What are waiver claims in the NBA?

The waiver claims process in the NBA allows teams to acquire players their original team has waived. When an NBA team decides to waive a player, they release that player from their contract for various reasons such as underperformance, salary cap considerations, or other team needs.

After a player is placed on waivers, other NBA teams have a specific window of time to submit a waiver claim to acquire that player. This process allows teams to add talent to their roster without going through the standard trade procedures.

The waiver order is typically determined by the team’s current record, with the team with the worst record at the time of the waiver request getting the first opportunity to claim the player. If multiple teams submit claims for the same player, the team with the highest priority in the waiver order is awarded the player.

If no team submits a claim for a waived player during the designated waiver period, that player becomes a free agent and can sign with any team with an available roster spot or salary cap space. Waiver claims that it allows teams to adjust their roster during the season, and they can be essential when a team is looking to add a player who can address specific needs or provide depth.

To claim a player off waivers, a team must generally be able to accommodate the player’s entire salary within their cap room, traded player exception, or disabled player exception.