NBA free-agent moratorium to be 5 days shorter this summer

Kevin Durant will be the most sought-after free agent this summer. AP

MIAMI — Kevin Durant’s free-agency decision may now come a few days earlier.

The NBA and NBA Players Association have agreed to shorten this summer’s free-agent moratorium by five days, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. New deals struck this summer may now be signed on July 7 at 12:01 a.m., according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither side announced the move publicly.

Teams were informed of the decision on Thursday.

Until now, this summer’s moratorium was scheduled to run through July 11, with players and teams able to execute new deals on July 12. The moratorium — which exists in large part to allow the league time to calculate the exact amount of the salary cap and luxury-tax figure for the coming season — will run from July 1-6.