The magic number, on the eve of the regular season is 439.
As in: There are 439 players on NBA rosters heading into Opening Night after Monday's final wave of cuts.
The NBA will thus be operating only 11 players short of full capacity when the Orlando Magic visit the Indiana Pacers in the first of three games Tuesday night to tip everything off.
Only nine of the league's 30 teams, in fact, have elected not to carry the maximum 15 contracts ... in many cases for luxury-tax reasons. They are:
Boston Celtics (14)
Chicago Bulls (13)
Indiana Pacers (14)
Los Angeles Clippers (14)
Memphis Grizzlies (13)
