Difference between restricted and unrestricted free agent

The NBA may have crowned a champion a few weeks ago, and it may have had it’s annual selection show that saw Victor Wembanyama head to the San Antonio Spurs with the top pick in the draft but the work is far from done for NBA front offices around the league.

Market bell about to ring

On Friday afternoon the free agent market will open, and teams will be licking their lips to bring in some of the biggest names in the league. There are a few things to know before 6:00 p.m. ET if you are a fan of one of the teams looking to make a splash in the free agent market.

First thing you should know, is that even though the market will be officially opened on Friday, there is a period called the Moratorium where teams and players can agree to terms, but can’t put pen to paper until a few days later. This year the Moratorium will end on the 6th of July and as of 12:01 p.m. ET contracts can be signed.

Player option

There are three types of free agents that will be entering the free agent pool in a few days. The first of which are players with player options. This means that a player had a chance to stay with his team for a previously agreed upon amount, but he is not tied to that contract.

James Harden declined his player contract which would have paid him $35.6 million for next season. Instead he is entering free agency looking for a longer deal, sources say somewhere in the range of four years. If the Sixers come up with a tempting offer, he is free to sign with Philly, or agree to terms with any other team.

Unrestricted free agent

Once a players contract runs out, then they usually become an unrestricted free agent, meaning they are completely free to roam the market looking for the best deal and the best fit. They enter the free agent pool with no attachments to their former team, although they can sign with that team if the offer is to their liking.

Most of the free agents looking for new deals are unrestricted. Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook and D’Angelo Russell are just a few who will be unattached to any team once the market opens on Friday.

Restricted free agent

A restricted free agent can enter the market freely and can sign with any other team that offers a suitable contract to the player. The only difference is that the former team has a chance to match the highest offer made to the player, which would keep that player with that team.

There aren’t a whole lot of restricted free agents hitting the market, but Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and Grant Williams are the most known RFAs. That means if Boston or LA match the highest offer they will stay put for the years to come.