Rewriting the NBA landscape: The ripple effect of restricted Free Agency
By Joey Johnson
Imagine a scenario in which Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had the opportunity to experience NBA free agency like the rest of the players on the market
Free agency in the NBA is a volatile market. Imagine a scenario in which Kentavious Caldwell-Pope became an unrestricted free agent before the offseason like the rest of the players on the market.
Many of these players quickly found a new home for at least market value.
KCP was renounced by the Pistons recently after much of the free agency money had dried up. He has since signed a one-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Looking back on how it all happened, we begin with the Gordon Hayward free agency saga. After reportedly considering Utah and Miami, Hayward committed to a future with the Boston Celtics.
Free-agent Gordon Hayward plans to sign with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 4, 2017
Due to Boston’s cap restraints, their front office had to make a corresponding move to clear room for Hayward. The Celtics ended up sending two-way swingman Avery Bradley to Detroit in exchange for Marcus Morris.
Detroit, with a sudden replacement at the wing and very limited resources under the salary cap, was forced to rescind their qualifying offer to KCP.
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Considering the upside, youth, and market value for a two-way 24-year-old player; KCP signed an incredibly team-friendly “prove it” deal with the Lakers, who capitalized on a dried up market in which few teams could afford to free up significant money for a young and talented bonafide wing prospect.
This deal is a result of the archaic system of restricted free agency. It is an archetype of team control over a young player that possesses undeniable upside but not enough credibility to earn a contract extension before entering the open market. The team that possesses RFA (restricted free agency) rights to the named player owns the right to match any offer sheet signed by said player in the free agent market.
This construct is often seen as a deterrent to the pursuit of RFA’s by teams with limited cap space given the extended hold put in place on the teams that agree to offer sheets with these players
Detroit, who entered the offseason with KCP as an RFA, decided four days into free agency that they had found another option for their future at the shooting guard position. On July 7th, the Pistons renounced their RFA rights to KCP.
KCP hits unrestricted free agency right as the Knicks and Nets have their cap room tied up in huge offer sheets for wings.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 7, 2017
This, after many organizations already committed big money to high priced free agents, threw the team building operations of many front offices out of wack.
Much of the valuable cap space possessed by relevant teams was spent in the first 48 hours of free agency. Flexibility, on July 7th, was very limited.
Who could afford to sign the young talent unexpectedly pushed aside by Detroit? Would he value money per year or duration of contract?
These questions remain unanswered as his free agency never really had a chance. Signing his one-year contract with the Lakers after most of the available money had evaporated seemed like an inevitability.
This begs the question…what would have happened if KCP became a free agent at the same time as the rest of the available pool of talent? What impact would this have played on other free agents?