The 2021-22 season will officially end when the clock clicks from June 30 to July 1. At that moment, players (whose contracts have expired) will become free agents.
Many will be unrestricted and able to sign with any NBA franchise willing to offer a contract. Some will be restricted free agents, giving the original team the right of first refusal before that player can move on.
The first-round picks of the 2018 draft class who are completing their rookie-scale contracts (without extensions) will be subject to restricted free agency. It’s up to their existing team to give a qualifying offer (QO) by June 29; otherwise, the player will go unrestricted.
Additionally, players who have fewer than four years of service in the league, and all two-ways assigned to the NBA roster for at least 15 days, will be restricted if given a QO.
The free agent can accept the QO as a one-year contract for the 2022-23 season. The player can re-sign with their original franchise to whatever terms both sides find mutually appealing. But if the player wants to leave, he can sign another team’s offer sheet. The initial squad has 48 hours to match, although the clock doesn’t start until after the July 1-5 moratorium.
The following is the list of rookie-scale players, their QOs if issued, and their cap holds as free agents. For instance, The Detroit Pistons would need to give Marvin Bagley III a QO of $7.2 million. Even unrestricted (unsigned), Bagley would take up $28.3 million of Detroits’ cap space.
| Player | Team | QO | Cap Hold | Result |
| Deandre Ayton | PHO | $16,422,835 | $30,500,000 | Issued; Offer Sheet; Matched |
| Marvin Bagley III | DET | $7,228,448 | $28,280,285 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Mo Bamba | ORL | $10,097,703 | $22,706,329 | Not Issued; Re-signed |
| Miles Bridges | CHA | $7,921,301 | $16,264,479 | Issued |
| Troy Brown Jr. | CHI | $7,228,449 | $15,511,692 | Not Issued; Departed |
| Donte DiVincenzo | SAC | $6,602,272 | $14,027,490 | Not Issued; Departed |
| Aaron Holiday | PHO | $5,791,702 | $11,941,653 | Not Issued; Departed |
| Kevin Knox | ATL | $7,228,448 | $17,637,934 | Not Issued |
| Josh Okogie | MIN | $5,857,966 | $12,263,712 | Not Issued; Departed |
| Collin Sexton | CLE | $7,228,448 | $19,049,013 | Issued |
| Anfernee Simons | POR | $5,758,552 | $11,816,454 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Lonnie Walker IV | SAS | $6,311,564 | $13,343,688 | Issued; Withdrew |
Next is a list of potential restricted free agents who are not rookie-scale and have fewer than four years of service. Cap holds equal to the players’ QOs are omitted from the cap hold column. If the player accepts their QO, the salary is guaranteed for one season. Those who earned “starter criteria” have a cap hold of $4,869,013.
| Player | Team | QO | Cap Hold | Result |
| Bol Bol | ORL | $2,704,440 | $4,106,189 | Not Issued; Re-signed |
| Moses Brown | CLE | $2,102,133 | Not Issued; Departed | |
| Facundo Campazzo | DEN | $4,000,000 | $4,160,000 | Not Issued |
| Vlatko Cancar | DEN | $2,228,276 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Nicolas Claxton | BRK | $2,228,276 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Amir Coffey | LAC | $2,102,133 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Luguentz Dort | OKC | $4,869,013 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| CJ Elleby | POR | $2,036,090 | Not Issued | |
| Kessler Edwards | BRK | $1,837,966 | Issued, Withdrew; Re-signed | |
| Bruno Fernando | HOU | $2,228,276 | Not Issued | |
| Trent Forrest | UTA | $2,036,090 | Not Issued | |
| Anthony Gill | WAS | $2,036,090 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Sam Hauser | BOS | $1,837,966 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Elijah Hughes | POR | $2,036,090 | Not Issued | |
| Caleb Martin | MIA | $2,228,276 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Cody Martin | CHA | $2,228,276 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Skylar Mays | ATL | $2,036,090 | Not Issued | |
| Jordan Nwora | MIL | $2,036,090 | Issued | |
| Eric Paschall | UTA | $2,228,276 | Not Issued | |
| Jae’Sean Tate | HOU | $4,869,013 | Issued; Re-signed | |
| Matt Thomas | CHI | $2,102,133 | Not Issued | |
| Ishmail Wainright | PHO | $1,837,966 | Not Issued | |
| Joe Wieskamp | PHO | $1,837,966 | Issued |
For most eligible two-way players, the QO is a one-year, two-way contract ($86,946 for 2022-23) with $50,000 guaranteed. The cap hold is the one-year minimum (regardless of years of service).
