NBA Free Agency 2020: Start Date, Schedule and Details
The shortest NBA offseason in league history is moving at warp speed.
Free-agency negotiations can begin Friday at 6 p.m. ET, just two days after the draft concluded.
Teams can officially sign players beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET, and the 2020-21 regular season will begin exactly one month later.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Association to make mass calendar changes: The 2019-20 regular season was suspended for nearly five months before the campaign finished in mid-October.
That's around the time the 2020-21 season would have started, but that isn't plausible given the late end to last year.
A condensed NBA offseason has now hit its midway point, and free agency will take fans one step closer to the starting gate for next year.
The NBA salary cap has been set at $109.140 million and the luxury-tax threshold is at $132.627 million, per Mark Medina of USA Today. Previous estimates (pre-pandemic) had the cap at $115 million and the luxury tax threshold at $139 million, per Jeff Zillgitt of the same publication. The hits are due to a $1.5 billion loss in revenue for the 2019-20 season.
Medina also provided this note on money as it relates to salaries: "The NBA added in a statement that both the salary cap and tax level will increase in subsequent seasons by at least three percent and at most 10 percent from the previous seasons. It added that teams’ tax payments will be reduced in proportion to any decrease in basketball-related income (BRI)."
Players won't see their salaries reduced by more than 20 percent in a given season, per Medina.
Teams may be reticent to open up their wallets in 2020 given (a) the tighter financial restrictions and (b) the potential of a star-studded 2021 free-agency class, but some big names are still available this year.
As for that class, here's a look at some of the best unrestricted free agents below. Players who still need to decline player options before becoming free agents are not included.
Toronto Raptors G Fred VanVleet
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet played an instrumental role in his team's run to the 2018-19 NBA Championship and broke out the following year with 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Now, the 26-year-old is looking to cash in following an excellent season. He's the best free-agent guard available, and teams should open their pocketbooks to welcome him.
Los Angeles Clippers F/C Montrezl Harrell
The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year's best on-court traits are his boundless energy and remarkable efficiency. He's a serious problem for second units as he runs up and down the floor and hustles on both ends, and he made 61.4 percent of his field goals.
The 26-year-old would be a great addition for any team and should cash in this offseason.
Oklahoma City Thunder F Danilo Gallinari
The sweet-shooting 32-year-old knocked down 40.5 percent of his three-pointers en route to averaging 18.7 points per game for the surprising Oklahoma City Thunder, who made the playoffs despite dealing 2016-17 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook and perennial All-Star Paul George in the offseason.
Gallinari's three-point stroke makes him an excellent fit for any team looking for help at forward.
Toronto Raptors C Serge Ibaka
The 31-year-old has been a winner for nearly his entire career, either with the perennial playoff-making Thunder or the 2018-19 NBA champion Raptors.
The big man split time between the starting lineup and bench last year but still played efficiently with 15.4 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting. The 7-footer also hit 38.5 percent of his threes.
Portland Trail Blazers C Hassan Whiteside
Portland Trail Blazers big man Hassan Whiteside lost his starting job to Jusuf Nurkic when the latter returned from a broken leg, but he's still a productive player who averaged 15.5 points per game on 62.1 percent shooting, 13.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
The 31-year-old isn't about to stretch the floor offensively, but he can get the job done down low.
