Amid thinning rosters in the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA is progressing toward an expansion of regular-season rosters, sources told ESPN.
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association must still agree on the details of granting teams an additional two-way roster spot for the balance of the regular season, but those talks are expected to soon culminate with an agreement and deeper roster options for teams struggling with COVID-19 issues, sources said.
NBA general managers have been enthusiastic in support of additional roster options this season, a broad sentiment that was shared with league office executives in a virtual meeting of NBA general managers Friday, sources said.
In this shortened, 72-game season, two-way roster spots allow players to be active for 50 games — and players’ eligibility is based upon three years or less of playing service.
The NBA was already allowing two slots for two-way contracts this season, paying players a flat salary of $450,000. The NBA allows for 15 roster spots for traditional league contracts, and adding another full roster spot instead of a two-way would cause teams to run into salary-cap issues.
Source : ESPN
