Dallas Mavericks Rumors

Southwest Notes: Flagg, Washington, Morant, Vassell

November 30th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Cooper Flagg made history for the Mavericks on back-to-back nights, writes Tim MacMahon for ESPN.

One day after becoming the youngest player to record 10 or more assists in a game, Flagg became the youngest player to score 35 points in a game, sneaking the record in five days earlier than LeBron James accomplished the same feat in 2003. Most importantly, Flagg’s 35 points came in a win, which have been few and far between for a struggling Mavericks team this fall.

“He’s only 18 years old, but he seems like he’s been in this league before,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You can call it point guard or whatever, but he ran the offense for us. He drove the ball. The ball touched the paint. He got to the rim, got to the free throw line, stepped up and made free throws for us late.”

Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who had one of his best games of the season in the win, spoke highly of Flagg following Saturday’s game.

“Cooper’s upside is limitless,” Thompson said. “He has every tool to be great. Sometimes I can’t believe he should be a freshman in college.”

Thompson also threw out a lofty comparison to his situation in relation to Flagg, according to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, making reference to the Lakers in the first year of Kobe Bryant’s career.

“I feel like [Byron Scott] sometimes,” Thompson said. “The old, wise veteran. The future of the franchise to my side. It’s pretty cool to be a part of it. To be witnesses to what he’s going to do for a long time.”

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was a late scratch on Saturday due to a right ankle sprain suffered when he slipped on a ball during warmups, Mike Curtis writes for the Dallas Morning News. Washington, who was still active for the game, was initially listed as questionable to return, but was ruled out around the end of the first quarter. His status for Dallas’ upcoming three-game road trip is unclear.
Ja Morant will be reevaluated next week once the Grizzlies return to Memphis on Tuesday following their four-game road trip, tweets Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. This update is in line with the timeline announced for Morant when he initially was diagnosed with the calf strain. Wallace notes that the point guard is currently engaged in light on-court warmup work.
Devin Vassell has been on a tear of late, scoring more points in the Spurs‘ past two games than in any other two-game stretch of his career, writes Jeff McDonald for the San Antonio Express-News. That run included a 35-point explosion in a win against the Nuggets on Friday night, in which his teammates were well aware of the zone he was in. “[Keldon Johnson] told me in the last two minutes if the ball comes to me, don’t think,” Vassell said. “Just be aggressive and shoot.” As impressive as Vassell’s scoring was, head coach Mitch Johnson was happy to see the intensity the 25-year-old brought on the defensive end of the court. “He’s becoming a winning player,” Johnson said. “We’ve got our arm around him and our foot up his backside to continue to do it. He’s a difference maker when he does that.”

Pacific Notes: Doncic, Reaves, LeBron, Schröder, Curry, Richard

November 29th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Luka Doncic faced the Mavericks again Friday night, but the game lacked the drama of last season’s matchup, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. Nearly 10 months have passed for Doncic to process the unexpected trade to the Lakers, and the man who made it, Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, has already been fired. So with the emotional stakes lowered, Doncic concentrated on business and delivered 35 points, five rebounds and 11 assists in L.A.’s 129-119 victory.

“I would say it’s a little bit easier now,” Doncic said. “But like I said, games against Dallas always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It’s always special. It’ll always be special for me.”

The spotlight also belonged to Austin Reaves, who has become one of the NBA’s best offensive players in the midst of a contract year. He led all scorers with 38 points, and Woike suggests he might be headed for his first All-Star appearance.

