Ok, so what does this now mean.
The Celtics signed roster is at 14, and Rondo goes on the "inactive list" since the NBA doesn't have an Injured Reserve list .
A team may have a maximum of 13 players on its active roster. At least eight players must suit up for every game. Any remaining players are placed in the Inactive List, and cannot play in games.[2][3] Teams may have a maximum of two players on the Inactive List; this can drop to zero for up to two weeks at a time, and additional, temporary inactive positions may be added with league approval in hardship cases. The Inactive List can change up to 60 minutes before opening tip by informing the official scorer of the game. A player can be inactive for as little as one game.[3] Players sent to the NBA Development League will continue to count on a team’s inactive list.[4][5] While individual teams must carry a minimum of 13 (12 active plus one inactive) players, the NBA guarantees a league-wide average of at least 14 players per team. The league is surcharged if they do not meet the average.[3]
Prior to the 2005 CBA, injured players could be placed on an injured list but were forced to sit out a minimum of five games.[4]
The NBA rules on injured players seem pretty tough to me. Did Derrick Rose take up a spot on the Bulls roster all year even though he was out (I assume he did, partially because they kept chumming the waters with rumors of his return before the end of the season).
There doesn't appear to be any roster relief for an injured player unless he's dead (a big middle finger to David Stern again for his screwing the Celtics on the Reggie Lewis situation) or it's a career ending injury.
10 day contracts don't start until January (i believe) so a team with an injured player is forced to keep that spot open until said player returns.
This whole thing seems unnecessarily difficult, is the NBA THAT concerned with a teams skirting the rules to keep X more players under their control?