Now that the league has settled on Dec. 22 as the official start date of the 2020-21 regular-season schedule, other key dates and events are settling into place.
With NBA free agency set to begin on Friday, here's a look at the league's new upcoming calendar and important deadlines for teams and players to exercise contract options. Nearly 100 players are eligible for either rookie or veteran extensions that teams will need to decide whether to exercise during the offseason.
Stay tuned to this page for additional updates and latest information.
Key dates
Nov. 19
Last day for a team or player option to be exercised
Last day for a player to receive a qualifying offer and become a restricted free agent
Nov. 20
Free-agent negotiations can begin (6 p.m. ET)
Nov. 21
Free-agency moratorium ends, negotiations can begin (12:01 a.m. ET)
First-round selections can sign contracts
Minimum contracts (2 less years) can sign
Restricted free agent can sign an offer sheet
Third- and fourth-year rookie options can be exercised
Nov. 22
Free agency begins, players and teams can sign deals (12:00 p.m. ET)
Teams can sign free agents
Trades can become official
Rookie scale and veteran contracts can be extended
Clock begins on offer sheets
Nov. 27
Last day to withdraw a qualifying offer
Dec. 1
Training camp begins
Dec. 9
Last day to use the waive and stretch provision
Dec. 11
Preseason begins
Dec. 19
Last day of preseason
Last day to waive a player on a non-guaranteed contract and not incur a salary-cap charge
Dec. 21
Last day of the offseason
Last date to sign a rookie scale or veteran extension (two years left) or supermax extension
Rosters are restricted to 15
Dec. 22
Regular season begins
Dec. 29
Last day to exercise a third- and fourth-year options in a rookie scale contract
Feb. 6
Free agents who signed a contract can be traded in the offseason
Feb. 23
10-day contracts can be signed
Feb. 25
Last day to waive a player on a partially guaranteed contract before his salary becomes fully protected
March 3
Last day to apply for the disabled player exception
Free agents who received a raise greater than 120% of their previous salary and signed with the Bird or early Bird exception can be traded
March 5
All-Star break begins until March 10
March TBD
Trade deadline
April 9
Last date for a player to be waived and become eligible for the playoffs
April 17
Disabled player exception expires
May 16
Last date of the regular season
Last date to sign a contract
2020-21 team payroll is frozen
Last date to convert a two-way contract
May 18-21
Play-in tournament
May 22
NBA playoffs begin
June 7
Conference semifinals
June TBD
NBA draft lottery
June TBD
Pre-draft combine
June 22
Conference Finals
July 8-22
NBA Finals
July TBD
2021 NBA draft
Potential free agents: Option deadlines
Nov. 19
Gordon Hayward (BOS): $34.2 million (player option)
Enes Kanter (BOS): $5 million (player option)
Semi Ojeleye (BOS): $1.75 million (team option)
Garrett Temple (BKN): $5.0 million (team option)
Willie Cauley-Stein (DAL): $2.28 million (player option)
Tim Hardaway Jr. (DAL): $18.97 million (player option)
Jerami Grant (DEN): $9.34 million (player option)
Austin Rivers (HOU): $2.4 million (player option)
David Nwaba (HOU): $1.8 million (player option)
JaMychal Green (LAC): $5.0 million (player option)
Avery Bradley (LAL): $5.0 million (player option)
JaVale McGee (LAL): $4.2 million (player option)
Jontay Porter (MEM): $1.5 million (team option)
Kelly Olynyk (MIA): $12.2 million (player option)
James Johnson (MIN): $16.0 million (player option)
Bobby Portis (NYK): $15.8 million (team option)
Theo Pinson (NYK): $1.6 million (team option)
Hamidou Diallo (OKC): $1.7 million (team option)
Mike Muscala (OKC): $2.3 million- (player option)
Melvin Frazier Jr. (ORL): $1.66 million (team option)
Cheick Diallo (PHX): $1.8 million (team option)
Frank Kaminsky (PHX): $5 million (team option)
Guarantee dates
Nov. 19
TJ McConnell (IND) from $1 million to $3.5 million
Quinn Cook (LAL) from $1 million to $3 million
Reggie Bullock (NYK) from $1 million to $4.2 million
Wayne Ellington (NYK) from $1 million to $8 million
Taj Gibson (NYK) from $1 million to $9.5 million
Elfrid Payton (NYK) from $1 million to $8 million
