Teams hoping to extend players eligible for rookie-scale extensions this offseason must get those deals completed by October 31, as we’ve discussed in recent weeks. However, that’s not the only reason that Halloween is a notable date on the NBA calendar. October 31 is also the deadline for clubs to exercise team options on the rookie-scale contracts of former first-round picks.
All the players whose options will be exercised or declined by October 31 are already under contract for the 2016/17 season. Their teams will have to make a decision on whether they want to keep those players beyond the coming season, picking up or turning down team options for the 2017/18 campaign.
For players who signed their rookie-scale contracts in 2014 and have been in the NBA for two years, teams must decide on fourth-year options for 2017/18. For players who just signed their rookie deals last year, and only have one season of NBA experience under their belts, teams will already be faced with a decision on third-year options for ’17/18.
In most cases, these decisions aren’t hard ones. Rookie-scale salaries are so affordable – particularly with the salary cap up to $94MM+ this year – that it usually makes sense to exercise most of these team options, even if a player isn’t a key cog on the roster. And for those players who do have a significant role on a team’s roster, the decision is even easier — it’s not as if the Timberwolves would ever consider declining their options on Andrew Wiggins or Karl-Anthony Towns.
Still, we’ll wait for a trusted reporter, a player (or his agent), or a team itself to confirm that an option is indeed being exercised or declined, and we’ll track that news in this space. Listed below are all the rookie-scale decisions for 2017/18 team options that clubs must make by October 31. This list can be found at any time under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on our right-hand sidebar, and will be updated throughout the rest of the offseason, as teams’ decisions are reported and announced.
Here are the NBA’s rookie-scale team option decisions for 2017/18 salaries:
Atlanta Hawks
- None
Boston Celtics
- Marcus Smart (fourth year, $4,538,020): Exercised
- James Young (fourth year, $2,803,507): Declined
- Terry Rozier (third year, $1,988,520): Exercised
- R.J. Hunter (third year, $1,251,960): Waived
Brooklyn Nets
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (third year, $1,455,720): Exercised
- Chris McCullough (third year, $1,242,840): Exercised
Charlotte Hornets
- Frank Kaminsky (third year, $2,847,600): Exercised
Chicago Bulls
- Doug McDermott (fourth year, $3,294,994): Exercised
- Jerian Grant (third year, $1,713,840): Exercised
- Bobby Portis (third year, $1,516,320): Exercised
Cleveland Cavaliers
- None
Dallas Mavericks
- Justin Anderson (third year, $1,579,440): Exercised
Denver Nuggets
- Emmanuel Mudiay (third year, $3,381,480): Exercised
- Jusuf Nurkic (fourth year, $2,947,305): Exercised
- Gary Harris (fourth year, $2,550,055): Exercised
Detroit Pistons
- Stanley Johnson (third year, $3,097,800): Exercised
Golden State Warriors
- Kevon Looney (third year, $1,233,840): Exercised
Houston Rockets
- Clint Capela (fourth year, $2,334,528): Exercised
- Sam Dekker (third year, $1,794,600): Exercised
- Tyler Ennis (fourth year, $2,666,707): Declined
Indiana Pacers
- Myles Turner (third year, $2,569,920): Exercised
Los Angeles Clippers
- None
Los Angeles Lakers
- D’Angelo Russell (third year, $5,562,360): Exercised
- Julius Randle (fourth year, $4,149,242): Exercised
- Larry Nance Jr. (third year, $1,259,640): Exercised
Memphis Grizzlies
- Jordan Adams (fourth year, $2,410,057): Waived
- Jarell Martin (third year, $1,341,600): Exercised
Miami Heat
- Justise Winslow (third year, $2,705,040): Exercised
Milwaukee Bucks
- Jabari Parker (fourth year, $6,782,392): Exercised
- Rashad Vaughn (third year, $1,889,040): Exercised
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Andrew Wiggins (fourth year, $7,574,323): Exercised
- Karl-Anthony Towns (third year, $6,216,840): Exercised
- Zach LaVine (fourth year, $3,202,218): Exercised
- Adreian Payne (fourth year, $3,100,094): Declined
- Tyus Jones (third year, $1,397,400): Exercised
New Orleans Pelicans
- None
New York Knicks
- Kristaps Porzingis (third year, $4,503,600): Exercised
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Mitch McGary (fourth year, $2,430,982): Waived
- Cameron Payne (third year, $2,203,440): Exercised
- Josh Huestis (third year, $1,242,840): Exercised
Orlando Magic
- Aaron Gordon (fourth year, $5,504,420): Exercised
- Mario Hezonja (third year, $4,078,320): Exercised
- Elfrid Payton (fourth year, $3,332,340): Exercised
- C.J. Wilcox (fourth year, $2,183,328): Declined
Philadelphia 76ers
- Joel Embiid (fourth year, $6,100,266): Exercised
- Jahlil Okafor (third year, $4,995,120): Exercised
- Nik Stauskas (fourth year, $3,807,147): Exercised
Phoenix Suns
- T.J. Warren (fourth year, $3,152,931): Exercised
- Devin Booker (third year, $2,319,360): Exercised
Portland Trail Blazers
- Noah Vonleh (fourth year, $3,505,233): Exercised
- Shabazz Napier (fourth year, $2,361,360): Exercised
Sacramento Kings
- Willie Cauley-Stein (third year, $3,704,160): Exercised
San Antonio Spurs
- Kyle Anderson (fourth year, $2,151,704): Exercised
Toronto Raptors
- Lucas Nogueira (fourth year, $2,947,305): Exercised
- Bruno Caboclo (fourth year, $2,451,225): Exercised
- Delon Wright (third year, $1,645,200): Exercised
Utah Jazz
- Dante Exum (fourth year, $4,992,385): Exercised
- Trey Lyles (third year, $2,441,400): Exercised
- Rodney Hood (fourth year, $2,386,864): Exercised
Washington Wizards
- Kelly Oubre (third year, $2,093,040): Exercised
Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.