Understanding NBA Qualifying Offers: The Path to Restricted Free Agency
nba-qualifying-offer-explained
Before an NBA player can enter restricted free agency, his current club must issue a qualifying offer (QO). Without that one-year contract proposal, the player heads directly into the marketplace as an unrestricted free agent.
How the basic formula works
The value of a QO changes according to service time and previous salary. For players with three or fewer NBA seasons, a team must offer the greater of:
- 135% of the player’s previous salary (125% if the deal was signed before the 2023-24 league year), or
- The player’s minimum salary plus $200,000.
Example: New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti earned $1,955,377 last season. A 135% raise would take him to $2,639,759. His projected 2026-27 minimum salary is $2,450,000; adding $200,000 brings that figure to $2,650,000, which becomes the QO because it is higher.
If the 2026-27 salary cap comes in lower—say, at $163 million—Hukporti’s projected minimum would fall to $2,420,018. In that scenario, 135% of his prior salary would eclipse the alternative, making $2,639,759 the new QO.
Teammate Mohamed Diawara presents the opposite case. After a $1,272,870 season, 135% of his old salary is $1,718,375. His projected minimum salary plus $200,000 lands far higher at $2,385,633, so that becomes his qualifying figure regardless of final cap calculations.
First-round picks on rookie scale contracts
For former first-rounders finishing rookie deals, the league ties QOs to draft position. Under the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the numbers rise in 2027:
- A No. 1 overall pick’s QO climbs from 130% to 140% of his fourth-year salary.
- A No. 30 pick’s QO increases from 150% to 160% of his previous salary.
Starter criteria adjustments
A player’s role can also alter the QO through the CBA’s “starter criteria.” Key triggers for 2026-27 include:
- A top-14 pick who fails to meet the starter criteria gets a QO equal to 120% of the 15th pick’s amount—projected at $8,774,590.
- A pick between Nos. 10 and 30 who meets the starter criteria receives 120% of the ninth pick’s figure—projected at $9,615,393.
- A second-round pick or undrafted player who meets the criteria receives an amount equal to the 21st pick’s salary—projected at $5,910,257.
Examples: Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 6 pick in 2021, did not meet the criteria. His QO drops to $8,774,590 instead of his slot amount of $12,256,222. Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams, No. 15 in the same draft class, hit the starter benchmark and now qualifies for $9,615,393 rather than $8,774,590.
Why qualifying offers matter
A QO grants the original team the “right of first refusal”; once issued, the club can match any outside offer sheet. A player may choose to sign the QO, play one season on that deal, and become an unrestricted free agent afterward (assuming he then has at least four years of service). Accepting the offer also gives him veto power over trades for that year.
Key dates and procedural notes
- Teams may withdraw a QO unilaterally until July 13.
- Players have until October 1 to accept. The sides can push that deadline back, but once it passes without action, the player remains a restricted free agent without the QO safety net.
Special rules for two-way players
Most players finishing two-way contracts receive a QO equal to a one-year two-way salary, with $91,000 guaranteed for 2026-27. A two-way player on a second consecutive two-way deal, or one with four years of NBA service, is entitled to a standard minimum-salary QO, partially guaranteed for $109,200.
Source: Hoops Rumors
