VA
DunkOrThree > Your Basketball Blog > What does It Mean to Waive a Player in the NBA?

What does It Mean to Waive a Player in the NBA?

Publish Date: 27.05.2021
Fact checked by: Emily Carter

In the NBA there are 30 teams league-wide, among those 30 teams there are 5 starter positions and a total of 15 roster spots. That means that across the entire league there are 450 roster spots that need to be filled and 150 starting positions.

NBA teams need to make sure they use those 15 spots to the best of their ability. Finding the right talent and expertise to fit a coaches scheme. To keep it fair, the NBA places a salary cap so one team cannot hoard all the best players.

If a team believes a player on the contract is not worth a roster spot, they can choose to “waive” them before their contract ends. This is the most important thing to keep in mind about NBA teams waiving players.

The team drops them from their roster but has to keep paying the player what they are guaranteed from the contract. While they are no longer taking up a roster spot, they are still part of that team’s salary cap. And will continue to be part of that team’s salary, until another team picks up that player, also receiving and paying off what was left of the contract.

What Does Waived Mean in the NBA?

Waived is a term used to describe when a team wants to release a player before their contract is over. The team still has to pay the player the guaranteed money from the contract but will open up a roster spot to find other players.

When a player is waived, they will enter a 48-hour waiver wire, where the other NBA teams can try to claim on the player and take on the contract from the team who put that player on the waiver wire. If no teams take the player within the 48 hours, that player enters unrestricted free agency.

In the event that multiple teams try to claim the same player, the player will go to the team with the worst win percentage. A team must have enough cap space to take on the player’s contract to be considered.

Why do NBA Teams Waive Players?

An NBA team will waive a player if they deem them a bad fit for their team, waiving them so they can open up one of the 15 roster spots the team has. Sometimes a team will sign a player on a bad contract, eating up too much of the salary cap, and will waive them in hopes another team will take the player and contract.

Sometimes a team will take in players (and their contracts) from teams they didn’t actually want. Usually, these players are tacked onto trades so one team can get rid of that player and their contract immediately. It is then up to the team receiving the player to either make it work, trade them, or waive that player.

How do NBA Teams Waive a Player?

In order to waive a player, the team must approach Adam Silver (the NBA commissioner) and request the waiver for the player. A team cannot retract the request once it is made. Then Adam Silver will go to the other professional teams and inform them of the waived player.

How do NBA Teams Sign a Waived Player?

There is a 48-hour time period when the waiver request was made, in that time other professional teams will attempt to claim the waiver. This includes the player and the remaining time left on their contract. Any professional basketball team, not just in the NBA, can claim the player and the contract. NBA teams are prioritized.

If multiple NBA teams put a claim on the waiver, the team with the lowest winning percentage at that moment will be given the player, and the contract will be reflected in their salary cap. It is important to note that only teams with enough salary cap for the contract can claim the player.

What is Waive Amnesty in the NBA?

In the case of a particularly bad contract, an NBA team can request for amnesty. What it essentially does is waive the players but will also remove the contract from that team’s salary cap. While the team still has to pay the player, they will free up the cap space.

A team is allowed to have only one player on amnesty.

What Happens is a Waived Player Does not Get Claimed?

In the event that a waived player doesn’t get claimed (which happens a lot), the player will enter unrestricted free agency. This is called being cleared from waivers. The team who waived the player is still responsible for the remainder of their contract.

A player in free agency then has control of what team to sign with, but if they still have a remaining contract, the team that signs them will be responsible for paying off an amount of that contact.

When can an NBA Team Waive a Player?

A team can waive a player at any time during the regular season and remove them from their roster. But if the waiver is requested after March 1, that player cannot be added to the roster of the team that claimed the player.

This is also the case for unrestricted free agents, a team has to sign a player before march if they want to add that player to their post-season roster. While the contracts will move and affect salary caps, the move will not reflect in the roster.

Also Read:

  • What Does GB Mean in Basketball
  • How do NBA Buyouts Work
  • Average Retirement Age for an NBA Player
  • What does PPG Mean in Basketball

Which NBA Players Should be Waived?

The NBA market is volatile with millions and millions of dollars moving around the country. Single contracts will easily reach into the millions for the right players. Free agency, trades, and waiving keep rosters ever-changing, shifting the face of the NBA every couple of months.

Waivers make sure every team has a shot at getting the players they need, no matter how bad. While at the same time ensuring that a player will receive their guaranteed money.

Does your team have a player and contract you think is taking up too much cap space and you wish they would trade? Leave a comment below and share where you think your team can improve their roster or free up some much-needed cap space.

Read Also
How Many Miles Does a Basketball Player Run in a Game?
Basketball is one of the most cardio intensive sports on Earth. The ...
How Much Does the Average Basketball Player Make?
There are several perks of making it all the way to the ...
BetMGM Promo
How Much Money Does an NBA Team Make Per Playoff Game?
The NBA is all about the playoffs. Where most leagues have a ...
How Much Does The NBA Commissioner Make?
Every year, since 2014, we see NBA Commissioner Adam Silver standing at ...
Why Does NCAA Have Two Halves While NBA Has Four Quarters?
There is no doubt that the NBA and NCAA are two different ...
Our Three Pointer of the Month
BetMGM - Visit BetMGM Visit BetMGM
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
Bet365
4.6/5
BetMGM
4.6/5
FanDuel
4.5/5
Caesars
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings
DraftKings Review
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365 Bonus
Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose when you bet $5!
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
BetMGM Bonus
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
FanDuel
FanDuel Bonus
Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Caesars
Caesars Bonus
First bet back as a bonus bet up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings Bonus
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
T&Cs apply
4.5/5

21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.
Virginia Town Hall
×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Play now