if a trade was to happen lets say 2 hours + before a game could the traded player play for that new team that night? the bulls play the knicks again tonight just wondering if a deal is completed by 3pm EST today if mcgrady could suit up for either team for the 7pm tip off. or is there a one day mandatory wait? I know most teams like to wait to give the newly acquired player at least a practice to get situated but i think both teams in this case would want a player like mcgrady out there asap. esp if its new york they dont have any plays at all anyway
teams have waived physicals before if walsh saw mcgrady workout in chicago he may do the same to get something on the floor. eer actually now that i think about it if mcgrady is moved to new york they are better served not letting him play tonight (if the deal happens to ny today) their next game would be sat at MSG vs the thunder it would give them a good 2 days to sell tickets for the debut of mcgrady
I'm assuming it cannot be the same day (e.g., Camby didn't play for the Blazers even though he was in the city and behind the bench that night; same with Blake for the Clippers), but I think they can waive physicals and whatnot so could play the next night. I'm not sure of the exact rules, though. The league has to approve the trade, you have to get them on your active roster, remove some people from it if necessary, make a jersey (though I've seen nameless jerseys... I think Rafer had one in Orlando his first game), etc, etc. There seems to be a good deal of book-keeping, at the very least, so they probably wouldn't be able to suit up 2 hours later.
Yeah I've never heard of any player on the court the same night they were traded. I remember last year Lowry played that next night for Houston so I'm going with shortest time is the next day.
