After three days of gradual releases, the entire 2026-27 NBA regular season schedule was released on Thursday. That offers another resource for fantasy managers to consider when crafting their draft strategies for the fall. Below are a few takeaways from the schedule, beginning with the reigning Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs.
Kurt HelinThe Spurs are tied for most rest days with 94.
Of course, it isn't just about how many rest days a team gets, but also about where they land on the calendar. The Spurs, who improved their depth this offseason with the signing of Tobias Harris and selection of Tarris Reed Jr. (Jayden Quaintance is coming off another knee surgery), will have 94 rest days during the 2026-27 regular season. That should help keep Victor Wembanyama relatively fresh after he needed a waiver to be eligible for postseason awards in 2025-26.
The 7-foot-4 phenom played in 64 regular-season games for the Spurs, finishing third in MVP voting and winning Defensive Player of the Year. Wembanyama is in the conversation to go first overall in fantasy drafts, along with Denver's Nikola Jokić, and those rest days may lead some to go with the younger talent when crafting their rosters. However, it's important to note that San Antonio will play two back-to-backs in its first five games of the season. Given the timing, that should not be a significant issue, but you never know.
The Knicks are tied for the fewest road back-to-back games with five.
Having to play the second game of a back-to-back on the road is never great, but it's a reality for all teams. New York will only have to do this five times, which should be good news for their key fantasy options. Head coach Mike Brown took the necessary steps to reduce the workload of his key players last season, and that approach contributed to the Knicks winning their first title in 53 years.
All five Knicks starters appeared in at least 66 regular-season games, and three (Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges) appeared in 74 or more. Those road back-to-backs may be most impactful for streaming options, whether it's a guard like Miles McBride or Jose Alvarado or second-year wing Mohamed Diawara. But it should not change anything regarding the Knicks who qualify as must-draft players.
The 76ers have the fewest number of three games in four nights
Given the addition of LeBron James and Joel Embiid's injury history, this is good fortune for the 76ers and fantasy managers who wind up rostering their key players. While he has played 23 NBA regular seasons, James appeared in 60 or fewer games in five of his eight seasons with the Lakers. He played in 60 games last season, which made him ineligible for postseason awards. The good news for fantasy managers was that he missed just four games in March and April, the playoff time for most fantasy leagues.
Embiid's situation is more suspect, as he's appeared in 39, 19 and 38 games his last three seasons. He appeared in a total of five games in March and April last season, including Philadelphia's final three games of March. Having the fewest sets of three games in four nights could bode well for Embiid, and the 76ers need it to be, given the options currently behind him on the depth chart (Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti).
Denver won’t have its first back-to-back until November 29-30
The Nuggets were done a favor on two fronts regarding back-to-backs. First, they'll only have to navigate 12, which is tied for the fewest in the NBA. Also, the Nuggets won't play their first back-to-back until November 29-30. Jamal Murray (75 games) and Nikola Jokić (65) played enough to qualify for postseason honors in 2025-26, but there are other Nuggets who may benefit from the 2026-27 schedule.
Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson (who remains a restricted free agent) all played 54 games or fewer last season, negatively affecting the season-long fantasy values of each. If a lighter back-to-back workload can benefit them, that would be good news for fantasy managers.
The Lakers are one of three teams with three sets of five games in seven nights.
Those congested schedules in which teams are required to play four games in five nights or five in seven can be very demanding, and not just on the players. For some, that may require finding a capable streamer to cover for a player sitting out due to injury management. The Lakers are one of three teams that will have to play five games in seven days on three separate occasions this season.
Luka Dončić (64 games in 2025-26) and Austin Reaves (51) are coming off a season in which they missed extended periods due to injury, and offseason acquisition Walker Kessler only played five games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. While there may not be much margin for error in the middle of the Western Conference, there may be times when a Lakers star gets a night off, opening the door for someone else to step up as a potential streamer.
The Pelicans have two back-to-backs in their first five games.
The Spurs aren't the only team that will have to play two back-to-backs in its first five games. New Orleans is also on that list, and there may be greater concern for them given their injury history. Zion Williamson appeared in 62 games last season, a step in the right direction, but there will always be concerns about his availability. Trey Murphy and Herb Jones have dealt with injuries in the past, but the former did appear in 66 games in 2025-26. And Dejounte Murray did not return from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in January 2025 until after the All-Star break, appearing in 14 games before being shut down in early April.
In addition to those two back-to-backs to begin the season, New Orleans will play nine before the calendar flips to 2027. Figuring out the direction the Pelicans are headed can be tricky, especially with the need to further incorporate Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Beyond the back-to-backs, this may be a team to keep an eye on at the trade deadline, given its mix of veterans and young players.