“I think he’s been one of the best basketball players in this league, just the way he scores, he makes a place for others in the game,” Doncic said before taking a playful jab at his teammate. “It’s very good. I’m just happy he’s on my team. And that’s probably the last compliment I ever give him.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers are listing LeBron James as questionable for Sunday’s game with New Orleans due to left foot injury management, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s the first night of a back-to-back for L.A., which hosts Phoenix on Monday. Marcus Smart, who didn’t play Friday due to back spasms, is doubtful.
Kings guard Dennis Schröder underwent an MRI that showed he has a mild hip flexor strain, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat. Schröder, who recently lost his starting job, is considered day-to-day and is questionable for Sunday’s game with Memphis.
The Warriors have the league’s worst offensive rating without Stephen Curry, who will miss at least a week with a right quad contusion. Anthony Slater of the Athletic shares comments from coach Steve Kerr about the challenges of scoring without his star guard.
Will Richard‘s low turnover rate has helped him claim a spot in the Warriors‘ starting and closing lineups, notes Scott Ostler of The San Francisco Chronicle. The 56th pick in this year’s draft has quickly earned a major rotation role as well as his coach’s confidence. “You can see it,” Kerr said, “he’s just in the right spot, the right time. He has a lot of confidence, he’s not afraid to let it fly. Never turns it over, just connects the game, he makes the game easier for everyone else. He’s kind of wise beyond his years. I’ve got 100% trust in him.”

Mavericks Notes: AD, Luka, Flagg, Nembhard, Cisse

November 29th, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis slightly exceeded the minutes restriction he had Friday in his first game back following a 14-game absence, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The star forward/center, who was facing the Lakers for the first time since the shocking February trade that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and Davis to Dallas, faced immediate double-teams, ultimately finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 28 minutes.

“I thought he was good for his first game back,” head coach Jason Kidd said (story via Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal). “We’ll try to get the rhythm and try to get the flow of just being with those guys on the floor. I thought he was good on both ends. As we go forward and continue, as we talked about, to stacking good minutes, he did that.”

The Mavericks wound up losing by 10 points to fall to 5-15, the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Davis is optimistic the team still has time to turn its season around, Afseth adds.

“We’re still playing basketball, we’re trying to compete,” Davis said. “We are competing, we’re playing for each other, and we’re playing together. I remember when Brooklyn started off 5-20 and ended up at the four seed. I’m not saying we’re comparing ourselves to that or that we’re going to start off 5-20, but we just have to keep competing. There were just a couple of plays here and there that hurt us, but we can’t complain, we keep fighting. I feel like we’re right there.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

It’s been almost 10 months since Doncic was traded, but he says matchups against his former team will always be meaningful, Afseth writes in another story for Dallas Hoops Journal. “I would say it’s a little bit easier now,” Doncic said. “But games against Dallas always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It’s important, it’s fun, and it’s always special. Like I say, it’ll always be special for me.”
After the game, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News asked Doncic for his thoughts on Cooper Flagg (Twitter video link). “I think he’s a good player,” Doncic said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with (being) the first pick so he has a lot on his shoulders, but I think he will become a great player.” The 18-year-old rookie had 13 points, a career-high 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss.
Rookie Ryan Nembhard, who is on a two-way contract, received his first career start on Friday, as first reported by Marc Stein (via Twitter). The former Gonzaga point guard had a solid outing, recording 17 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) and four assists in 23 minutes. “They weren’t really guarding me,” Nembhard said, per Afseth. “They was trying to play off me and stand those gaps for AD and double him and make it tough on him. So a lot of open shots presented themselves and I’m just trying to be aggressive, get my teammates involved, and take advantage of the opportunity.”
In a feature story for Ratings, Afseth details how undrafted rookie Moussa Cisse has become a valuable contributor for the Mavs. Like Nembhard, the Guinean center is on a two-way deal with Dallas. “He’s a bit undersized at the five, but he’s explosive and plays extremely hard,” a scout said. “He’s a bit further along than I expected, but there’s still plenty of work there. You can tell he’s still getting used to guarding NBA actions and talent — his angles can use some work. But he’s really dynamic rotating from the weak side and he’s going to crash the boards hard on both ends. I like his potential.”

Lakers Notes: Hachimura, AD, LaRavia, Smart, Christie

November 28th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Ahead of Friday’s matchup with Dallas, Rui Hachimura said he’s satisfied with the role he has with the Lakers, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter video link).

