Key In-Season NBA Dates, Deadlines For 2020/21

The list of important in-season dates and deadlines for 2020/21 may look a little off for hardcore NBA fans.

For instance, you’ve grown accustomed to the fact that teams are permitted to start signing players to 10-day contracts on January 5 during a typical league year, you’ll have to adjust your thinking to accommodate for the league’s revamped ’20/21 schedule. This year, February 23 is the first day that 10-day deals can be signed.

We’re here to help provide the rescheduled dates for those usual in-season deadlines. Here’s a breakdown of the dates, deadlines, and events that will influence player movement for the next several months across the NBA:

December 29

• Deadline for teams to exercise rookie scale options for 2021/22.

January 25

• Priority order for waiver claims is now based on 2020/21 record, rather than 2019/20 record (as of March 11). Teams with the worst records receive the highest waiver priority.

January 29

• NBA G League training camps begin (tentative date).

February 6

• Most offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades.

February 10

• NBA G League season begins.

February 23

• First day teams can sign players to 10-day contracts.

February 24

• Last day to waive non-guaranteed NBA contracts before they become guaranteed for the rest of the season. Salaries officially guarantee on February 27 if players haven’t cleared waivers before that date.

March 3

• Most other offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades.
• Last day to apply for a disabled player exception.

March 4

• First half of NBA regular season ends.

March 5-9

• NBA All-Star break.

March 6

• NBA G League regular season ends.

March 8-11

• NBA G League playoffs.

March 10

• Second half of NBA regular season begins.

March 15

• Former first-round picks who were stashed overseas may sign rookie scale NBA contracts for the 2021/22 season.

March 25

• Trade deadline (2:00pm CT).

April 9

• Last day for contract renegotiations.
• Last day a player can be waived by one team and remain eligible to appear in the postseason for another team.
• Last day for a restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet.

April 19

• Last day to use a disabled player exception.

May 16

• Last day of the NBA regular season.
• Last day players can sign contracts for 2020/21
• Last day two-way contracts can be converted to standard NBA contracts.
• Luxury tax penalties calculated based on payroll as of this day.

May 18-21

• Play-in tournament for seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference.

May 22

• NBA playoffs begin.

Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and NBA.com were used in the creation of this post.