Hoops Rumors Originals

Players On Designated Rookie Extensions

Since Nets star Kevin Durant made his trade request earlier this week, NBA fans have become a whole lot familiar with a specific term in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement: the designated rookie extension.

As we explain in a glossary entry on the subject, a designated rookie extension is a five-year extension given to a player who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract. It must be worth the maximum salary, but it’s that fifth year in particular that makes a player a “designated rookie.” A player who signs a four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension is not considered a designated rookie.

Here’s the full list of players currently on designated rookie extensions:

An NBA team is permitted to carry up to two players on designated rookie extensions, as the Nuggets are with Murray and Porter. However, a team cannot carry two designated rookies if both of those players were acquired via trade.

Because the Nets acquired Simmons from the Sixers in this year’s James Harden blockbuster, that means they’re not allowed to trade for a second player on a designated rookie extension unless they move Simmons beforehand (or in the same deal). The same rule would apply to the Warriors with Wiggins, but it’s obviously far more relevant these days for the Nets, who are said to be seeking at least one young star in a package for Durant.

Many of the players on the above list aren’t going anywhere — it’s not as if the Mavericks are going to consider trading Doncic. But with a player like Durant on the trade block, few NBA stars are untouchable, and teams will have to take the designated rookie rule into account when they consider offers for the former MVP.

For instance, the Suns and Heat, who have been mentioned as Durant’s preferred landing spots, wouldn’t be able to trade Booker or Adebayo for him (not that Phoenix would be willing to include Booker anyway).

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson are expected to be added to the above list soon. Morant agreed to a five-year, maximum-salary extension with Memphis, Garland did the same with Cleveland, and Williamson will sign one with New Orleans.

The designated rookie rule says that a team can’t carry two players acquired via trade if those players have signed designated rookie extensions that apply to a “current or future” cap year, so even though the extensions for Morant, Garland, and Williamson won’t take effect until 2023/24, the rule would apply to them as soon as they officially sign.

Only a player who signs a rookie scale extension can become a designated rookie. The rule doesn’t apply to players who reach free agency, even if they sign a five-year, maximum-salary contract at that time.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, for example, isn’t considered a designated rookie since he signed his five-year max contract after becoming a free agent. Deandre Ayton also can’t be a designated rookie now that he has reached free agency. Either player could hypothetically be sent to Brooklyn in a Durant trade.

Players who signed four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extensions also aren’t considered designated rookies, as noted above. That means Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could also theoretically be traded to Brooklyn without Simmons having to move.

Again, teams can carry two designated rookies if just one was acquired via trade. For instance, the Heat wouldn’t be prohibited from making a deal for Mitchell, since their current designated rookie (Adebayo) has spent his entire career in Miami.

Finally, it’s worth clarifying that this rule only applies if a trade occurs after the player signed his designated rookie extension. In other words, the Thunder would be allowed to trade for a second designated rookie without moving Gilgeous-Alexander, since they acquired him from the Clippers before he signed his rookie scale extension.

2022 NBA Draft Pick Signings

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 23, 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 Paolo Banchero signed a four-year deal worth in excess of $50MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Peyton Watson, on the other hand, would be in line for a four-year contract worth a little over $11MM.

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. Teams can sign second-rounders to whatever amount they choose, using cap room or various exceptions. Those players who immediately join their NBA teams figure to earn a minimum salary or something slightly above the minimum. We’ll make a note of contract details for second-rounders below, as they become available.

Finally, some second-rounders – and perhaps even some first-rounders – won’t sign 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 2022’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:


First Round:

