Free agent and trade news has dominated NBA headlines over the last few days, but teams around the league are also taking care of the rookies they drafted on June 22, signing them to their first NBA contracts. Because cap holds for first-round picks count for 120% of the rookie scale instead of 100% in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, there’s little incentive for teams to wait to lock up their first-rounders.
For first-round picks, rookie contracts are fairly rigid, having essentially been predetermined. The NBA’s rookie-scale structure dictates that first-rounders will be signed to four-year deals, which include two guaranteed years, then team options in years three and four.
The value of those contracts depends on where a player was drafted. This year, No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama signed a four-year deal worth in excess of $55MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Kobe Brown, on the other hand, would be in line for a four-year contract worth about $12.4MM.
The full breakdown of this year’s first-round rookie salaries and contracts can be found right here — if you see a first-rounder listed below as “signed,” you can assume his contract looks like that, unless otherwise indicated.
Second-round picks, meanwhile, aren’t assured of two guaranteed seasons, though some players will receive them. The NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced a new salary cap exception for second-rounders, which will allow teams to sign those players to contracts of up to four years with a starting salary worth up to the equivalent to the minimum for a two-year veteran. In the past, such a deal would have required cap room or another exception such as the mid-level.
Some second-rounders won’t sign standard NBA deals immediately. They may get two-way contracts, play in the G League, or head overseas to refine their games while their NBA teams retain their rights. We’ll make note of that below too, wherever it’s applicable.
Here’s a breakdown of 2023’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:
First Round:
- San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, C, Metropolitans 92: Signed
- Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama: Signed
- Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite: Signed
- Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, G, Overtime Elite: Signed
- Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, G, Overtime Elite: Signed
- Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas: Signed
- Washington Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly, F, Metropolitans 92: Signed
- Indiana Pacers: Jarace Walker, F, Houston: Signed
- Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF: Signed
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky: Signed
- Orlando Magic: Jett Howard, G, Michigan: Signed
- Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II, C, Duke: Signed
- Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick, G, Kansas: Signed
- New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn: Signed
- Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin, G, Michigan: Signed
- Utah Jazz: Keyonte George, G, Baylor: Signed
- Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana: Signed
- Miami Heat: Jaime Jaquez Jr., F, UCLA: Signed
- Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara: Signed
- Houston Rockets: Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova: Signed
- Brooklyn Nets: Noah Clowney, F, Alabama: Signed
- Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead, G/F, Duke: Signed
- Portland Trail Blazers: Kris Murray, F, Iowa: Signed
- Dallas Mavericks: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, F, Marquette: Signed
- Detroit Pistons: Marcus Sasser, G, Houston: Signed
- Indiana Pacers: Ben Sheppard, F, Belmont: Signed
- Charlotte Hornets: Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas: Signed
- Utah Jazz: Brice Sensabaugh, F, Ohio State: Signed
- Denver Nuggets: Julian Strawther, F, Gonzaga: Signed
- Los Angeles Clippers: Kobe Brown, F, Missouri: Signed
Second Round:
- Charlotte Hornets: James Nnaji, C, Barcelona: Will play overseas
- Denver Nuggets: Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State: Signed
- Four-year, $8,227,882 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Leonard Miller, F, G League Ignite: Signed
- Four-year, $8,319,739 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Sacramento Kings: Colby Jones, G, Xavier: Signed
- Four-year, $8,768,279 contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Includes likely incentives.
- Four-year, $8,768,279 contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Includes likely incentives.
- Chicago Bulls: Julian Phillips, F, Tennessee: Signed
- Four-year, $8,119,739 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Four-year, $8,119,739 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Andre Jackson Jr., G, UConn: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Denver Nuggets: Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Boston Celtics: Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Atlanta Hawks: Mouhamed Gueye, F, Washington State: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Charlotte Hornets: Amari Bailey, G, UCLA: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Washington Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic, F, Partizan Belgrade: Signed
- Two-year, $4,849,784 contract. First year guaranteed. Second-year team option.
- Two-year, $4,849,784 contract. First year guaranteed. Second-year team option.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Rayan Rupert, G, New Zealand Breakers: Signed
- Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.
- Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.
- San Antonio Spurs: Sidy Cissoko, G, G League Ignite: Signed
- Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
- Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
- Memphis Grizzlies: GG Jackson, F, South Carolina: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Atlanta Hawks: Seth Lundy, G, Penn State: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Indiana Pacers: Mojave King, G, G League Ignite: Will play in G League
- Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Miller, F, Miami: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Emoni Bates, G/F, Eastern Michigan: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Keyontae Johnson, F, Kansas State: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Phoenix Suns: Toumani Camara, F, Dayton: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark, G, UCLA: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Sacramento Kings: Jalen Slawson, F, Furman: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Wong, G, Miami: Signed
- Two-way contract.
- Memphis Grizzlies: Tarik Biberovic, G/F, Fenerbahce: Will play overseas
- Golden State Warriors: Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Chris Livingston, F, Kentucky: Signed
- Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
Note: The Bulls and Sixers forfeited second-round picks due to free agency gun-jumping. They would have been No. 57 and No. 58, respectively.