Explaining the importance of Jan. 15 on the NBA calendar

Although the deadline isn't until Feb. 8, Dec. 15 marks the beginning of everything trade-related in the NBA. The question is, why are some players available now, and others aren't? This year, 81 NBA players became tradeable on Dec. 15. Despite most of the league now being trade-eligible, there are still some players who cannot be traded until Jan.15. Why is that?

Now, we know via the NBA's collective bargaining agreement or CBA that, "a free agent who signs with an NBA team can’t be traded for three months or until December 15, whichever is later." But, what about the players who have to wait until January? Aside from Jan. 15 being the last day that teams can apply for a disabled player exception or DPE to replace an injured player who is likely out for the season, it's also the day certain key players become available. There is already speculation surrounding some, such as Austin Reaves.

Who has to wait until Jan. 15?

Unlike the Dec. 15 rule, which allows most free agents acquired during the summer to be moved, the January 15 deadline only applies to those who were re-signed in the offseason, which means that only a handful are subject to it. Specifically, the only players who need to wait an extra month are players who "re-signed with their previous team and also got a raise of over 20%." Additionally, the player's salary must be worth more than the league minimum and the team must've been over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign said player.

For example, Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets becomes eligible on Jan. 15. You can check out the rest of the criteria and a list of eligible players here. In comparison to Dec. 15, fewer players become trade-eligible on Jan. 15. As of next Monday, about 17 players will become eligible. In all likelihood, the majority of those 17 players will probably stay put. After all, these are players that their respective teams invested in not so long ago. Ultimately, Jan. 15 marks a turning point as we enter the middle of the season. There's a chance for speculation to take a backseat to reality as far as what teams want/need. In any case, we're excited to see what next Monday brings.