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Strong seasons increase qualifying offer amount for 9 RFAs

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The fourth year of a first-round pick's career can be a career-defining one.

For some lucky, talented or risk-averse players, it doesn't mean all that much outside of the normal development curve. For those who eschewed signing a rookie deal extension prior to Oct. 31, a fourth season is a final chance to audition for the entire league ahead of restricted free agency.

Players like Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler famously bet on themselves, turning down sizable extension offers in hopes of landing a maximum contract this summer. That's paid off for some more than others, and 11 potential restricted free agents have changed their qualifying offer amounts as a result of their play.

The qualifying offer is the one-year deal a team must offer a restricted free agent by June 30 to maintain their rights, giving them the option to match any offer sheet a player signs elsewhere. In most cases, players decline the offer, but it's a real contract that a player could sign, affording him unrestricted free agency the following summer. So there's some risk in offering it.

The amount also matters for salary cap purposes, as it's the qualifying offer amount that remains on a team's books until a cap hold is established by signing an offer sheet or a new contract.

In most cases, the qualifying offer is based on prior salary, which is based on draft position. Certain criteria can alter those amounts, as several players learned this year - nine increased their qualifying offer amount and two decreased it, according to ESPN.

The table below shows the qualifying offer amount for each of this summer's potential restricted free agents, should their teams choose to qualify them.

Team Player Qualifying Offer Amount ($M) Change
Atlanta Pero Anric 1.56 None
Boston Luigi Datome 2.19 None
Boston Jae Crowder 1.18 None
Brooklyn Mirza Teletovic 4.21 None
Brooklyn Jerome Jordan 1.15 None
Charlotte Bismack Biyombo 4.05 Decrease
Charlotte Jeff Taylor 1.18 None
Chicago Jimmy Butler 4.43 Increase
Cleveland Tristan Thompson 6.78 None
Cleveland Iman Shumpert 4.43 Increase
Cleveland Matthew Dellavedova 1.15 None
Dallas Bernard James 1.18 None
Denver Will Barton 1.18 None
Denver Ian Clark 1.15 None
Detroit Reggie Jackson 4.43 Increase
Golden State Draymond Green 2.73 Increase
Golden State Justin Holiday 1.15 None
Golden State Ognjen Kuzmic 1.15 None
Houston Patrick Beverley 2.73 Increase
Houston K.J. McDaniels 1.05 None
Indiana Chris Copeland 3.92 None
Indiana Shayne Whittington 1.05 None
L.A. Lakers Vander Blue 1.15 None
Memphis Nick Calathes 1.15 None
Milwaukee Khris Middleton 2.73 Increase
Minnesota Justin Hamilton 1.15 None
Minnesota Robbie Hummel 1.15 None
New Orleans Norris Cole 3.04 None
New Orleans Jeff Withey 1.15 None
New York Alexey Shved 4.10 None
New York Quincy Acy 1.18 None
New York Travis Wear 1.05 None
Oklahoma City Enes Kanter 7.47 None
Oklahoma City Kyle Singler 2.73 Increase
Orlando Tobias Harris 4.43 Increase
Orlando Kyle O'Quinn 1.18 None
Philadelphia Henry Sims 1.18 None
Philadelphia Glenn Robinson III 1.05 None
Phoenix Brandon Knight 4.79 None
Portland Joel Freeland 3.77 None
Sacramento Derrick Williams 4.05 Decrease
San Antonio Kawhi Leonard 4.43 Increase
San Antonio Cory Joseph 3.03 None
San Antonio Aron Baynes 2.60 None
Utah Joe Ingles 1.05 None

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