The day before the start of the regular season is when teams must trim their rosters down to 15 players.
More importantly, however, is that Oct. 23 is the last day many players can sign a contract extension. Specifically, it's the deadline for players on the final year of a first-round rookie scale contract as well as extension-eligible veterans with two years left on their deal.
To date, seven first-round picks from the 2020 draft have signed rookie extensions: Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, Desmond Bane, Isaiah Stewart, Devin Vassell and Payton Pritchard. An additional 20 players are still eligible to extend. In the past two offseasons, 22 players have signed rookie extensions, including 12 in the month of October.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, a player is allowed to sign a rookie extension for five seasons even if it is not for the maximum salary allowed. Vassell and Bane both signed five-year extensions that would not have been allowed under the prior CBA.
Here are the key players on rookie deals -- along with a handful of veterans also facing an Oct. 23 extension deadline -- and why their deals will or will not get done.
Breaking down the major rookie extension candidates
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
In a perfect world, Maxey should have been extended once the clock struck midnight on July 1.
The 76ers guard averaged a career high 20.3 points last season and became the second-youngest player to average 20 points in a season in 76ers history, trailing only Allen Iverson.
Additionally Maxey, shot 43.4% on 3-pointers, the fifth-best among qualified players and best among players to average at least 20 points.
However, as Ramona Shelburne reported in late June, the 76ers are not planning to extend Maxey to preserve cap flexibility next offseason.