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NBA training camp is the preseason period when teams bring players together to practice, build routines and evaluate roster options before opening night. For the 2026–27 season, most camps opened September 29; teams playing preseason games outside North America began earlier. Preseason games started October 3, and the regular season begins October 20.
When did NBA training camp start in 2026–27?
The NBA’s 2026–27 key dates and its September 28 camp report set out this season’s schedule. Dates vary by season, and teams with preseason games outside North America can begin earlier.
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| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 21 | Earliest allowable reporting date for players on teams with preseason games outside North America. |
| September 22 | Training camps opened for teams playing preseason games outside North America. |
| September 28 | Earliest allowable reporting date for other veteran players. |
| September 29 | Training camps opened for the remaining teams. |
| October 3 | Preseason games began. |
| October 16 | Preseason exhibitions ended, according to the NBA’s camp report. |
| October 20 | Regular season began. |
Media Day typically comes before practices, giving reporters a chance to hear players and coaches discuss preparation and team priorities. For fans, that makes it an early source of context, not a reliable forecast of who will ultimately play major minutes.
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There are different roster figures because official explanations describe different categories. The NBA/NBPA’s 2024–25 CBA 101 says teams may have up to 21 players under contract during the offseason and training camp. It says teams generally carry 14 or 15 players on standard NBA contracts during the regular season. Those are contract limits and should not be treated as identical to a count of camp invitees.
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The NBA G League’s Affiliate Players explainer describes teams trimming a maximum of 20 training-camp invitees to 15 for opening night. This describes invitees and an opening-night roster outcome, not the same measure as the CBA’s maximum number of offseason contracts.
Teams can also have up to three Two-Way players in addition to the maximum 15 standard-contract players under the cited CBA summary. Two-Way contracts are separate slots, not three more standard-contract roster positions. The G League and CBA summaries describe Two-Way players as eligible to be active for up to 50 games with their NBA team; technical contract rules can change, so consult the applicable season’s rules for decisions that depend on the details.
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When do NBA teams make roster cuts?
There is no single league-wide cut date established by the cited schedule. Teams make decisions during camp and preseason as they work toward the roster they will carry for opening night. Follow team announcements and official transaction records through the start of the regular season rather than assuming a particular exhibition game is the deadline.
A camp player who is waived may have other routes to continue playing, but none is automatic:
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- Another NBA opportunity: A different team may sign the player.
- G League affiliate: A team may designate up to four waived players as affiliate players. If the player signs a G League contract, they are allocated to that team’s affiliate and remain available for any of the 30 NBA teams to sign. The G League’s affiliate-player explanation distinguishes this from a Two-Way contract.
- Two-Way contract: A team may sign a player to a Two-Way slot, subject to applicable roster and contract rules. This is a distinct NBA contract path, not an affiliate designation.
Affiliate status does not guarantee an NBA contract, and a waiver does not by itself establish what a player’s next opportunity will be.
What should fans watch during camp and preseason?
New combinations and team routines
Notice how coaches describe roles, preparation and priorities at Media Day, then look for those themes in practice reports and preseason lineups. A lineup experiment can show what a team is evaluating without proving that it will become the regular-season rotation.
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Preseason minutes and opportunity
Track which players get opportunities alongside likely regular contributors and which combinations coaches test. Exhibition games offer clues about roles, but a short preseason sample is not conclusive evidence of a lasting rotation decision.
Roster competition and contract context
When a team has more camp players than standard-contract spots, compare players using consistent questions: What is each player’s contract type and guarantee status? What role might fit? What availability has the team reported? How much preseason opportunity has the player received, and in what context? Could the alternatives include a Two-Way deal, an affiliate assignment or a signing elsewhere? Contract guarantees and individual terms are not established by the general roster-rule sources, so rely on team announcements or credible reporting for player-specific details.
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Availability, not assumptions
Use team-reported status and coach comments when interpreting absences or limited workloads. Without a team or league explanation, an absence does not establish its cause or signal a long-term decision.
Travel and team-specific timing
International preseason travel can mean earlier reporting and camp dates, as the September 21–22 dates show for the 2026–27 teams playing outside North America. Apply the league-wide calendar to the relevant team rather than assuming every club follows the same start date.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to follow camp decisions
- Check the season calendar. Use the NBA’s key dates for reporting, camp, preseason and opening-night timing.
- Separate roster categories. When reading a roster count, check whether it means players under contract, standard-contract spots, camp invitees or Two-Way players.
- Follow transactions through opening night. A player’s camp status can change, and a waiver may be followed by an affiliate arrangement, a Two-Way contract or another NBA signing.
- Read preseason performances in context. Combine minutes and lineups with reported availability and team comments; do not treat a small sample as a settled rotation.
The main roster figures above come from a 2024–25 CBA summary and G League roster explanations, including material framed in a 2025–26 context. They explain the distinctions fans need to follow camp, but detailed eligibility or contract questions should be checked against current-season league rules.
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