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It's rare to see restricted free agents who have already made major contributions early in their careers leave their teams, but that could happen this offseason.
Suns center Deandre Ayton and Hornets forward Miles Bridges will likely generate interest from multiple teams when free agency opens. Both players are coming off productive seasons and have not yet entered their primes, making them attractive to teams with cap space.
Could Phoenix and Charlotte lose their rising stars this summer? Before the negotiations begin, here's a breakdown of how the restricted free agency process works.
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Similar to an unrestricted free agent, a restricted free agent is able to sign an offer sheet with any team. However, the player's original team is able to retain him by matching the offer sheet.
For example, Suns big man JaVale McGee is an unrestricted free agent. He can sign with any team of his choosing, and Phoenix can't prevent him from leaving. Ayton, on the other hand, is a restricted free agent, so the Suns could match any offer sheet and keep him on the roster.
If a restricted free agent decides that he wants to join another team, then he signs an offer sheet with the team. The original team is then presented with the terms of the deal and has two days to match the offer sheet.
If the original team matches the offer sheet, then the player stays with the original team under the terms of the offer sheet. The team making the offer must maintain enough salary cap space to acquire the player until the offer sheet is signed or the original team matches.
A player can become a restricted free agent under these circumstances:
Ayton and Bridges are the top free agents to watch, but there are a few other situations around the league worth monitoring.
(Listed in alphabetical order)
