Trading a Retained Restricted Free Agent

[Curmudgeon]

Team A has a restricted free agent. In July, that restricted free agent signs an offer sheet with Team B for a multi-year deal, but Team A matches the offer and retains the player.

I understand that Team A cannot match the offer sheet and then do a sign-and-trade, but that is a simultaneous transaction. How long does Team A have to wait to trade that player after matching the offer sheet? If there are additional trade restrictions on retained RFAs, where do they appear in the CBA?

[answerthink]

A team cannot exercise its right of first refusal pursuant to a sign-and-trade agreement.

When a team exercises its right of first refusal to keep a restricted free agent, it cannot trade the player for one year without the player’s consent. Even with the player’s consent, for one year, the player cannot be traded to the team whose offer sheet was matched.

Any player for whom a team exercises its right of first refusal may not be traded before the later of (i) three months following the date the contract was signed and (ii) the December 15 of the salary cap year in which the contract was signed. The transition rules for this season were (i) two months and (ii) March 1.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks, answerthink. Can you point me to the applicable sections of the CBA?

[answerthink]

Art XI, Sec 5(i)
Art XI, Sec 5(g)
Art VII, Sec (8)(d)

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks again!