Timeline: Each summer, the NBA free-agent period begins July 1, but that only applies to the Eastern time zone. Technically, for New Orleans, free agency actually commences this Saturday, June 30, at 11 p.m. Central, when the Pelicans will be allowed to speak to players from other NBA teams who are free agents.
In the recent past, clubs were not allowed to officially sign free agents until after an extended moratorium period, which was sometimes up to 8-10 days. However, partly due to issues created by what was deemed an overly lengthy timeframe – problems such as free agents reneging on informal agreements to sign with a specific team – the NBA decided in 2016 to shrink the moratorium to a tighter window.