It’s the first day of December, which means the NBA’s waiver order is now determined by a team’s 2017/18 record, rather than its 2016/17 mark. Waiver claims are fairly rare in the NBA, but it’s still worth noting which teams will have the first crack at intriguing players who may be cut over the next few weeks or months.
[RELATED: Other December dates to watch]
Prior to today, the Nets were first in the NBA’s waiver order, followed by the Suns, Lakers, Sixers, and Magic. As of December 1, the teams at the top of the NBA’s waiver order now look like this, as our 2017/18 Reverse Standings show:
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks
- Dallas Mavericks
- Sacramento Kings
- Phoenix Suns
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Brooklyn Nets / Los Angeles Lakers (tie)
- Charlotte Hornets / Los Angeles Clippers / Oklahoma City Thunder (tie)
- Orlando Magic
- Miami Heat
Note: Head-to-head record for the current season is used to break ties, if possible. Otherwise, a coin flip determines priority for those tied teams.
Of course, if an appealing target hits waivers, some teams will be be better positioned than others even if their priority isn’t necessarily as high. For instance, even though the Hawks currently have the second-highest waiver priority, they don’t currently have the cap room, trade exception, or disabled player exception necessary to claim a player earning more than the minimum salary.
For the full details on which teams have the cap room or exception(s) necessary to claim a waived player making more than the minimum, check out our breakdown from last month. That piece also includes an explanation of the waiver process, as does our glossary entry on the subject. And be sure to use our Reverse Standings feature throughout the season to determine what the NBA’s ever-shifting waiver order looks like on a given day.