The QO for two-ways who have played with the same team for at least two seasons (or are no longer eligible to play in the G League because they’ve reached four years of service) is the player’s appropriate minimum salary. For instance, Gary Clark (four years of service) will have a $1.97 million qualifying offer. Only the two-way salary amount ($86,946) is guaranteed. If a QO is not issued, the cap hold is the one-year minimum of $1,637,966.
| Player | Team | QO | Cap Hold | Result |
| Keljin Blevins | POR | $1,836,090 | $1,836,090 | Not Issued |
| Ignas Brazdeikis | ORL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Justin Champagnie | TOR | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Chris Chiozza | GST | $1,968,175 | $1,968,175 | Not Issued |
| Gary Clark | NOP | $1,968,175 | $1,941,833 | Not Issued |
| Tyler Cook | CHI | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Sharife Cooper | ATL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Accepted; Waived |
| David Duke Jr | BRK | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued |
| Melvin Frazier Jr | OKC | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Brandon Goodwin | CLE | $1,968,175 | $1,941,833 | Not Issued |
| Jared Harper | NOP | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Malcolm Hill | CHI | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued |
| Marcus Howard | DEN | $1,836,090 | $1,836,090 | Not Issued |
| David Johnson | TOR | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued |
| Mason Jones | LAL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Nathan Knight | MIN | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Arnoldas Kulboka | CHA | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Anthony Lamb | HOU | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Scottie Lewis | CHA | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Gabriel Lundberg | PHO | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Xavier Moon | LAC | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued; Re-signed |
| RJ Nembhard Jr | CLE | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Jamorko Pickett | DET | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Theo Pinson | DAL | $1,968,175 | $1,968,175 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Yves Pons | MEM | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Myles Powell | PHI | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Trevelin Queen | HOU | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued; Departed |
| Neemias Queta | SAC | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Davon Reed | DEN | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Matt Ryan | BOS | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Admiral Schofield | ORL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Jayden Scrubb | LAC | $1,836,090 | $1,836,090 | Not Issued; Re-signed |
| DJ Stewart Jr | SAS | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Brodric Thomas | BOS | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued |
| Quinndary Weatherspoon | GST | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued; Re-signed |
| Lindell Wigginton | MIL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Cassius Winston | WAS | $1,836,090 | $1,836,090 | Not Issued |
| Robert Woodard II | SAS | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| McKinley Wright IV | MIN | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
| Moses Wright | DAL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
Finally, a few legacy players who were not in the NBA last season are eligible for restricted free agency. Nando De Colo hasn’t played in the league since the 2013-14 season, but the Toronto Raptors annually issue him a QO.
| Player | Team | QO | Cap Hold | Result |
| Deonte Burton | OKC | $2,036,090 | Not Issued | |
| Nando De Colo | TOR | $2,036,090 | Issued | |
| Mike James | BRK | $2,123,973 | Not Issued | |
| Nico Mannion | GST | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Issued |
| Nicolo Melli | DAL | $4,871,795 | $5,006,667 | Not Issued |
| Jordan Mickey | MIA | $2,295,113 | Not Issued | |
| Sindarius Thornwell | ORL | $86,946 | $1,637,966 | Not Issued |
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.
(Updated 7/25/22)
Leave A Comment