“I’m not trying to be a superstar. … I’m just trying to help the team win — whatever they ask,” Hachimura said. “I like my role here … I’m really trying to win the championship with this team. I like how they’ve been treating me. … So, I’m happy.”

The former lottery pick (No. 9 overall in 2019) has gotten off to a strong offensive start in 2025/26, averaging 14.9 points per game on elite efficiency (.568/.483/.735 shooting line) while chipping in 3.9 rebounds per game through 16 outings (33.5 MPG). The 27-year-old forward is earning approximately $18.3MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Hachimura admitted he hasn’t gotten used to seeing Anthony Davis in an opposing team’s uniform, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter video link). “It’s still weird sometimes when I see him on the TV or like, when I play against him. It feels weird,” Hachimura said. Davis returned to action on Friday for his first game against his former team after missing a month with a calf strain. The 10-time All-Star received a “warm reception” from Lakers fans when he was introduced as a starter for the Mavericks, tweets Mark Medina.
In an EssentiallySports interview with Medina, free agent addition Jake LaRavia says he’s enjoying his time with Los Angeles, adding that the “vibes on our team are very good.” “It’s been great,” LaRavia told Medina. “We have a great group of guys. Just to be able to play with AR (Austin Reaves), Luka (Doncic) and ‘Bron (LeBron James) has really been beneficial for me. It’s a very exciting team. It’s a great city. There are great fans. So the whole experience so far has been really good.”
After previously being listed as questionable, Marcus Smart was then downgraded to doubtful and then out ahead of Friday’s game, as McMenamin relays (via Twitter). The former Defensive Player of the Year is dealing with back spasms.
Mavericks guard Max Christie, who was included alongside Davis in the blockbuster trade for Doncic, downplayed the significance of facing his former team again. “It’s the same. I mean I was here last year, too. I’m a Maverick so I’m not really thinking about it like that. It’s just another game,” Christie said (Twitter link via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). “It feels good. It’s cool to be back. Just another game.”

Anthony Davis To Return Friday Vs. Lakers

November 28th, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

November 28: Davis will make his return on Friday vs. the Lakers, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirms (via Twitter).

November 26: Injured Mavericks big man Anthony Davis took part in Wednesday’s practice and is expected to be listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Lakers, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

After having the next two nights off, Dallas will play a back-to-back set in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Friday and the Clippers on Saturday. Davis won’t be cleared to play both of those games after being sidelined since October 29 due to a left calf strain, so the plan is for the team to see how he feels on Thursday and then make a decision on whether he’ll play Friday or Saturday.

Asked which game he’d prefer to play in, Davis responded with a smile and made it clear he’d love to suit up against his former team.

“That’s a real question?” he said (Twitter video link via Curtis). “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical staff and the coaching staff.”

Having been affected by multiple injuries since the Lakers traded him to Dallas in February, Davis hasn’t had the chance yet to play at Crypto.com Arena as a member of Mavericks.

Davis had initially hoped to return much sooner from the calf strain that has now kept him out of action for the past 14 games, but Mavs governor Patrick Dumont reportedly got involved in the decision-making process and pushed for a cautious approach that would reduce the risk of the 32-year-old re-aggravating the injury or making it worse.

The Mavericks, who were 2-3 with Davis in the lineup, have lost 11 of their last 14 contests and now have the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 5-14. In addition to playing without Davis, Dallas has also been missing guards Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum due to long-term injuries and big man Dereck Lively II, who has been dealing with right foot and knee issues.

Injury Notes: Giannis, AD, Bulls, Sixers

November 27th, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been listed as questionable for Friday’s game in New York, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left adductor, which is part of the groin.

The two-time MVP has missed the past four games — and most of a fifth — after suffering the injury on November 17 at Cleveland. Milwaukee lost all five games without its best player and has dropped six straight overall.

