Alright, so the other day, I was watching an NBA game, and I heard the commentator mention something about a player being “waived.” I’d heard the term before, but I realized I didn’t actually know what it meant. So, I decided to do a little digging and figure it out.
First, I opened up my web browser and typed in “what does waiving a player mean in the NBA?” into the search bar. I hit enter, and a bunch of articles popped up. I clicked on a few of the top results and started reading.
Turns out, waiving a player is basically like firing them, but with some special rules. It’s when a team decides they don’t want a player on their roster anymore, even if the player still has time left on their contract. I found out that it’s not as simple as just saying “you’re off the team.” There’s a whole process involved.
The Waiving Process
I learned that when a team wants to waive a player, they have to let the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, know about it. And get this, once they ask for the waiver, they can’t take it back! It’s a done deal. Then, Adam Silver tells all the other teams that the player is available.
The Waiver Wire
- This is where it gets interesting. The waived player then goes into something called the “waiver wire” for 48 hours.
- During this time, other teams can put in a claim to pick up the player and take over their contract.
- If multiple teams put in a claim, the team with the worst record gets priority.
I discovered that even if a player gets waived, the team that waived them still has to pay the player the money that’s guaranteed in their contract. It’s kind of like a severance package, I guess. But, by waiving the player, the team frees up a spot on their roster so they can sign someone else.
Why Teams Waive Players
From what I gathered, teams usually waive players for a few different reasons:
- The player isn’t a good fit for the team: Maybe their skills don’t match what the team needs, or they’re not performing well.
- The team needs to make space: Each NBA team can only have 15 players on their roster, so sometimes they need to get rid of someone to make room for a new player.
- The team wants to save money: This one’s a bit trickier, but sometimes waiving a player can help a team manage their salary cap, which is the total amount of money they’re allowed to spend on player salaries.
When Teams Can Waive Players
One thing I found particularly interesting is that teams can waive players at any time during the regular season. But, if they do it after a certain date, there are some restrictions on whether that player can play in the playoffs for their new team, if they get picked up.
So, yeah, that’s what I learned about waiving players in the NBA. It’s a lot more complicated than I initially thought! It’s not just about getting rid of a player; it’s a strategic move that teams make for all sorts of reasons. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for the business side of basketball.
