There were a record amount of Disabled Player Exceptions (DPE) awarded this NBA season. Teams can petition for a DPE when a player suffers a season-ending injury. That petition is then put before the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel or a NBA-designated physician. If those bodies determine that the player is substantially more likely than not to be out through June 15 of that season, a DPE is granted.
The amount of the DPE is for one-half of the disabled player’s salary, with a cap at the equivalent of the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception. For the 2019-20 season that amount is $9,258,000.
Once a team is awarded a DPE they can use it to acquire one player in any of the following three ways:
- To sign a player to a salary up to the amount of the DPE
- To trade for a player whose salary fits within the amount of the DPE
- To claim a player off waivers whose salary fits within the amount of the DPE
The key with the DPE is that whether a team is signing, trading for or claiming a player, that player’s contract can only run throughout the rest of the current season.
Each season all unused DPEs expire on March 10. The following DPEs remain available for teams:
| Team | Player | Amount |
| Brooklyn Nets | David Nwaba | $839,427 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Dylan Windler | $1,017,900 |
| Detroit Pistons | Blake Griffin | $9,258,000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | Darius Miller | $3,625,000 |
| Orlando Magic | Al-Farouq Aminu | $4,629,000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Rodney Hood | $2,859,000 |
