The NBA’s annual deadline for rookie scale contract extensions passed today, and for the second straight year, the market for those rookie scale extension was somewhat slow.
From 2012 to 2016, a total of 38 players signed rookie scale extensions before the October deadline, an average of nearly eight per year. However, only four players signed early deals in 2017 and five did so this year.
[RELATED: Recent NBA Rookie Scale Extension History]
Here’s a breakdown of the five rookie scale extensions agreed upon before this year’s deadline, sorted by total value. These deals will go into effect beginning in 2019/20:
Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves): Five years, maximum salary (story).- Devin Booker (Suns): Five years, maximum salary (story).
- Myles Turner (Pacers): Four years, $72MM (story). Includes $8MM in unlikely incentives.
- Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers): Four years, $44.8MM (story).
- Justise Winslow (Heat): Three years, $39MM (story). Third-year team option.
While there weren’t a ton of rookie scale extensions completed this year, a pair of maximum salary deals were agreed upon, with both Towns and Booker set to receive starting salaries worth at least 25% of the cap in 2019/20.
Based on the NBA’s latest cap projections, a 25% maximum salary extension for Booker and Towns would work out to $158,050,000 over five years, but both players could end up making out far better than that.
Towns’ deal calls for him to earn a starting salary of 30% of the cap if he makes an All-NBA team in 2018/19. Meanwhile, Booker will get a starting salary worth 27.5% of the cap if he makes the All-NBA Third Team, 28.5% if he’s named to the Second Team, and 30% for a First Team spot. In other words, both players could be in line for a projected $189,660,000 over five years.
With Towns, Booker, Turner, Nance, and Winslow locked up to new contracts, that leaves the following players, who had been eligible for rookie scale extensions, on track to be eligible for restricted free agency in 2019:
- Justin Anderson (Hawks)
- Willie Cauley-Stein (Kings)
- Sam Dekker (Cavaliers)
- Jerian Grant (Magic)
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Nets)
- Stanley Johnson (Pistons)
- Tyus Jones (Timberwolves)
- Frank Kaminsky (Hornets)
- Trey Lyles (Nuggets)
- Jarell Martin (Magic)
- Emmanuel Mudiay (Knicks)
- Kelly Oubre Jr. (Wizards)
- Cameron Payne (Bulls)
- Bobby Portis (Bulls)
- Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks)
- Terry Rozier (Celtics)
- D’Angelo Russell (Nets)
- Delon Wright (Raptors)
Meanwhile, there are a few other members of the 2015 rookie class who were first-round picks that year but weren’t eligible for extensions this offseason. These players had previously been waived, had one of their team options declined, or didn’t sign rookie contracts in 2015. Here are those players:
- Mario Hezonja: Fourth-year option declined in 2017.
- R.J. Hunter: Waived in 2016.
- Kevon Looney: Fourth-year option declined in 2017.
- Chris McCullough: Fourth-year option declined in 2017.
- Nikola Milutinov: Has yet to sign rookie contract.
- Jahlil Okafor: Fourth-year option declined in 2017.
- Rashad Vaughn: Fourth-year option declined in 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jerian Grant is going to be really good for the Magic, I say they bring him back. They need a point guard really bad, I feel Grand will fully take advantage of this opportunity and establish himself in Orlando.
He certainly showed some signs in Chocago, so I wouldn’t be at all suprised if he’s able to find some level of success in Orlando.
What Grant lacks is the same thing as Chicago’s other PG, he lacks offensive consistency. He’s certainly progressed tremendously, in terms of his basketball IQ, seeing the floor, and setting up and finding his teammates for quality, high percentage shots, but he hasn’t been able to find his own shot with any level of consistency.
Defensively, Grant is pretty solid, he’s a tough and gritty guy that’ll give your team some solid perimeter defense, and he plays well against the pick n roll. He isn’t as versatile as Kris Dunn defensively, nor as good overall, because he still has a tendency to try and go for too many steals, at times taking himself out of the play…
If Grant is able to shoot it a little better, and prove he can at least become a 3-point threat, then that’ll tremendously help his offensive game. Defenders won’t be able to sag off him, and it’ll allow him to use his quickness and athleticism to get to the rim..
Right now, Grant could be a solid back-up on a contending team, but if he wants to take that next step to become a starting PG, it’s his offensive game, and especially his shooting that has to progress..