This ensures that the team does not gain the right of first refusal without offering a contract themselves.
The qualifying offer is a standing offer for a one-year guaranteed deal, which becomes a regular contact if the player decides to sign it.
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That original team must have room for both the regular salary and any unlikely bonuses the offer sheet includes.įor a player to become a restricted free agent, his team must submit a qualifying offer to the player between the day after the last game of The Finals. The original team cannot match an offer greater than its salary cap room. The team making the offer must have enough salary cap room for the offer sheet and must maintain that room until the offer sheet becomes official or the original team exercises the right of first refusal. He cannot sign with or be acquired by the offer sheet team for one year. At that point, the notice and the offer sheet are invalidated and the player becomes a restricted free agent again. The original team also can withdraw its first refusal exercise notice if the player doesn’t report for a physical. If the player for some reason refuses to report for a physical with the original team within two days of the match, the first refusal exercise notice is in play until the player reports. If the team passes on matching within two days, the player is under contract with the new team. If the team matches, then the player is under contract with his original team, but at the principal terms of the offer sheet. The terms of that deal - which must be for at least two seasons - are given to the player’s original team, which has two days to match. When a restricted free agent wants to sign with another team, he and the new team sign an offer sheet.