TITLE: NBA Snapshot: Five Clubs Hold Single Open Roster Spot; Celtics Working With Three Vacancies
SLUG: nba-open-roster-spots-march-2026
CONTENT:
Five NBA teams are carrying one unused place on their 15-man standard rosters, leaving room for potential late-season additions.
Teams With One Vacancy
Brooklyn Nets—Brooklyn’s opening appears after rookie forward Grant Nelson’s 10-day deal expired Sunday night. The club is still below the salary cap, so another signing can be completed at any time.
Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets—Both franchises are in luxury-tax territory. Each sits well below its hard cap, yet adding a 15th man would further inflate tax payments, making a move unlikely unless a clear need emerges.
Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors—Each team is operating less than $1 million from the tax line. Both can still sign a veteran to a rest-of-season minimum contract without crossing into taxpayer status.
Temporary Contracts To Watch
Sacramento Kings—The club’s 15th seat is occupied by guard Killian Hayes, whose second 10-day contract ends Saturday night. A new agreement or a different signing will be required after that date to keep the roster full.
Utah Jazz—Center Mo Bamba and forward Andersson Garcia are on 10-day pacts that last through next week, leaving decisions pending on both players.
Boston’s Unique Approach
The Boston Celtics are not listed among the one-spot teams because they currently have three open roster positions. Boston is managing an “intricately timed” plan to meet minimum roster requirements while staying under the luxury-tax threshold. The club intends to carry just 12 players for the maximum 14 days, then elevate two-way guard Max Shulga in mid-March. If the timeline holds, a 15th player could be signed on the final day of the regular season without triggering tax penalties.
All of the above situations remain fluid as the regular season heads into its final weeks, with financial flexibility and tax implications heavily influencing front-office decisions.
Source: Hoops Rumors