Mitchell Robinson (NYK) from $0 to $1.7 million
Nemanja Bjelica (SAC) from $0 to $7.2 million
Isaac Bonga (WAS) from $0 to $1.7 million
Nov. 20
Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) from $0 to $7 million
Monte Morris (DEN) from $0 to $1.7 million
Ben McLemore (HOU) from $0 to $2.3 million
Trey Lyles (SAS) from $1 million to $5.5 million
Nov. 21
Semi Ojeleye (BOS) from $0 to $1.75 million
Daniel Theis (BOS) from $0 to $5 million
Svi Mykhailiuk (DET) from $0 to $1.66 million
Norvel Pelle (PHI) from $0 to $1.5 million
Nov. 22
Khyri Thomas (DET) from $745K to $1.7 million
Nov. 23
Devonte' Graham (CHA) from $0 to $1.7 million
Keita Bates-Diop (DEN) from $0 to $1.7 million
Nov. 24
Darius Miller (NOP) from $0 to $7 million
Anzejs Pasecniks (WAS) from $0 to $1.5 million
Nov. 25
Georges Niang (UTH) from $0 to $1.78 million
Nov. 26
Bruce Brown Jr. (BKN) from $1 million to $1.66 million
Furkan Korkmaz (PHI) from $0 to $1.76 million
Elie Okobo (PHX) from $0 to $1.66 million
Nov. 28
Caleb Martin (CHA) from $0 to $1.5 million
Marquese Chriss (GSW) from $800K to $1.8 million
Duncan Robinson (MIA) from $0 to $1 million
Jarred Vanderbilt (MIN) from $0 to $1.66 million
Abdel Nader (PHX) from $0 to $1.75 million
Nov. 29
Brandon Goodwin (ATL) from $100K to $1.7M
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (BKN) from $0 to $150K
Jalen McDaniels (CHA) from $0 to $100K
Deonte Burton (OKC) from $0 to $1.66 million
Chimezie Metu (SAS) from $0 to $500K
Terence Davis (TOR) from $0 to $1.5 million
Dewan Hernandez (TOR) from $0 to $1.5 million
Rayjon Tucker (UTH) from $340K to $1.5 million
Veteran-extension eligible
Boston: Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart and Semi Ojeleye
Brooklyn: Rodions Kurucs and Bruce Brown Jr.
Charlotte: Nicolas Batum, Devonte' Graham and Cody Zeller
Chicago: Cristian Felicio, Zach LaVine and Otto Porter
Cleveland: Andre Drummond and Dante Exum
Dallas: Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jalen Brunson
Denver: Monte Morris, Jerami Grant, Will Barton, Gary Harris and Keita Bates-Diop
Detroit: Blake Griffin, Tony Snell, Khyri Thomas. and Svi Mykhailiuk
Golden State: Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins
Houston: PJ Tucker, James Harden and Russell Westbrook
Indiana: Victor Oladipo, TJ Warren and Doug McDermott
LA Lakers: LeBron James and Dennis Schroder
Memphis: Gorgui Dieng, Justise Winslow and Kyle Anderson
Miami: Kelly Olynyk
Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday
Minnesota: James Johnson and Jarred Vanderbilt
New York: Mitchell Robinson
Oklahoma City: Hamidou Diallo and Steven Adams
Orlando: Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Melvin Frazier Jr.
Philadelphia: Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson
Phoenix: Chris Paul, Abdel Nader, Elie Okobo
Portland: Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Trent Jr.
Sacramento: Nemanja Bjelica and Ersan Ilyasova
San Antonio: DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Chimezie Metu and Patty Mills
Toronto: Norman Powell
Utah: Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gobert (super max) and Georges Niang
Washington: John Wall and Isaac Bonga
Rookie-extension eligible
Atlanta: John Collins
Boston: Jayson Tatum
Brooklyn: Jarrett Allen
Charlotte: Malik Monk
Chicago: Lauri Markkanen
Dallas: Justin Jackson
Detroit: Luke Kennard
Indiana: TJ Leaf
LA Lakers: Kyle Kuzma
Miami: Bam Adebayo
New Orleans: Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart
New York: Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina
Oklahoma City: Terrance Ferguson
Orlando: Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac
Portland: Zach Collins
Toronto: OG Anunoby
Sacramento: De'Aaron Fox and DJ Wilson
San Antonio: Derrick White
Toronto: OG Anunoby
Utah: Donovan Mitchell and Tony Bradley
Trade exceptions expire
Nov. 22
Memphis: $3.2M and $3.1 million trade exception expires
Nov. 23
Golden State: $17.2M trade exception expires
Memphis: $3.4M trade exception expires
Nov. 24
Oklahoma City: $9.4M trade exception expires
Memphis: $4.8M trade exception expires
Nov. 26
Oklahoma City: $10.4M trade exception expires
Note: Only lists trade exceptions that expire before Feb. 1