NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today an agreement to modify the time at which teams can begin negotiating with free agents.

Teams and players will now be permitted to begin free agent negotiations at 6 p.m. ET on June 30 – six hours earlier than the previous start time of 12:01 a.m. ET on July 1.

By league rules, teams also will be permitted to communicate with free agents or their representatives beginning at 6 p.m. ET on June 29 solely for the purpose of scheduling a meeting to take place at or after 6 p.m. ET on June 30.