why not figure it out ahead of time?

[coyotes_geek]

The league gives out estimates along the way so teams have an idea of what the cap is going to be. But the cap is set as a percentage of the NBA's revenue and they don't know what their total revenue from the season was until the season is actually over.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Oh, okay. Thanks.

[Kindergarten Cop]

I've kind of thought the same thing Mr. Bottomtooth. I understand that the League officials need to get together to analyze the finances, but why let the players become free agents then a week before they have that figured out. Why not have them both set on the same day?

[Chieflion]

I think this period is where the teams figure out not only cap space but also player preferences and contract issues and such. It is also for trading players for the time being.