Waiver Order Now Determined By 2016/17 Record

It’s the first day of December, which means the NBA’s waiver order is now determined by a team’s 2016/17 record, rather than its 2015/16 mark. Waiver claims are fairly rare in the NBA, with only two players – Beno Udrih and Lamar Patterson – claimed off waivers so far during the current league year. Still, it’s worth keeping in mind which teams will have the first crack at intriguing players who may be cut over the next few weeks or months.

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Prior to today, the Sixers were first in the NBA’s waiver order, followed by the Lakers, Nets, Suns, Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Knicks. As of December 1, the teams at the top of the NBA’s waiver order now look like this, as our 2016/17 Reverse Standings show:

  1. Dallas Mavericks
  2. Philadelphia 76ers
  3. Minnesota Timberwolves
  4. Brooklyn Nets
  5. Phoenix Suns
  6. Miami Heat
  7. Washington Wizards
  8. New Orleans Pelicans
  9. Denver Nuggets / Sacramento Kings / Orlando Magic (tie)
    • (Coin flip determines priority)
  10. Indiana Pacers

Of course, if an appealing target hits waivers, some of these teams are in a better position than others, even if their priority isn’t necessarily as high. For instance, the Nuggets, Kings, and Magic are currently tied in terms of waiver priority, but only one of those three teams (Denver) has cap room. As such, the Nuggets are the only club of the three with the flexibility to claim a player making more than the minimum salary.

For a refresher on exactly how waivers work, check out our breakdown from October, or our glossary entry on the subject. And be sure to use our Reverse Standings feature throughout the season if you need to determine what the NBA’s ever-shifting waiver order looks like on a given day.

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