What does waive mean in the NBA? Taking a closer look

The business side of the NBA can be brutal at times for players. They could be on their rise to solidifying their spot into a team's rotation but instead, suddenly find themselves cut or waived. The two terms often create confusion, but waiving is notably different from being cut.

A player gets waived when he is released before his contract ends. He enters a waiver wire for 48 hours. Other teams can acquire him via trade in this period. The player in question becomes an unrestricted free agent if a transaction doesn't go down between his current team and a potential suitor.

If there are multiple suitors, the waived player will go to the team with the worse win percentage. Furthermore, a suitor that wishes to acquire him must have cap space or an exception to land him. It is important to note that players can get waived for multiple reasons.

He could be on a long-term contract, isn't a good fit, or has underperformed during his tenure. It could also be due to a logjam in his position. Orlando Magic's Bol Bol was the latest player to face that fate.

The Magic don't have enough space to accommodate him in their stacked frontcourt, so they opened a roster spot to add depth in other positions instead.

Bol Bol secured decent playing time last season across 70 games. He averaged 21.5 minutes, 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, shooting 54.6%. He also started 33 times, but the Magic were shorthanded and needed his services back then.

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Roster limitations lead to tough choices for teams to waive NBA players

It's never easy to let go of a talented player with tremendous upside or a veteran who could be a solid mentor. However, roster spots are limited, 15 per team, in the NBA, and every side wants dependable and deep rotation. Generally, teams don't go beyond a 12-man rotation on most occasions during the regular season.

However, if it's an injury-prone team, they would rather have a team 15-deep and a roster that's well-balanced. Logjams in certain positions can hinder the growth and development of certain players, and neither party benefits from that scenario.

Most playoff teams enter the season with a 14-man roster, keeping one spot open in the hopes of landing a solid piece in the buyout market or via trade during the season. Injuries and team performances often alter the plans of NBA front offices once the campaign begins, so it's an ideal option.