What is restricted free agency?
There are two types of free agency: unrestricted and restricted. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any other team, and there’s nothing the player’s original team can do to prevent it. Restricted free agency gives the player’s original team the right to keep the player by matching an offer sheet the player signs with another team. This is called the “right of first refusal.” Restricted free agency exists only on a limited basis. It is allowed following the fourth year of rookie “scale” contracts for first round draft picks (see question number 41). It is also allowed for all veteran free agents who have been in the league three or fewer seasons. However, a first round draft pick becomes an unrestricted free agent following his second or third season if his team does not exercise its option to extend the player’s rookie scale contract for the next season. All other free agency is limited to unrestricted free agency. In order to make their free agent a restricted free agent,
There are two types of free agency: unrestricted and restricted. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any other team, and there’s nothing the player’s original team can do to prevent it. Restricted free agency gives the player’s original team the right to keep the player by matching an offer sheet the player signs with another team. This is called the “right of first refusal.” Restricted free agency exists only on a limited basis. It is allowed following the fourth year of rookie “scale” contracts for first-round draft picks (see question number 41). It is also allowed for all veteran free agents who have been in the league three or fewer seasons. However, a first round draft pick becomes an unrestricted free agent following his second or third season if his team does not exercise its option to extend the player’s rookie scale contract for the next season. All other free agency is limited to unrestricted free agency. In order to make their free agent a restricted free agent,
There are two types of free agency: restricted and unrestricted. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any other team, and there’s nothing the player’s original team can do to prevent it. Restricted free agency gives the player’s original team the right to match an offer sheet the player signs with another team and keep the player. One example is from August 2002, when Minnesota signed Ricky Davis, but Cleveland matched the contract and retained him. Restricted free agency was an option for all contracts two CBA’s ago. The previous CBA eliminated restricted free agency altogether (and reclassified all restricted free agents as unrestricted. This is how Orlando lost Shaquille O’Neal, whose contract called for restricted, not unrestricted free agency). The current CBA provides restricted free agency on a limited basis. It is allowed following the fourth year of rookie “scale” contracts for first-round draft picks (see question number 38 ). It is also allowed for all veteran fre
