Key dates

Every date that moves the season, with what it means and where to follow it on the site. Dates come from the official schedule in our database and from the league's announcements; the guarantee date, the March 1 deadline and free agency follow the collective bargaining agreement. What the league has not announced yet is marked as such, with the usual window, and never as a fixed day.

1. 3Oct 2026
   Preseason · through Friday, October 16official schedule

   65 exhibition games in 14 days, including the neutral-site games abroad and on college campuses. Rosters can carry up to 21 players until the eve of opening night. scores →
   in 26 days
2. 20Oct 2026
   Opening nightofficial schedule

   3 games tip off the 2026-27 regular season. Rosters must be down to 15 standard contracts plus three two-way players. how to watch →
   in 43 days
3. 30Oct 2026
   NBA Cup group play · through Friday, November 27official schedule

   60 group games on Cup nights, six groups of five; group winners and the best runner-up in each conference reach the knockout rounds. The games count in the standings. standings →
   in 53 days
4. 7Nov 2026
   NBA Mexico City Gameofficial schedule

   Regular-season game in Mexico City; it counts like any other. scores →
   in 61 days
5. 4Dec 2026
   NBA Cup knockout rounds beginannounced by the league

   Quarterfinals at the higher seed; the semifinals and the final are played on a neutral floor. Only the final does not count in the standings.
   in 88 days
6. 11Dec 2026
   NBA Cup final · Indianapolisannounced by the league

   The Cup winner is decided; players on the winning team collect the Cup bonus set by the CBA.
   in 95 days
7. 25Dec 2026
   Christmas Dayofficial schedule

   5 games, the league's showcase slate. the slate →
   in 109 days
8. 5Jan 2027
   10-day contracts can be signedCBA rule

   From this day teams can sign players to 10-day deals (two per player per team, then the season or nothing). Under the CBA the window opens on January 5. transactions →
   in 120 days
9. 7Jan 2027
   Last day to waive before the guarantee dateCBA rule

   A player waived by this date clears waivers before January 10 and his non-guaranteed salary comes off the books. salaries →
   in 122 days
10. 10Jan 2027
    League-wide guarantee dateCBA rule

    Every contract still on a roster becomes fully guaranteed for the rest of the season. salaries →
    in 125 days
11. 14Jan 2027
    NBA Paris Gameofficial schedule

    Regular-season game in Paris; it counts like any other. scores →
    in 129 days
12. 17Jan 2027
    NBA Manchester Gameofficial schedule

    Regular-season game in Manchester; it counts like any other. scores →
    in 132 days
13. 26Jan 2027
    Rivals Week · through Saturday, January 30official schedule

    12 games built around the league's rivalries. scores →
    in 141 days
14. 3Feb 2027
    NBA Pioneers Classicofficial schedule

    1 game on the league's calendar under this banner. the slate →
    in 149 days
15. 11Feb 2027
    Trade deadline · 3 p.m. ETannounced by the league

    Last moment to trade; afterwards rosters change only through signings and waivers. Every report until then lands on the Trade Radar; every completed move on the transactions log. trade radar →
    in 157 days
16. 19Feb 2027
    All-Star Weekend · Phoenix · through Sunday, February 21announced by the league

    The break in the schedule; the second half of the season starts the following week.
    in 165 days
17. 1Mar 2027
    Playoff-eligibility waiver deadlineCBA rule

    A player must be waived by this date to be eligible for another team's playoff roster. The buyout market closes here. transactions →
    in 175 days
18. 11Apr 2027
    Regular season endsofficial schedule

    15 games on the final day; seeds 1 to 6 go straight to the playoffs, 7 to 10 to the play-in, 11 to 15 to the lottery. lottery odds →
    in 216 days
19. TBAApril
    Play-in tournamentto be announced

    Seeds 7 to 10 in each conference play for the last two playoff spots over the days after the regular season ends. Dates to be announced by the league. standings →
20. TBAApril
    Playoffs beginto be announced

    Sixteen teams, best-of-seven series throughout. Dates to be announced by the league.
21. TBAMay
    Draft lotteryto be announced

    The fourteen non-playoff teams learn their pick; the top four are drawn. Date to be announced; usually mid-May. odds and simulator →
22. TBAJune
    The Finalsto be announced

    Best-of-seven for the title. Dates to be announced; the Finals run through June.
23. TBAJune
    NBA Draftto be announced

    Two rounds, 59 picks. Date to be announced; usually the last full week of June.
24. 29Jun 2027
    Option deadlinesCBA rule

    Player and team options for the following season are typically due by June 29 unless the contract says otherwise; see the expiring-contracts tracker for who holds one. expiring contracts →
    in 295 days
25. 30Jun 2027
    Free agency opens · 6 p.m. ETCBA rule

    Teams can negotiate with free agents from 6 p.m. ET on June 30; the new league year and the new salary cap start on July 1, and signings become official when the moratorium lifts. salaries and cap →
    in 296 days
26. 1Jul 2027
    New league year · new capCBA rule

    Salary cap, tax line and aprons for the following season take effect; every team's room is recalculated. cap sheet →
    in 297 days

Trade deadline and All-Star dates as announced by the league for 2026-27. Play-in, playoffs, lottery, draft and Finals are listed in their usual windows until the league publishes the dates. Times are Eastern.