Key takeaways
- The NBA offseason runs in a fixed order: draft lottery and combine in May, the draft in late June, free agency from 30 June, Summer League in July and training camp in late September.
- Teams may negotiate with their own upcoming free agents from the day after the last game of the Finals, and with all other free agents from 6 p.m. ET on 30 June.
- Player and team options, and the qualifying offers that make a player a restricted free agent, are due by 29 June.
- During the moratorium, from 1 to 6 July, teams can reach agreements, but most signings and all trades wait until it ends; those agreements are not binding.
- The new salary cap takes effect on 1 July: for 2026-27, NBA.com reported a cap of $164.961 million and a tax level of $200.428 million.
The NBA season ends in June, but the league's year does not stop. Between the last game of the Finals and opening night, teams draft, re-sign, trade and rebuild, and almost every step has a published date. This guide puts the offseason in order, using the dates NBA.com published for 2026 and the rules in its free agency explainer.
The 2026 offseason, in order
| Date (2026) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 24 April | Deadline for early-entry players to apply for the draft |
| 10 May | Draft lottery; the Draft Combine runs 10–17 May in Chicago |
| 27 May | Deadline to withdraw from the draft and keep NCAA eligibility |
| 13 June | Early-entry withdrawal deadline; Game 5 of the Finals |
| 14 June | Teams may negotiate with their own upcoming free agents |
| 23–24 June | Draft: first round, then second round |
| 29 June | Last day for player and team options; qualifying offers due |
| 30 June, 6 p.m. ET | Negotiations open with all free agents |
| 1 July | New salary cap takes effect; the moratorium begins |
| 6 July, 12:01 p.m. ET | Free agents can be signed |
| 9–19 July | NBA Summer League in Las Vegas |
| 28–29 September | Most veterans report; training camps open |
| 3 October | Preseason begins |
| 20 October | Regular season starts |
Before the draft
The offseason begins for the draft's prospects before it begins for teams. In 2026, NBA.com listed 24 April as the deadline for early-entry players to apply, the lottery on 10 May, the Combine in Chicago from 10 to 17 May, 27 May as the last day to withdraw while keeping NCAA eligibility, and 13 June as the final early-entry withdrawal deadline. NBA draft eligibility rules explains who has to declare, and how draft lotteries work why the lottery exists. The draft itself took two nights: the first round on 23 June and the second on 24 June.
The first negotiating window
Free agency starts in two stages. NBA.com's 2026 primer explains that from the day after the last game of the Finals, 14 June this year after the Knicks won the title in five games, teams could negotiate with their own upcoming free agents. Everyone else had to wait until 6 p.m. ET on 30 June.
The same window decides who will be on the market at all. A team that wants to keep the right to match offers for a player must submit a qualifying offer, a standing one-year guaranteed contract, between the day after the Finals and 29 June. If it does not, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. Options are due the same day: NBA.com noted that 29 June was the last day for a player or team option to be exercised. A player who declines a player option, or whose team declines a team option, becomes a free agent on 1 July. Free agency explained compares restricted and unrestricted free agency.
The moratorium
From 1 July until signings open, the league runs a moratorium. NBA.com describes it as a negotiation period in which teams may not sign most free agents or make trades. The reported "signings" of early July are agreements, and NBA.com notes they do not count toward team salary and are not binding: either side can back out. Wikipedia records the best-known case. In 2015, DeAndre Jordan agreed to join the Dallas Mavericks, changed his mind and re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and a year later the moratorium was shortened from 10 days to 5.
A few deals can still be done during the moratorium, NBA.com explains:
- first-round picks signing rookie-scale contracts;
- second-round picks accepting a required tender, the one-year offer a team must make to keep their rights;
- restricted free agents accepting qualifying offers, or signing offer sheets with other teams;
- one- or two-year minimum-salary contracts, and two-way contracts;
- waiving players and claiming them off waivers.
The moratorium is also when the new salary cap arrives. NBA.com reported that the 2026-27 cap and tax level took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on 1 July:
| 2026-27 figure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Salary cap | $164.961 million |
| Tax level | $200.428 million |
| First apron | $209.015 million |
| Second apron | $221.686 million |
| Minimum team salary | $148.465 million |
| Non-taxpayer mid-level exception | $15.044 million |
The NBA apron explained sets out what each line restricts. Signings opened at 12:01 p.m. ET on 6 July.
Summer League and the quiet months
July brings Summer League. In 2026, NBA.com listed the California Classic in San Francisco and Sacramento from 3 to 6 July, the Salt Lake City Summer League on 4, 6 and 7 July, and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from 9 to 19 July, with all 30 teams playing at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center and The Pavilion.
Some rules from the summer carry into the season. Wikipedia notes that a free agent signed in the offseason cannot be traded until 15 December or until three months have passed, whichever is later; NBA trade rules covers the restrictions. And NBA.com explains that an unsigned qualifying offer expires on 1 October unless it is extended.
Back to work
The calendar closes where the next season begins. For 2026-27, NBA.com listed 28 September as the first day most veterans could report and media day for 28 teams, 29 September for camps opening, 3 October for the first preseason games, 19 October for setting opening-day rosters and 20 October for the start of the regular season. Teams playing preseason games outside North America started a week earlier, with camps opening on 22 September.
Running the calendar yourself
In a league simulator, you run the offseason yourself. Basketball League Sandbox runs its own 18-step offseason for roster changes and player development, with player contracts, health and relationships, and team chemistry, coaching and finances; its guide explains the steps. Basketball Game Franchise GM focuses on one team instead: draft a roster, then handle contracts and trades through an 82-game season. Both are among our sports career and GM games, and Basketball League Sandbox's app page notes that it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or licensed by any league, team, players' association or athlete.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
When does NBA free agency start?
What is the NBA free agency moratorium?
Can anyone sign during the moratorium?
When do NBA training camps open?
Sources
- Key dates for 2026-27 NBA season (opens in a new tab)NBA.com — accessed
- Starting 5: Your primer for 2026 NBA Free Agency (opens in a new tab)NBA.com — accessed
- NBA Free Agency explained (opens in a new tab)NBA.com — accessed
- NBA sets salary cap for 2026-27 season at $164.961 million (opens in a new tab)NBA.com — accessed
- NBA salary cap (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
League, team and athlete names appear here only to identify the rules, records and history being discussed. Reign Creative LLC's sports games are not affiliated with, endorsed by or licensed by any league, team, players' association or athlete, and all names and marks belong to their owners.
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