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NBA offseason calendar: Key dates for the draft and free agency

The NBA Finals are here, which means 28 teams are already in offseason mode.

With those teams already doing deep dives into preparation for the 2021 NBA draft and this summer's free agency, here's a look at the league's upcoming calendar, along with important deadlines for teams and players to exercise contract options. More than 30 players are in line for qualifying offers that would make them restricted free agents, and more than 100 players are eligible for either rookie or veteran extensions, leaving teams with plenty to think about over the next few months.

We have all the details on that and more, and we'll continue to add to the information below as the NBA calendar evolves and moves toward the start of the 2021-22 season this fall.

MORE: Biggest 2021 NBA free-agency and trade decisions for all 30 teams


Key Dates

July 29

  • 2021 NBA draft

August 1

  • Last day for a team or player option to be exercised

  • Last day for a player to receive a qualifying offer

August 2

  • Free agent negotiations can begin (6 p.m. ET)

August 3

  • Free agency moratorium (12:01 a.m. ET)

  • First-round selections can sign contracts

  • Minimum contracts (two less years) can sign

  • Restricted free agents can sign an offer sheet

  • Third- and fourth-year rookie options can be exercised

August 6

  • Teams can sign free agents

  • Trades agreed to during the moratorium can become official

  • Rookie scale and veteran contracts can be extended

  • Clock on offer sheets begins (teams have up to two days to match)

September 28

  • Training camp begins

October 16

  • Last day to waive a player on a non-guaranteed contract and not incur a salary cap charge

October 18

  • Last day of the offseason

  • Last date to sign a rookie scale or veteran extension (2 years left)

  • Rosters are restricted to 15

October 31

  • Third-year and fourth-year team options on rookie contracts must be exercised


Qualifying offers

Teams must extend a qualifying offer to a pending restricted free agent to retain matching rights. If a player does not receive a qualifying offer, he becomes an unrestricted free agent. A player can sign his one-year qualifying offer at any time (including during the moratorium). A team can rescind the qualifying offer, making the player an unrestricted free agent, up until a to-be-determined date (last season it was one week after the free-agent negotiation window opened).

*Player also has a team option (see below).


Player and Team option deadlines

July 25

July 26

July 28

July 31

August 1

Guarantee dates

July 27

July 31

Aug. 1

  • Mitchell Robinson (New York): $1,802,057

  • Terance Mann (LA Clippers): $1,782,621

  • KJ Martin (Houston): $1,517,981

Aug. 2

Aug. 3

Aug. 4

Aug. 5

Aug. 6

Aug. 7

Aug. 8

Aug. 9

Aug. 10

Aug. 15

Aug. 16

Aug. 18

Aug. 20

Aug. 25

Veteran-extension eligible

Rookie-extension eligible