Antetokounmpo, who turns 31 years old on Dec. 6, was also considered questionable for Wednesday’s game in Miami before being ruled out. Head coach Doc Rivers said the nine-time All-NBA forward hasn’t experienced a setback, according to Nehm (Twitter link).

“No,” Rivers said. “I was not in favor (of him playing Wednesday). I was very happy we decided what we decided. I was very uncomfortable with it. He really wanted to push and that’s who Giannis is. I was very happy with our medical team today. They decided at the end of the day, let’s wait. … We just thought it was the right thing to do. We gotta protect him sometimes.”

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

As expected, Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis is questionable for Friday’s matchup at the Lakers, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter). The star big man has missed the past 14 games with a left calf strain. Davis, who practiced on Wednesday, said it was “surprising” and “definitely tough” to see former head of basketball operations Nico Harrison get fired, but downplayed the trade chatter surrounding him in the wake of Harrison’s dismissal. “This is basketball,” Davis said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “This is what comes with it. I think everybody in their career has been involved in trade talks. Been traded. Or some type of move. That doesn’t affect me. I’ve been in trade talks for a while. My job is to do what I do on the floor. Play basketball. Try to lead this team. I do have an open line of communication with the front office. I’m just ready to get back on the floor.”
The Bulls have a lengthy injury report ahead of Friday’s contest in Charlotte, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kevin Huerter (left pelvic contusion), Dalen Terry (left calf strain), Nikola Vucevic (right patellofemoral syndrome), Coby White (right calf strain injury management), and Patrick Williams (left wrist sprain) are all questionable, while Isaac Okoro is doubtful to suit up because of left lumbar radiculopathy.
In addition to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, who are sidelined with knee and adductor injuries, respectively, Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of his ninth consecutive game on Friday against Brooklyn due to right knee injury management (Twitter link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness) is also out for the third straight game, while forward Paul George is questionable with a right ankle sprain. George was inactive for Tuesday’s 41-point loss to Orlando, though he did practice on Wednesday.

Mavs Reportedly Not Interested In Trading Kyrie Irving

November 27th, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

As trade speculation swirls around the struggling Mavericks in the wake of Nico Harrison‘s dismissal from the front office, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said during Wednesday’s episode of the Howdy Partners podcast (YouTube link) that he doesn’t view point guard Kyrie Irving as a serious candidate to be moved during the 2025/26 season.

“What I would tell you about Kyrie is the Mavericks do not want to trade him,” MacMahon said in response to a question from his ESPN colleague Michael C. Wright. “… The only way I think that Kyrie Irving would get traded is if he went to the Mavericks and asked for that to happen. And I don’t have any information that points in that direction.”

As MacMahon explains, while the Mavericks intend to build around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, that doesn’t mean they want to purge their roster of veteran talent and ask a teenager to become the face and voice of the franchise. Flagg is the NBA’s youngest player and won’t turn 19 for a few more weeks.

Pointing out that Irving has been a respected leader in the Mavericks’ locker room since the team acquired him from Brooklyn in February 2023, MacMahon suggests the point guard still fits into the plans in Dallas going forward and that the Mavs’ preference would be to have Irving “on the floor, in the starting lineup, and as the leader of the team next year.”

What that means for Irving’s playing status this season remains to be seen. During a recent appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast, MacMahon stated that Irving is making good progress from the ACL tear he suffered last March, but speculated that the 33-year-old might not play in 2025/26 “for other reasons.” On Wednesday, he provided more clarity on that remark.

“That was too cryptic. Let me just be clear,” MacMahon said. “The other reason is because this is the one year the Mavericks can benefit from being bad. That’s it. Because they don’t have control of their own (first-round) pick in ’27, ’28, ’29, and ’30. So they’ve got this (2026) pick, and that’s the only pick they control of their own during Cooper Flagg’s rookie deal.”

