That's a great way to look at it. The NBA needs to figure out part two. They made the second apron HELL as you describe it. Where's the religion? Where's the path to salvation? How does a team leave HELL? That's not provided. There was a lot of thought in creating Cap Hell, but not much on how teams should be allowed to escape it and enter back into the fold.
Smart spending. Don't overpay for role players. The second apron isn't inevitable.