Technically speaking, only one NBA team \u2014 Memphis \u2014 is at the expanded offseason limit of 21 players under contract. So the other 29 teams each have at least one roster opening.<\/p>\n
However, NBA clubs are only permitted to carry 15 players on standard contracts once the regular season begins, plus up to three players on two-way deals. Those three two-way spots don\u2019t count toward the 15-player limit during the regular season, but they do count toward the 21-man offseason limit.<\/p>\n
As our 2026\/27 roster counts<\/a> tracker shows, nearly half the teams in the league are currently carrying fewer than 15 players on their official rosters. That doesn\u2019t include two-way players, who we have sorted in their own category even though they\u2019re also official contracts.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the full list of teams with official openings, along with how many players they\u2019re currently carrying on their rosters. Again, this total does not include players on two-way deals.<\/p>\n Chicago Bulls: 14 The Bulls were one of three teams that operated with cap room this summer. While they essentially used all of that space, they still have access to the room exception<\/a>, which starts at about $9.4MM in 2026\/27 and is worth up to $29.5MM over three years.<\/p>\n Cleveland is said to be pursuing sign-and-trade scenarios with Denver for Peyton Watson<\/a>, who remains a restricted free agent. The Cavs are also said to have interest in Jonathan Kuminga<\/a> and DeMar DeRozan<\/a>, two prominent unrestricted free agents. DeRozan has also been linked to the Nuggets, among other teams.<\/p>\n The Cavs, Nuggets, Warriors, Pacers, Timberwolves, Knicks, Thunder, Magic and Kings are navigating expensive payrolls and in some cases hard caps<\/a>. Denver is currently the only team over the second tax apron, while Golden State, Minnesota, New York and Orlando are operating over the first apron. Indiana is right below its first-apron hard cap and still has an unsigned second-round pick in Braden Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n If the trade sending Kawhi Leonard<\/a> to Toronto eventually goes through, the Clippers will actually be at 15 players on official deals, as they\u2019ll be receiving two players back in that trade (Brandon Ingram<\/a> and Gradey Dick<\/a>), with Bennedict Mathurin<\/a> still a restricted free agent.<\/p>\n The Heat are technically just below the luxury tax line right now, but they\u2019ll likely move above that threshold once they finalize their regular roster. Miami is about $10.6MM below its first-apron hard cap, per Yossi Gozlan of CapSheets.com<\/a>, and seems to be waiting to see if Klay Thompson<\/a> shakes loose from Dallas before filling out its roster.<\/p>\n The Spurs don\u2019t currently have enough room beneath the luxury tax line to sign a 15th player to a minimum-salary deal, so they may wait until later in the regular season to fill out that final spot. There\u2019s nothing preventing the team from signing players to training camp deals, however.<\/p>\n
\nCleveland Cavaliers: 13 (11 fully guaranteed)
\nDenver Nuggets: 13
\nGolden State Warriors: 13 (12)
\nIndiana Pacers: 14
\nLos Angeles Clippers: 14
\nMiami Heat: 12 (10)
\nMinnesota Timberwolves: 13 (12)
\nNew York Knicks: 13
\nOklahoma City Thunder: 14\u00a0
\nOrlando Magic: 14 (13)
\nSacramento Kings: 13
\nSan Antonio Spurs: 14
\nWashington Wizards: 14 (13)<\/p>\n