The Mavericks are off to a 5-14 start this season and have an uphill battle ahead of them to get back into the postseason picture in the Western Conference, especially if they trade some of their other veterans by the February 5 deadline. In other words, the club could be well positioned to snag another lottery pick in 2026 before once again trying to contend for the playoffs in 2026/27.

One reason Dallas has played so poorly this fall is the absence of big man Anthony Davis, who has missed 14 consecutive games due to a calf strain. Davis is expected to make his return on Friday or Saturday, which should make the team more competitive in the short term. However, MacMahon, who previously reported that the Mavs are expected to explore the trade market for Davis this season, stressed on Wednesday that he still very much expects that to happen.

“Trading AD is a real possibility – and I would even say likelihood – this season,” MacMahon told Wright. “Trading Kyrie is not something that’s on the Mavericks’ priority list, or it’s just straight up not something that they are interested in doing right now.”

Irving is in the first season of a three-year, $118.5MM contract that he signed with Dallas over the summer.

Fischer’s Latest: Centers, Vucevic, Davis, Sabonis, Isaac

November 26th, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

There will likely be several veteran big men available on the trade market ahead of this season’s February 5 deadline, Jake Fischer writes in his latest article for Marc Stein’s Substack.

As Fischer details, the Nets are expected to receive calls about center Nic Claxton, the Suns have made Nick Richards available since the offseason, and the Trail Blazers are considered more open to moving Robert Williams than they were last season. Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic is also expected to generate some interest from rival teams, per Fischer, though I’m skeptical Utah will be able to extract much of value for Nurkic, given his $19.4MM cap hit.

One of the more intriguing in-season trade candidates among frontcourt players could be Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who has an expiring $21.5MM contract and has remained productive at age 35, with averages of 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game to go along with a .495/.407/.786 shooting line.

While Vucevic could generate interest on his own, Fischer suggests that rival executives have wondered whether the Bulls might make a play for a big man like Anthony Davis of the Mavericks or Domantas Sabonis of the Kings, given all the expiring money and cap flexibility Chicago has at its disposal.

Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:

There’s an “expectation in some corners” that Davis and his representatives will seek a contract extension if he’s traded to a new team in the coming months, Fischer writes. Davis’ current maximum-salary contract with the Mavericks runs through 2026/27, with a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. If he hopes to lock in another lucrative deal that would begin in 2028, when he’ll be 35, Davis would probably have to stay relatively healthy and play at his usual All-Star level this season after he returns from a calf strain.
Fischer is skeptical that the Warriors will be a major factor in any Sabonis sweepstakes, pointing out that Golden State would have likely have to add multiple quality role players to Jonathan Kuminga‘s $22.5MM contract in order to match Sabonis’ $42.3MM salary. The Warriors did show interest in Sabonis before Indiana traded him in 2022, but Fischer doesn’t think the club is desperate enough to “tear up its roster” for the Kings big man at this point, especially since he’s not a floor spacer or rim protector.
According to Fischer, rival cap strategists believe the Magic‘s cap situation may force the team to part ways at some point with forward Jonathan Isaac, whose four-year, $59MM contract is partially guaranteed in 2026/27 and non-guaranteed beyond that. While it’s unclear whether Orlando would make Isaac available during the ’25/26 season, he’s a name worth keeping an eye on, Fischer says.

Mavs Fear Extended Absence For Dereck Lively

November 25th, 2025 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

12:33 pm: Lively is being evaluated after experiencing swelling and discomfort in his right foot, according to the Mavericks (Twitter link). The team states that he’ll miss the upcoming three-game road trip, with an update on his timeline provided in about seven-to-10 days.

12:14 pm: There’s concern in Dallas that the Mavericks may be without big man Dereck Lively II for an extended period, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

Lively, who underwent surgery on his right foot in July, appeared in the first three games of the season before missing the next nine due to a right knee sprain. The third-year center suited up for four of Dallas’ next six contests, sitting twice during back-to-back sets due to what the team called “right knee injury management.”

