Timing is everything in the NBA. You’ve probably seen the chaos of June 30th when "Woj Bombs" start dropping like rain, but the concept of an nba free agency deadline is actually way more nuanced than just one date on a calendar. Most people think free agency is a summer-only event. They're wrong.
While the "feeding frenzy" happens in July, the real mechanics of the market stretch all the way through the final day of the regular season. If you aren't paying attention to the March 1st buyout rules or the April conversion dates, you're missing half the story.
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The July Rush and the Moratorium Myth
Technically, the "start" of free agency for the 2025-26 season kicked off back on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. But here’s the kicker: nobody could actually sign anything for about a week. This is the Moratorium Period. It’s basically a handshake-only zone. From June 30 to July 6, teams and players agree to massive, hundred-million-dollar deals, but it’s all verbal.
Remember the DeAndre Jordan saga years ago? That happened because of this gap. Until that July 6 "signing day" hits, nothing is official.
Once that moratorium ends, the floodgates stay open. There isn't a "deadline" in July that says you have to be signed or you're out. In fact, guys like Christian Wood or Kelly Oubre Jr. have historically waited until late August or even September to find the right home. The real pressure doesn't come from a clock; it comes from the Salary Cap evaporating. Once the $154.6 million cap space is gone across the league, your options as a free agent shrink to the "Minimum" or the "Mid-Level Exception."
The March 1st "Postseason" Deadline
If you're looking for a hard date that actually changes the championship landscape, it’s March 1. This is what insiders call the "Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline."
Basically, if a player is waived by a team after March 1, they cannot play in the playoffs for whatever team signs them next. This is why you see a flurry of veteran "buyouts" in late February. Players who are stuck on losing teams—think of a veteran big man on a rebuilding squad—want to get cut loose before this deadline so they can join a contender like the Celtics or the Lakers for the stretch run.
If a player is a free agent and hasn't played at all that season? They can sign whenever. But if they were on a roster, March 1 is the drop-dead date for meaningful movement.
Key In-Season Dates for 2025-26
- January 5: Teams can start signing players to 10-day contracts. This is the lifeblood of the "emergency" free agency market.
- January 10: All non-guaranteed contracts become fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.
- March 1: The final day a waived player can remain eligible for a new team's playoff roster.
- April 12: The last day of the regular season and the absolute final day to sign a contract for the current year.
The Restricted Free Agency Trap
Restricted Free Agency (RFA) is where things get messy. For young stars coming off their rookie deals, the deadline to sign an Offer Sheet is usually March 1. If a player like Jonathan Kuminga or a similar high-level prospect were to hit RFA, they might sign an offer with a rival team, but their original team has the right to match it.
The deadline for the original team to extend a Qualifying Offer is usually late June. If they don't? The player becomes an unrestricted free agent. It’s a high-stakes game of chicken that often leaves players "orphaned" in the market if they wait too long and the cap space elsewhere dries up.
Why the "Second Apron" Changed Everything
Under the current CBA, teams that spend too much—specifically those crossing the Second Apron (projected around $207.8 million for 2025-26)—face brutal restrictions. These teams can't sign players on the buyout market if those players made more than the Mid-Level Exception ($14.1 million) on their previous deal.
Basically, the "deadline" for a big-market team to fix its roster is now hampered by their own accounting. You can't just wait for a star to get bought out in March anymore if you're over that limit. It has forced GMs to be way more aggressive in the summer because the "in-season" free agency pool is now gated off for the biggest spenders.
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What You Should Do Next
If you're tracking the movement for your favorite team, don't just wait for the summer. Keep an eye on the 10-day contract tracker starting in early January; this is usually where teams find the "diamond in the rough" role players who end up playing 15 minutes a night in the playoffs.
Check your team's proximity to the $195.9 million First Apron. If they are over it, their "deadline" to sign meaningful free agents effectively ended the moment the season started, as they lose access to most exceptions. For everyone else, the real hunt begins in February when the buyout market heat turns up.
Stay updated on the waiver wire throughout February to see which veterans are negotiating exits. Those moves often dictate who wins the title more than the blockbuster trades do.