The NBA’s daily waiver deadline typically falls at 4:00pm central time — a player released by that time will clear waivers two days later at 4:00pm CT, while players who are cut later in the evening won’t clear waivers until three days later.
However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the NBA has adjusted its waiver deadline for today, tomorrow, and Monday, pushing it back to 10:00pm CT. That tweak will be crucial as teams set their rosters for the start of the regular season on Tuesday.
The change was made as a result of the three preseason games being played on Saturday night, Marks notes (via Twitter). By adjusting the waiver deadline, the league will allow a team like the Hornets to play its final preseason game tonight and still make cut players on non-guaranteed contract before today’s waiver deadline.
As we explained earlier today, most teams make their roster cuts on Saturday, since players on non-guaranteed contracts must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season in order for teams to avoid carrying any dead money on their cap for those players. Players on non-guaranteed contracts who don’t clear waivers until Tuesday or Wednesday will be paid for one or two days of service.
Teams must adhere to regular season roster limits (no more than 15 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals) by Monday.