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NBA training camp is a short preseason preparation and evaluation period: players report, practice, and compete for roles while coaches and front offices prepare for exhibition games and opening night. In 2026–27, most camps opened September 29, the preseason began October 3, and the regular season starts October 20. Some teams began earlier because they had preseason games outside North America.
When does NBA training camp start in 2026–27?
The NBA’s 2026–27 key-dates calendar sets different reporting and camp dates for teams with preseason games outside North America and other teams:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 21 | Earliest player reporting date for teams participating in preseason games outside North America. |
| September 22 | Training camps open for those teams. |
| September 28 | Earliest reporting date for other veteran players. |
| September 29 | Training camps open for the remaining teams. |
| October 3 | Preseason games begin. |
| October 16 | Preseason exhibitions end, according to the NBA’s September 28 camp report. |
| October 20 | Regular season begins. |
These dates apply to the 2026–27 season, not every NBA season. Teams with international preseason travel can start camp earlier than the league-wide opening.
What happens during training camp?
Camp gives players and coaches time to work on team routines, practice combinations, and evaluate roles before the regular season. Media Day typically comes first, with interviews and photo shoots; practices and preseason games then give teams opportunities to prepare and assess the roster. Camp is not itself a set of regular-season games, and a player’s early minutes do not settle their eventual role.
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How many players can be in camp, and what changes by opening night?
The roster figures can sound inconsistent because official explanations count different things. The NBA’s 2024–25 CBA 101 says teams generally need 14 or 15 players on standard NBA contracts during the regular season and may have up to 21 players under contract during the offseason and training camp. The NBA G League’s Affiliate Players explainer, by contrast, describes up to 20 training-camp invitees being trimmed to 15 for opening night. “Players under contract” and “camp invitees” are not identical measures, so the figures should not be treated as one shared cap.
Two-Way contracts are a separate category: the CBA summary permits up to three Two-Way players in addition to a maximum of 15 standard-contract players. They are not three additional standard-contract roster spots. The cited CBA summary also describes a 50-game limit on the NBA active list for a Two-Way player; consult current season rules for technical contract questions, since rules can change.
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What can happen when a player is cut from camp?
A player released from a camp roster may leave the organization, remain connected through its G League affiliate, or later sign with an NBA team. These paths are not automatic, and an affiliate-player designation is different from a Two-Way contract.
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Waiver and affiliate-player path
The G League says 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 club’s affiliate while remaining available for any of the 30 NBA teams to sign. The designation therefore offers a possible development route, not a guarantee of an NBA return.
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Two-Way contract
A Two-Way deal is an NBA contract category, not an affiliate-player assignment. Under the cited league explanations, Two-Way players can be active for up to 50 games with their NBA team, subject to the applicable rules. A player cut from camp does not automatically receive this contract; the team must make that decision.
What should fans watch during camp and preseason?
- Whether stated priorities appear on court. Use Media Day interviews and coach comments as context, then look for related routines or combinations in practice and preseason lineups.
- Who gets preseason opportunities. Minutes alongside likely regular contributors can offer clues about evaluation and role experiments, but a short exhibition sample is not proof of a regular-season rotation.
- Roster transactions through opening day. Follow official team announcements and NBA transactions to see whether a waived player is released, joins an affiliate, signs a Two-Way deal, or is picked up elsewhere.
- Team-reported availability. Check the team’s updates and coach comments before interpreting a missed practice or limited role. Without a team or league explanation, an absence does not establish its cause or predict a long-term decision.
- Travel and team context. International preseason schedules can shift reporting and camp dates. Individual team storylines also change season to season, so assess them against current announcements rather than assuming one team’s situation represents the league.
How to compare players in a camp battle
Compare the same factors for each player rather than relying on one preseason highlight or box score:
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- Contract and guarantee status: verify team announcements or reliable contract reporting; the league roster explainers do not provide player-by-player guarantee details.
- Role fit and experience: consider the needs of the team and how each player’s skills fit the role being tested.
- Availability: use the team’s explanation, if one is provided, rather than inferring a reason for absence.
- Preseason opportunity: put minutes and performance in context, including who shared the floor and what role the player was asked to perform.
- Possible alternatives: distinguish a standard contract, a Two-Way deal, a G League affiliate opportunity, and a release; they are different outcomes, not interchangeable labels.
What the roster rules mean for following the season
Training camp is where preparation and roster evaluation meet, but not every camp player is competing for the same kind of spot. Standard-contract limits, separate Two-Way slots, and possible G League affiliate assignments explain why a waiver does not always end a player’s connection to an organization. For the 2026–27 calendar, use the NBA’s published dates and team announcements for current decisions; the detailed contract figures here come from the cited 2024–25 CBA summary and G League explanations and may be updated by later rules.
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