Each NBA team consists of a pool of players with abilities fitting to team dynamics. Therefore, these teams strive to sign only the best of the best—even if it means waiving a player from its original roster.

To regulate each team, the NBA puts a salary cap and a maximum number of players included in every team. With that stated, do waive NBA players get paid? The answer is yes, but there is more to this complex process. There are considerations and amnesty to protect the rights of both parties. If you do not want to miss out, please follow along.

What Does it Mean When a Player is Waived?

There needs to be clarity surrounding the meaning of waived NBA meaning because of NBA waive vs. buyout debates. However, NBA waived players are players a team wants to release from their roster. Meanwhile, a buyout happens when another team tries to buy the contract of a player.

NBA waived players who got ejected from a team prior to their contract expiration. Therefore, his slot will be vacant for potential players who can join the group as long as the salary cap permits.

As per NBA rules on waiving players, teams can only file a waiver request between July 23 and January 15 every year. Failure to do so means the team can no longer waive a player until the end of a regular season or on May 31.

What happens when an NBA player is waived, then? That’s a great question. They are put in 48 hours waiver wire. Other teams will have the opportunity to sign a player and take on the original contract from his original team. 

What about those who did not get claimed after 48 hours? Well, it is a painful reality of a highly competitive sport like basketball. They are left without a choice but to be a free agent player. Still, they are protected by the original contract regarding their salary.

Meanwhile, waived NBA players sometimes get offered by multiple teams. Hence, the player will be included in the lineup of a group with the least winning chances by default. Again, a team needs to have enough vacancy in its salary cap to claim a player from the waiver wire.

Why Do NBA Teams Waive Players?

Now that you are already aware of the waived NBA meaning, perhaps you have wondered why NBA players get waived. The short answer is simple and they no longer fit the team dynamics (but it only sometimes means they are bad players, after all).

When a team waives players, they will open more doors to their advantage. Hence, they can maximize their team potential and increase their winning ability. Therefore, it is a matter of team decision concerning your record.

There are a lot of reasons why a team waives a player. Below are some of the main reasons why NBA players get waived. 

• Open a slot on their roster.

As you may have known, each NBA team is composed of 15 players. Therefore, they waive a player to open a slot for a more deserving player. In this case, they can improve their lineup to their advantage.

• A player takes a massive share of the salary cap.

Sometimes, skill is not the issue. The reason a team waives a player is that he eats up huge some of the salary cap. Therefore, they may be able to sign two players with the same salary. Hence, it is an issue of a team salary cap, not dynamics.

• Team Strategy

In rare cases, some teams sign a player from a team they are not vibing with. That is why you see a lot of players getting released after getting waived because they are being used for team strategy.

• Improve championship chances.

Needless to say, all NBA teams aim for a championship. Therefore, they want to sign a player who will contribute meaningfully to their attempt to clinch the championship trophy. By waiving a weak player, they can scout a player who will walk the talk for them.

• Get rid of a bad contract.

You cannot deny that there are bad contracts in the NBA. It means a team is exhausting resources for a contract worth only a penny. Therefore, a team usually waives a player to eliminate a bad contract. Thus, they will be able to open more space in their roster and simultaneously free up space in their salary cap.

Overall, the reason team releases a player is for their advantage, whether for financial or strategic reasons. Like any other group, a team can only attain its goal if the members work well. Even if the player’s basketball skills are not always to be blamed for, salary and skills should always balance out.

Do NBA Players Still Get Paid If They Get Waived?

It would be best if you never forgot the salary when talking about waived NBA players. Some people believe players will have their contracts terminated once they get waived. While the idea is understandable, they are still in contract with the team unless another team decides to claim them.

Since they are still in contact, the waived NBA players are still getting paid. They can still claim their salary even if the team decides to let me go from their roster.

On the other hand, waived players who get signed by other teams will be paid not by the original team but by the team who claimed them. Therefore, they will be paid as stated in the contract.

However, there is a separate case for bad contracts. NBA teams can request an amnesty. Amnesty legally permits the team to waive a player and remove him from their salary budget. It means that the team still has to pay the player with what was stated in the contract; however, they can free up the space on their salary cap.

No matter if you are a free agent, signed player after getting waived, etc., the NBA assures you justice and fairness. Waived NBA players can always claim their share of the pie even after getting waived. After all, they have a contract that protects both parties.

How Much Do Waived NBA Players Get Paid? 

Another question surrounding this issue is how NBA players are waived paid. Waived NBA players can claim the amount stated in the contract. If then, how much can they get from the team?

They can only get part of the sum and move to another team. According to the contract, they can claim a salary while playing as a free agent.

There is no definite amount because each plate agrees with different conditions. On the other hand, another team will pay them according to the original contract. Hence, the short answer is that they get paid based on the contract.

Wrapping Things Up: Do Waive NBA Players Get Paid?

To answer the million-dollar question: do waive NBA players get paid? Yes, they are paid. The NBA is an avenue for fairness. It is an avenue that compensates for hard work. Hence, they always strive to protect both parties for what is due to them.

There are various reasons why waived players are released, and it is only sometimes about their skills. Sometimes, it is a matter of salary budget. Therefore, you cannot take all waived players as bad players.

Also, there are processes to protect both parties. One of them is the rules on waived NBA players. The chance to waive a player is open only some year-round. NBA teams have to apply for it between July and January. Hence, they need to wait until the end of a regular season if they fail to do so.

Although it may seem bad to get waived, it could lead you to better opportunities. Perhaps your playing style needs to be more fitting to the team. Hence, finding a team that needs your skills would be better. 

Lastly, the amount of money each waived player gets vary from each other because they have different contract agreement. The reason is that their salary as a waived player depends on how much their salary is. 

If you are an aspiring NBA player, it will help you if you give justice to your salary. While salary cap is a significant factor, your skills in relation to your salary are the primary motivator. Play for passion, not for salary!

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.