Checking In On Unsigned 2022 NBA Draft Picks

As of Tuesday morning, 39 of the players drafted in 2022 have signed their first NBA contracts. That list includes all 30 first-rounders, along with nine second-rounders, as our tracker shows.

A total of 39 signed draftees would typically leave 21 unsigned. However, since two teams forfeited their second-round picks in 2022, only 58 players were drafted. And while Thunder second-rounder Jaylin Williams hasn’t officially signed his contract yet, he has reached an agreement with Oklahoma City, so it should be done soon.

On top of that, the following second-rounders are all considered highly likely to play in international leagues in 2022/23 rather than coming immediately to the NBA:

36. Detroit Pistons: Gabriele Procida, G
39. Cleveland Cavaliers: Khalifa Diop, C
46. Denver Nuggets: Ismael Kamagate, C
50. Minnesota Timberwolves: Matteo Spagnolo, G
52. New Orleans Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic, F
54. Washington Wizards: Yannick Nzosa, C
56. Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Travers, G/F
58. Milwaukee Bucks: Hugo Besson, G

With Williams, the eight draft-and-stash prospects, and two forfeited picks accounted for, we’re down to 10 draftees whose contract situations for 2022/23 remain up in the air.

Those players are as follows:

31. Indiana Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, G
33. Toronto Raptors: Christian Koloko, F/C
41. New Orleans Pelicans: E.J. Liddell, F
43. Los Angeles Clippers: Moussa Diabate, F
44. Golden State Warriors: Ryan Rollins, G
45. Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Minott, F
48. Indiana Pacers: Kendall Brown, F
51. Atlanta Hawks: Tyrese Martin, F
55. Golden State Warriors: Gui Santos, F
57. Portland Trail Blazers: Jabari Walker, F

Players selected at the very top of the second round typically receive three- or four-year contracts and a spot on the team’s standard 15-man roster, so we should expect that for Nembhard and Koloko.

The Pacers currently have 17 players on standard deals, but Nik Stauskas, Juwan Morgan, and Malik Fitts were salary filler in the Malcolm Brogdon trade and aren’t locks to stick around. The team may wait until after it has made a decision on how to use its cap room before formally signing Nembhard.

As for the Raptors, they have 15 players on standard contracts, but Armoni Brooks and D.J. Wilson don’t have fully guaranteed contracts and neither is guaranteed a regular season roster spot, so there should be room for Koloko.

Once we get into the 40s, the roster situations start getting a little cloudier. The Pelicans, for instance, already have a full 15-man roster and would have to waive or trade someone to clear a spot for Liddell. They may try to sign him to a two-way contract instead — so far, they’ve only committed one two-way slot to Dereon Seabron.

Diabate is reportedly expected to sign a two-way deal with the Clippers, while Rollins is viewed as a good bet to claim a 15-man roster spot in Golden State, where the Warriors still have four openings — there has been no indication that Rollins’ leg injury changed that plan.

The Timberwolves still have three open 15-man slots and a pair of two-way openings, so they could go either way with Minott. The same is true of the Hawks and Martin. Both clubs have some of their mid-level exception available to go up to three or four years on NBA contracts for their respective second-rounders.

Brown, unlike Nembhard, may not have a clear path to a 15-man roster spot unless the Pacers make some significant moves, but Indiana has both of its two-way slots available.

Santos, the Warriors’ second pick in the second round, is considered likely to be stashed overseas, but that decision reportedly hasn’t been finalized yet.

Finally, the Trail Blazers have one opening on their 15-man roster and one available two-way slot. Given that Portland’s team salary is right around the luxury tax line, I’d expect the team to try to lock up Walker to a two-way deal and leave that final 15-man spot open to start the season.