Over a month has passed since the 2016 NBA draft, and most of the 60 players selected in June – including first overall pick Ben Simmons – have been signed by their NBA teams, or have lined up overseas deals. Still, there are several players whose immediate futures have not yet been determined.
As our list of draft pick signings shows, there are still five first-rounders who have yet to either sign a contract with their NBA team or to strike a deal with an international club. Of those players, four were top-11 picks, so it’s likely just a matter of time until they sign their rookie-scale contracts. Only 15th overall pick Juan Hernangomez is a question mark — a recent report suggested he’d probably join the Nuggets immediately, but it’s not set in stone yet.
In the second round, eight of 30 draftees have unresolved situations, and many of those outcomes are more difficult to predict. Celtics draftee Abdel Nader, for instance, could end up signing with Boston, being joining the team’s D-League affiliate, or heading overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect.
We’ll pass along updates on 2016’s draft picks as they become available. For now, here’s the full list of players whose situation for the 2016/17 has yet to be resolved:
First Round:
- Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram, SF (Duke)
- Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown, SF (California)
- Milwaukee Bucks: Thon Maker, PF (HS)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Domantas Sabonis, PF/C (Gonzaga)
- Denver Nuggets: Juan Hernangomez, F (Estudiantes)
Second Round:
- Milwaukee Bucks: Malcolm Brogdon, SG (Virginia)
- Utah Jazz: Joel Bolomboy, PF (Weber State)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Kay Felder, PG (Oakland)
- Utah Jazz: Marcus Paige, PG (North Carolina)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Daniel Hamilton, SG (UConn)
- Boston Celtics: Abdel Nader, F (Iowa State)
- Sacramento Kings: Isaiah Cousins, SG (Oklahoma)
- Utah Jazz: Tyrone Wallace, PG (California)
Hey Luke, Lakers fan here, so have been following the Ingram situation closely. Can you enlighten me as to what the possible hangup can be with these contracts? If the rookie scale amount is pre-established, what can they be arguing over? Years? Thanks!
Don’t think there’s a hang-up. When a first-rounder signs, his cap hold generally increases by a little bit (from the rookie-scale amount to 120% of the rookie-scale amount). So most of the teams that haven’t signed their first-rounders have a chunk of cap room left and are likely waiting to see if they can do anything with it. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were a Lakers fan.
Thanks for the clarification and keep up the great work providing insight into the complicated CBA!
Glad to help!
I should also mention: The more dramatic interpretation of the Lakers and Celtics waiting to sign their first-rounders would relate to the rule that prevents draft picks from being traded for 30 days after they sign their contracts. It’s possible those teams are waiting to see if someone like Russell Westbrook becomes available, in case they want to include Ingram or Brown in an offer for him without waiting for that 30-day window to run its course.
I think this scenario is less likely though.
The first rounders will get signed for sure. Out of the second rounders I think it will be Brogdon, Bolomboy, Felder, Paige, Hamilton, and Nader. Maybe Cousins
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