With the NBA set to return to its usual schedule for the start of the 2021/22 regular season, the deadline for decisions on third- and fourth-year team options for players on rookie scale contracts is back to its usual date at the end of October. Actually, because October 31 falls on a Sunday this year, the deadline will be on the Monday (November 1).
All the players whose options will be exercised or declined by November 1 are already under contract for the 2021/22 season. Their teams will have to make a decision on whether they want to lock in those players’ contracts beyond the coming season, picking up or turning down team options for the 2022/23 campaign.
For players who signed their rookie scale contracts in 2019 and have already been in the NBA for two years, teams must decide on fourth-year options for 2022/23. 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 ’22/23.
In many cases, these decisions aren’t hard ones. Rookie scale salaries are affordable enough 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 Hornets will consider turning down their option on LaMelo Ball, for instance.
Still, we’ll wait for a trusted reporter, the NBA, 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 2022/23 team options that clubs must make by November 1. This list will be updated throughout the rest of the month as teams’ decisions are reported and announced. The salary figures listed here reflect the cap hits for each team.
Here are the NBA’s rookie scale team option decisions for 2022/23 salaries:
Atlanta Hawks
- De’Andre Hunter (fourth year, $9,835,881): Exercised
- Onyeka Okongwu (third year, $6,395,160): Exercised
- Cam Reddish (fourth year, $5,954,454): Exercised
Boston Celtics
- Romeo Langford (fourth year, $5,634,257): Exercised
- Grant Williams (fourth year, $4,306,281): Exercised
- Aaron Nesmith (third year, $3,804,360): Exercised
- Payton Pritchard (third year, $2,239,200): Exercised
Brooklyn Nets
- None
Charlotte Hornets
- LaMelo Ball (third year, $8,623,920): Exercised
- P.J. Washington (fourth year, $5,808,435): Exercised
Chicago Bulls
- Patrick Williams (third year, $7,775,400): Exercised
- Coby White (fourth year, $7,413,955): Exercised
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Darius Garland (fourth year, $8,920,795): Exercised
- Isaac Okoro (third year, $7,040,880): Exercised
- Dylan Windler (fourth year, $4,037,278): Exercised
Dallas Mavericks
- Josh Green (third year, $3,098,400): Exercised
Denver Nuggets
- Zeke Nnaji (third year, $2,617,800): Exercised
Detroit Pistons
- Killian Hayes (third year, $5,837,760): Exercised
- Isaiah Stewart (third year, $3,433,320): Exercised
- Saddiq Bey (third year, $2,959,080): Exercised
Golden State Warriors
- James Wiseman (third year, $9,603,360): Exercised
- Jordan Poole (fourth year, $3,901,399): Exercised
Houston Rockets
- Sekou Doumbouya (fourth year, $5,539,771): Waived
- Kevin Porter Jr. (fourth year, $3,217,631): Exercised
Indiana Pacers
- Goga Bitadze (fourth year, $4,765,339): Exercised
Los Angeles Clippers
- None
Los Angeles Lakers
- None
Memphis Grizzlies
- Ja Morant (fourth year, $12,119,440): Exercised
- Jarrett Culver (fourth year, $8,109,063): Will be declined
- Brandon Clarke (fourth year, $4,343,920): Exercised
- Desmond Bane (third year, $2,130,240): Exercised
Miami Heat
- Tyler Herro (fourth year, $5,722,116): Exercised
Milwaukee Bucks
- None
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Anthony Edwards (third year, $10,733,400): Exercised
- Jaden McDaniels (third year, $2,161,440): Exercised
New Orleans Pelicans
- Zion Williamson (fourth year, $13,534,817): Exercised
- Jaxson Hayes (fourth year, $6,803,012): Exercised
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (fourth year, $5,009,633): Exercised
- Kira Lewis (third year, $4,004,280): Exercised
New York Knicks
- RJ Barrett (fourth year, $10,900,635): Exercised
- Obi Toppin (third year, $5,348,280): Exercised
- Immanuel Quickley (third year, $2,316,240): Exercised
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Darius Bazley (fourth year, $4,264,629): Exercised
- Ty Jerome (fourth year, $4,220,057): Exercised
- Aleksej Pokusevski (third year, $3,261,480): Exercised
Orlando Magic
- Cole Anthony (third year, $3,613,680): Exercised
- Chuma Okeke (third year, $3,433,320): Exercised
- R.J. Hampton (third year, $2,412,840): Exercised
Philadelphia 76ers
- Matisse Thybulle (fourth year, $4,379,527): Exercised
- Tyrese Maxey (third year, $2,726,880): Exercised
Phoenix Suns
- Cameron Johnson (fourth year, $5,887,899): Exercised
- Jalen Smith (third year, $4,670,160): Will be declined
Portland Trail Blazers
- Nassir Little (fourth year, $4,171,548): Exercised
Sacramento Kings
- Tyrese Haliburton (third year, $4,215,120): Exercised
San Antonio Spurs
- Luka Samanic (fourth year, $4,556,983): Waived
- Devin Vassell (third year, $4,437,000): Exercised
- Keldon Johnson (fourth year, $3,873,025): Exercised
Toronto Raptors
- Precious Achiuwa (third year, $2,840,160): Exercised
- Malachi Flynn (third year, $2,145,720): Exercised
Utah Jazz
- Udoka Azubuike (third year, $2,174,880): Exercised
Washington Wizards
- Rui Hachimura (fourth year, $6,263,188): Exercised
- Deni Avdija (third year, $4,916,160): Exercised
Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.
Porter at $3.2M is an absolute bargain for the Rockets.
At some point he should be getting an extension.