As the dust settles from the NBA trade deadline, a few teams are still navigating the league’s roster rules - and the clock is ticking. Per league regulations, teams must carry at least 14 players on standard contracts for the majority of the regular season.
While there’s a little wiggle room - teams can dip below that number for up to 14 days at a time and 28 days total - that grace period doesn’t last forever. Now, with several squads having trimmed their rosters during deadline deals, it's time to make some additions.
Let’s break down where things stand for the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Celtics as they look to get back to the league-mandated minimum.
Minnesota Timberwolves: A Familiar Face Likely Returning
The Timberwolves dropped to 13 standard-contract players on February 3, just ahead of the trade deadline, when they sent veteran guard Mike Conley to Chicago in a three-team deal involving the Pistons. That move triggered the 14-day countdown, meaning Minnesota needs to bring in a 14th player by today.
And it looks like that 14th man will be... Mike Conley again.
Here’s how it played out: After being rerouted to Charlotte, Conley was waived by the Hornets, making him a free agent. Because Conley never suited up for the Bulls or Hornets, and because he cleared waivers, NBA rules allow him to return to Minnesota - and that’s been the plan all along. Word of his expected return broke back on February 6.
From a cap management standpoint, the Wolves played this smart. Operating above the luxury tax line, they used their two-week window below 14 players to delay Conley’s re-signing until after the All-Star break, giving the veteran a bit of a breather while also managing their tax bill. Barring any last-minute surprises, expect Conley to officially rejoin the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets: Spencer Jones Waiting in the Wings
Denver also finds itself one man short after trading Hunter Tyson to Brooklyn on deadline day, February 5, a move designed to sneak under the luxury tax line. That leaves the Nuggets with until Thursday (February 19) to get back to 14 players - and all signs point to Spencer Jones as the next man up.
Jones, a second-year forward on a two-way contract, already hit the 50-game active limit before the All-Star break. Unfortunately, he suffered a concussion in that 50th game, which temporarily delayed his promotion to a standard deal.
Assuming he’s cleared medically, the Nuggets are expected to convert Jones’ contract soon. He’s been a consistent part of the rotation, starting 34 games and averaging over 23 minutes a night - numbers that speak to his value on a contending team.
If he’s still not ready to go, Denver could bring in a veteran on a short-term 10-day contract just to meet the roster requirement, but Jones’ elevation feels inevitable. Once healthy, the Nuggets need him eligible to play.
Boston Celtics: Two Spots to Fill, Tax Bill to Consider
Boston finds itself in a slightly more complicated spot. The Celtics were at 14 players before the deadline, but a flurry of trades changed that.
They sent out four players - Anfernee Simons, Xavier Tillman Sr., Chris Boucher, and Josh Minott - while only bringing back one in Nikola Vucevic. They did promote Amari Williams from a two-way deal to a standard contract on February 5, but that still leaves them at just 12 players on standard deals.
That means Boston needs to add two players by Thursday to stay compliant - and they’ll have to do it while keeping a close eye on the luxury tax line.
The likely solution? Internal promotions.
Two-way players Max Shulga and John Tonje are both in the mix. If either is converted to a standard contract, they’d count at the rookie minimum level for tax purposes - an important detail when you’re operating near the tax threshold.
A rookie free agent, by contrast, would count at a higher rate due to the league’s “tax variance” rule.
That doesn’t necessarily mean both Shulga and Tonje will be converted this week. One path Boston could take is signing Tonje to a 10-day deal and pairing that with a 10-day contract for a veteran free agent. That would temporarily solve the numbers game, and once those deals expire, the Celtics could dip back to 12 players for another two-week stretch if needed.
What’s Next
For Minnesota, Denver, and Boston, these aren’t just procedural moves - they’re strategic decisions with real implications for roster depth, cap flexibility, and playoff readiness. Whether it’s reuniting with a trusted veteran like Conley, rewarding a young contributor like Jones, or navigating the tax line with internal promotions, each of these teams has a plan. Now it’s just about executing it before the clock runs out.