James Harden opted into his deal while Kyle Kuzma declined his player option during the 2023 NBA offseason.
Before free agency officially tipped off at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, players and teams had to make decisions on contract options, qualifying offers and contracts that were either partially or non-guaranteed. Here’s the low down on who’s staying and who could be going.
Player options
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson opted into his deal while the Raptors’ Fred VanVleet declined his player option.
These players had an option in the final year of their contract. If they exercised it, they were in for one more year. If they declined it, they become free agents on July 1.
Exercised (under contract for one more year)
Jordan Clarkson (UTA)
Andre Drummond (CHI)
Danilo Gallinari (BOS)*
Rudy Gay (UTA)*
James Harden (PHI)
Josh Hart (NYK)
Talen Horton-Tucker (UTA)
Danuel House Jr. (PHI)
Damian Jones (UTA)
Victor Oladipo (MIA)
Otto Porter Jr. (TOR)
Kristaps Porzingis (WAS)*
Gary Trent Jr. (TOR)
* Gallinari (traded to Washington), Gay (to Atlanta in a deal that can go through on July 6) and Porzingis (to Boston) had to have exercised their options prior to being traded.
Declined (free agents)
Bruce Brown (DEN)
Jevon Carter (MIL)
Donte DiVincenzo (GSW)
Draymond Green (GSW)
Montrezl Harrell (PHI)
Derrick Jones Jr. (CHI)
Kyle Kuzma (WAS)
Khris Middleton (MIL)
Fred VanVleet (TOR)
Team options
High-flying forward Kenyon Martin Jr. had his option picked up by the Rockets.
Here, the decision lies with the team. If they exercised the team option, they keep the player for another year. If they declined it, they allowed him to become a free agent.
Exercised (under contract for one more year)
Goga Bitadze (ORL)
Alec Burks (DET)
Kessler Edwards (SAC)
Isaiah Livers (DET)
Naji Marshall (NOP)
Kenyon Martin Jr. (HOU)
Miles McBride (NYK)
Mike Muscala (BOS)*
Eugene Omoruyi (DET)
Lamar Stevens (CLE)
Xavier Tillman (MEM)
Ish Wainright (PHX)
* Muscala had to have had his option exercised to have been traded to Washington.
Declined (free agents)
Malik Beasley (LAL)
Michael Carter-Williams (ORL)
Willy Hernangomez (NOP)
Herbert Jones (NOP)*
Nathan Knight (MIN)**
Kevin Knox II (POR)
Derrick Rose (NYK)
Admiral Schofield (ORL)**
Lindy Waters III (OKC)**
* Though the Pelicans declined Jones’ team option, they issued him a qualifying offer (see below), so he’s a restricted free agent.
** Knight, Schofield and Waters were eligible for restricted free agency, but in addition to declining their team options, their teams chose not to extend them qualifying offers. So they’re unrestricted free agents.
Qualifying offers
Bulls teammates Ayo Dosunmu (left) and Coby White both received qualifying offers before free agency opened.
Some players were eligible for restricted free agency. This group includes 2019 first-round draft picks who had their third- and fourth-year options picked up and just completed their rookie contract, as well as other players who have played three or fewer seasons in the league.
Restricted free agency allows the team to match any offer the player receives from another team. But in order to have that right, the team must have issued the player a qualifying offer by Friday. If a qualifying offer wasn’t issued, that player is an unrestricted free agent instead.
The qualifying offer is binding as a one-year contract. If the player signs it, he’s under contract for next season. He could also sign an offer sheet from another team (which his team would have the ability to match), and he and his team could agree on a new, multi-year contract. The team also has the ability to rescind the qualifying offer going forward (the list below is as of June 30.)
Issued (restricted free agents)
Ayo Dosunmu (CHI)
Rui Hachimura (LAL)
Cameron Johnson (BKN)
Tre Jones (SAS)
Jock Landale (PHX)
Austin Reaves (LAL)
Paul Reed (PHI)
Matisse Thybulle (POR)
P.J. Washington (CHA)
Coby White (CHI)
Grant Williams (BOS)
Not issued (unrestricted free agents)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (MIN)
Dalano Banton (TOR)
Darius Bazley (PHX)
David Duke Jr. (BKN)
Jaxson Hayes (NOP)
Anthony Lamb (GSW)
Romeo Langford (SAS)
Sandro Mamukelashvili (SAS)
Cam Reddish (POR)
Dylan Windler (CLE)
Omer Yurtseven (MIA)
Two-way free agents
This past season was the sixth with two-way players that can go between the NBA roster and the G League. Some two-way players are still under contract for next season. Those that aren’t can be restricted free agents if they were on the NBA team’s active or inactive list for 15 or more days of the regular season, if (like non-two-way free agents) they’ve played less than three years in the league, and if they were issued qualifying offers.
Here’s a rundown of two-way free agents…
Restricted
Ibou Badji (POR)
Dominick Barlow (SAS)
Kendall Brown (IND)
John Butler Jr. (POR)
Jamal Cain (MIA)
Julian Champagnie (SAS)
JD Davison (BOS)
Darius Days (HOU)
Moussa Diabate (LAC)
Jeff Dowtin Jr. (TOR)
Keon Ellis (SAC)
Trent Forrest (ATL)
Luka Garza (MIN)
Collin Gillespie (DEN)
AJ Green (MIL)
Ron Harper Jr. (TOR)
Trevor Hudgins (HOU)
Ty Jerome (GSW)
Johnny Juzang (UTA)
Trevor Keels (NYK)
Saben Lee (PHX)
Theo Maledon (CHA)
Isaiah Mobley (CLE)
Neemias Queta (SAC)
Lester Quinones (GSW)
Jared Rhoden (DET)
Orlando Robinson (MIA)
Matt Ryan (MIN)
Terry Taylor (CHI)
Jack White (DEN)
Unrestricted
Buddy Boeheim (DET)
Jared Butler (OKC)
Mamadi Diakite (CLE)
Jay Huff (WAS)
Mfiondu Kabengele (BOS)
Louis King (PHI)
Mac McClung (PHI)
Xavier Moon (LAC)
Scotty Pippen Jr. (LAL)
Olivier Sarr (OKC)
Dru Smith (BKN)
Duane Washington Jr. (NYK)
McKinley Wright IV (DAL)
Gabe York (IND)
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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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