Why NBA free agency negotiations can get started earlier this year thanks to new CBA wrinkle

18/06/2024

The NBA Finals are still going on, but for the other 28 teams in the league, their eyes are on free agency and the draft. And while teams can't officially begin to negotiate deals with free agents until June 30, and players can't sign deals until July 6, there is one major change to this summer's free agency that will give fans whiplash after the Finals end.

According to the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA):

"A player who (1) will (or could as a result of the non-exercise of an Option or the exercise of an ETO) become an Unrestricted Free Agent or a Restricted Free Agent on the immediately following July 1, and (2) finished the Season on a Team's roster, is free at any time beginning on the day following the last day of such Season to negotiate a Player Contract with such Team"

Basically, any player set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is free to negotiate a contract with the team they ended the season with on the day after the NBA Finals ends. No deal can become official or signed until the typical moratorium period ends on July 6th, but for someone like Pascal Siakam, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, he can begin negotiations on a new contract with the Indiana Pacers the day after the Finals ends.

So let's say the Celtics take care of business Monday night and close out the Mavericks for the franchise's 18th title. After that, Siakam and the Pacers can begin contract negotiations on Tuesday, and could even come to a verbal agreement on a deal. However, that deal cannot become official until July 6th.

If Siakam were to entertain offers from other teams that aren't the Pacers, he would have to wait until June 30th, at 6 p.m. ET, which is when free agency begins, to negotiate those deals. And again, any deal won't become official until July 6th.

This rule also applies to players who are eligible for contract extensions, like Donovan Mitchell.

"A Team and player may negotiate the terms and conditions of an amendment to a Player Contract (including an Extension or Renegotiation) only during the period of time in which the Team and player are permitted to enter into such amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Team and player would be permitted to enter into an amendment to a Player Contract as of the last day of the Moratorium Period immediately following a Season, then the Team and player may negotiate the terms and conditions of such amendment beginning on the day following the last day of such Season."

Mitchell will enter the fourth year next season of a five-year, $163 million contract he signed with the Utah Jazz in 2020 before being traded to the Cavaliers in 2022. And because his contract is entering it's fourth year, he is eligible to sign an extension with the Cavaliers. So, if he and the Cavs wanted to negotiate an extension, they could begin those conversations and come to a verbal agreement the day after the NBA Finals ends.

It's unclear if Mitchell would sign an extension with the Cavaliers, as he's been the subject of trade rumors for well over a year, but Cleveland will certainly try and approach him to talk about getting an extension done whenever the Finals ends.

This is a new rule as part of the league's CBA that was put in place in July 2023, and it will have a huge impact on how free agency works this offseason. As soon as the Celtics or Mavericks hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy, we could see names fly off the free agency list as their current teams have likely already been working in the background to verbally agree to deals.

Players like Paul George, who can become an unrestricted free agent by declining his player option, could negotiate a deal with the Clippers, and, in theory, that could be reported the day after the Finals ends. The same goes for LeBron James and the Lakers, Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers and Klay Thompson and the Warriors. But for any free agent that may be looking outside of their current team, those negotiations will have to wait until June 30th.

It will be a quick turnaround from the Finals to free agency with this new rule, and teams are likely already lining up deals waiting to be announced when the moratorium lifts.

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