All articles tagged with #restricted free agent
Braden Schneider signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the New York Rangers, avoiding salary arbitration. The 24-year-old defenseman had 18 points and a career-high 20:27 of ice time across 82 games last season, led the team with 140 blocked shots, and has 87 points in 368 regular-season games (plus 6 points in 43 playoff games) since being drafted 19th overall in 2020.
The Philadelphia Flyers tendered a five-year offer sheet averaging $18 million per season to Ducks center Leo Carlsson, potentially making him the NHL’s highest-paid player. The Ducks have seven days to match; if they don’t, Philadelphia would receive four first-round picks as compensation. Carlsson, 21, had a breakout year with 67 points in 70 games, and reports indicate multiple teams submitted offers, signaling a high-stakes market for top RFAs (with Bedard looming as the next domino).
As free agency opens, the top remaining players include Jalen Duren, LeBron James, James Harden, Draymond Green, Rui Hachimura, Jonathan Kuminga, Anfernee Simons, Bennedict Mathurin, Spencer Jones, Tari Eason and Brandon Williams, with most others having already signed. Detroit appears to hold leverage over Duren as sign-and-trade momentum fades; LeBron is weighing multiple teams prioritizing happiness and contention over money. Harden and Green are expected to re-sign with Cavaliers and Warriors, respectively, while Watson, Eason, Mathurin, and Jones—restricted free agents—could drag; Kuminga has drawn Lakers interest potentially via sign-and-trade. A number of veteran names—Middleton, Westbrook, Brown, Okogie, Thybulle, Trent Jr., Ziaire Williams, Looney, Beal—remain on the board. Full tracker and team lists are linked in the article.
Restricted free agent Jalen Duren had a productive meeting with the Lakers and will meet again Wednesday as LAL pursues a max-salary center to pair with their backcourt; Detroit is expected to match any offer, complicating a sign-and-trade, while the Kings have shown interest but cap hurdles loom. Los Angeles is also considering Walker Kessler and could gain cap flexibility if LeBron leaves, but it remains unclear whether any team can outbid Detroit or pull off a favorable trade.
With free agency starting, the Detroit Pistons say they intend to re-sign Jalen Duren rather than trade him, despite sign-and-trade chatter with Sacramento and a Lakers contact. Duren, a 22-year-old restricted free agent who posted 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, helped Detroit reach the playoffs, but his postseason was modest. The Pistons can match any outside offer and could pursue a five-year, up-to-$287 million deal if the higher max applies, though that figure seems unlikely after his playoff stint. External teams can propose offers starting around 25% of the cap over four years (about $177 million total), with the Pistons able to exceed the cap to offer more total money. Duren could also accept the qualifying offer to remain restricted next summer. Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has emphasized the desire to keep him in Detroit.
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Hendrix Lapierre from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and San Jose’s 2028 fifth-round pick. Lapierre, a 24-year-old former 2020 first-rounder, has been a depth, possession-focused forward who posted 4 goals and 16 points in 74 games last season and could slide into Pittsburgh’s bottom six, potentially replacing departed veterans as he enters the RFA arbitration process.
Capitals forward Connor McMichael, a restricted free agent, said contract-extension talks with Washington have begun after a down year following a breakout 2024-25 season; long-term options around $6.4M over four years or a shorter $4.7M over two years are on the table, with a July 1 deadline possible if no deal is reached, though both sides expect to finalize something. He plans to train in Toronto this summer before returning to D.C. for the next season.
Seattle matched Jacksonville’s offer sheet for 27-year-old Jake Bobo, keeping him in Seattle through 2027 on a two-year, $5.5 million contract with $4.5 million guaranteed, a $1.75 million signing bonus, and incentives up to $7 million, per Field Yates and Tom Pelissero.
Dallas has placed a second-round restricted free-agent tender on kicker Brandon Aubrey for the 2026 season, worth about $5.81 million. Aubrey can negotiate with other teams, but Dallas would retain the right to match any offer or receive a second-round pick as compensation if he signs elsewhere. Aubrey, a Notre Dame soccer convert, has gone 112-for-127 on field goals over three seasons, with strong 50+-yard and 60+-yard marks, and Dallas has also tendered OL T.J. Bass at about $5.8 million.
The Chicago Bulls offered Josh Giddey an $80 million, four-year contract at the start of free agency, but the deal fell significantly short of Giddey's asking price of around $30 million per year. Giddey, a restricted free agent, has attracted interest from other teams, including the Warriors, but no trade pathways have materialized. Giddey showed strong performance in the latter part of his season with the Bulls, and his future remains uncertain as he has until October 1 to decide on his qualifying offer or explore other options.
Jonathan Kuminga is expected to remain with the Golden State Warriors this offseason, as the team has no plans to trade him and he is hesitant to accept their current contract offer due to control issues. Kuminga, a 22-year-old restricted free agent, has received other offers but is currently in a stalemate with the Warriors, with his future likely to be decided by a short-term deal that allows him to prove his worth.
The Golden State Warriors have decided not to trade Jonathan Kuminga this summer, with reports indicating he will remain with the team for now, as they work towards a contract agreement amidst ongoing negotiations.
The Golden State Warriors are unlikely to trade Jonathan Kuminga before the season, as negotiations have stalled and owner Joe Lacob remains a strong supporter, preferring a valuable deal. Kuminga, a restricted free agent, faces limited options, with the Warriors considering a flexible contract approach to retain him or facilitate a future trade, while no urgent deal is expected before the October 1 deadline.
The Golden State Warriors are reportedly not interested in keeping Jonathan Kuminga, with the team extending a qualifying offer mainly due to NBA rules rather than a desire to retain him. Kuminga's camp is exploring trade options, including offers from the Kings and Suns, but the Warriors are reluctant to accept unfavorable deals. The situation is influenced by RFA rules and salary cap considerations, leaving Kuminga's future uncertain.
Udonis Haslem suggests Jonathan Kuminga should seek a better fit elsewhere as his time with the Warriors appears uncertain, with trade discussions ongoing and Kuminga's future in question.