However, Lively missed a second consecutive game on Monday in Miami, with his injury designation changing to “right foot injury management.”

Stein doesn’t specify exactly which ailment is of greatest concern for the Mavericks, but whether it’s the foot or the knee, Lively’s right leg doesn’t appear to be back to 100%.

Even when Lively has been available this season, he has been on a minutes limit. In seven outings (four starts), the 21-year-old has averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 16.4 minutes per night.

Injuries have been a recurring problem for Lively, who has made 98 total regular season appearances since joining the Mavs as the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft. He has been an effective role player when healthy, having played a regular rotation role as a rookie for the Dallas team that made the NBA Finals in 2024.

An extended absence for Lively would be the latest blow to a Mavericks team that has dealt with injuries to several of its most important players this season. On a positive note, big man Anthony Davis, who has missed 14 consecutive games due to a calf strain, appears to be trending toward a return, with the club hoping he can practice on Wednesday.

Key Dates For Teams Up Against Hard Cap, Tax Line

November 25th, 2025 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

There are currently five NBA teams who have an open spot on their respective 15-man rosters and don’t have the ability to sign a free agent to fill that opening because of their proximity to a first- or second-apron hard cap.

For instance, after hard-capping themselves at the first apron in the offseason, the Lakers are operating just $1,124,195 below that threshold. A prorated minimum salary for a veteran signed today would count against the cap for $1,834,380 and wouldn’t fit under Los Angeles’ hard cap. But as of January 18, that figure would drop to $1,121,743, just low enough for the Lakers to accommodate it.

Here are the dates as of which those five teams who have 14-man rosters and are right up against a hard cap could first sign a player:

January 7: Los Angeles Clippers
January 8: Houston Rockets
January 9: Orlando Magic
January 18: Los Angeles Lakers
April 2: New York Knicks

The Warriors were also on this list when the season began, but they now have enough room below their hard cap to sign a 15th man — every day they put off doing so creates a little more flexibility below that threshold, which could come in handy later in the season.

Those teams aren’t the only ones worth keeping an eye on due to their cap limitations though. The Mavericks, for example, have a full 15-man roster, but could be looking to make a change after ruling out Dante Exum for the season due to a knee injury. That wouldn’t be possible right now though, since Dallas is just $1,292,084 away from a second-apron hard cap. The Mavs won’t be able to add a new 15th man in place of Exum until January 6, at which point a prorated minimum deal would carry a cap charge of $1,280,107.

There are also a handful of teams operating just under the luxury tax line who wouldn’t have the ability to sign a free agent to a minimum-salary contract without surpassing that threshold. The tax line isn’t a hard cap, so there’s nothing stopping a club from surpassing it today and then trying to duck below it later in the season. But that comes with some risk, since getting below the tax typically requires the cooperation of a trade partner.

Here are the teams currently unable to sign a veteran free agent without going into the tax, along with the dates when that will change:

December 13: Miami Heat
December 19: Portland Trail Blazers
January 26: Oklahoma City Thunder

The Trail Blazers and Thunder currently have full 15-man rosters, and there’s no indication that either team wants to make a roster move. The Heat, on the other hand, have an open roster spot, so they’re worth keeping a closer eye on starting in mid-December.

It’s worth noting that all of these dates apply to free agent signings only. If a team were to sign a player whose draft rights it held to a rookie minimum contract, the cap hit would be significantly lower, so it could happen sooner. But few teams have that sort of draft-rights player waiting in the wings to join the roster during the season.

We should also mention that the dates above only apply to one-year, minimum-salary contracts. If a team wants to bring in a player on a multiyear minimum deal, the first-year cap hit is generally higher, so it would have to happen later in the season.

Finally, these dates are all contingent on the team’s current cap situation, so they’re subject to change if a club makes a trade, completes a buyout, or makes a 10-day signing that changes its position relative to the tax line or aprons.