  1. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, F, Duke: Signed
  2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, F, Gonzaga: Signed
  3. Houston Rockets: Jabari Smith, F, Auburn: Signed
  4. Sacramento Kings: Keegan Murray, F, Iowa: Signed
  5. Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue: Signed
  6. Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin, G/F, Arizona: Signed
  7. Portland Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky: Signed
  8. New Orleans Pelicans: Dyson Daniels, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  9. San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor: Signed
  10. Washington Wizards: Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin: Signed
  11. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ousmane Dieng, F, New Zealand Breakers: Signed
  12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams, G, Santa Clara: Signed
  13. Detroit Pistons: Jalen Duren, C, Memphis: Signed
  14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji, F, Kansas: Signed
  15. Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams, C, Duke: Signed
  16. Atlanta Hawks: AJ Griffin, F, Duke: Signed
  17. Houston Rockets: Tari Eason, F, LSU: Signed
  18. Chicago Bulls: Dalen Terry, G, Arizona: Signed
  19. Memphis Grizzlies: Jake LaRavia, F, Wake Forest: Signed
  20. San Antonio Spurs: Malaki Branham, G/F, Ohio State: Signed
  21. Denver Nuggets: Christian Braun, G, Kansas: Signed
  22. Utah Jazz: Walker Kessler, C, Auburn: Signed
  23. Memphis Grizzlies: David Roddy, F, Colorado State: Signed
  24. Milwaukee Bucks: MarJon Beauchamp, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  25. San Antonio Spurs: Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame: Signed
  26. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wendell Moore, F, Duke: Signed
  27. Miami Heat: Nikola Jovic, F, Mega Mozzart: Signed
  28. Golden State Warriors: Patrick Baldwin, F, Milwaukee: Signed
  29. Houston Rockets: TyTy Washington, G, Kentucky: Signed
  30. Denver Nuggets: Peyton Watson, F, UCLA: Signed

Second Round:

  1. Indiana Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, G, Gonzaga: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,583,166 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  2. Orlando Magic: Caleb Houstan, F, Michigan: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,207,150 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  3. Toronto Raptors: Christian Koloko, F/C, Arizona: Signed
    • Three-year, $5,239,563 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaylin Williams, C, Arkansas: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,207,150 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  5. Los Angeles Lakers: Max Christie, G, Michigan State: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  6. Detroit Pistons: Gabriele Procida, G, Fortitudo Bologna: Will play overseas
  7. Dallas Mavericks: Jaden Hardy, G, G League Ignite: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed.
  8. Memphis Grizzlies: Kennedy Chandler, G, Tennessee: Signed

    • Four-year, $7,127,014 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  9. Cleveland Cavaliers: Khalifa Diop, C, Gran Canaria: Will play overseas
  10. Charlotte Hornets: Bryce McGowens, G, Nebraska: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  11. New Orleans Pelicans: E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  12. New York Knicks: Trevor Keels, F, Duke: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  13. Los Angeles Clippers: Moussa Diabate, F, Michigan: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  14. Golden State Warriors: Ryan Rollins, G, Toledo: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed.
  15. Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Minott, F, Memphis: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  16. Denver Nuggets: Ismael Kamagate, C, Paris: Will play overseas
  17. Memphis Grizzlies: Vince Williams, F, VCU: Signed
    • Two-way contract (two years).
  18. Indiana Pacers: Kendall Brown, F, Baylor: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  19. Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaiah Mobley, F, USC: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Matteo Spagnolo, G, Cremona: Will play overseas
  21. Atlanta Hawks: Tyrese Martin, F, UConn: Signed

    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. First year partially guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed.
  22. New Orleans Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic, F, Mega Mozzart: Will play overseas
  23. Boston Celtics: JD Davison, G, Alabama: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  24. Washington Wizards: Yannick Nzosa, C, Unicaja Malaga: Will play overseas
  25. Golden State Warriors: Gui Santos, F, Minas: Will play in G League
  26. Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Travers, G/F, Perth Wildcats: Will play overseas
  27. Portland Trail Blazers: Jabari Walker, F, Colorado: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  28. Milwaukee Bucks: Hugo Besson, G, New Zealand Breakers: Will play overseas

Note: The Bucks and Heat forfeited their own second-round picks due to free agency gun-jumping. They would have been No. 54 and No. 55, respectively.

Hoops Rumors’ Free Agent Prediction Contest Leaderboard

Forty of the 50 players who made our initial list of the top NBA free agents of 2022 have already tentatively come off the board. Some of those players picked up options or signed extensions with their old teams; many have reached free agent agreements since Thursday, either with their former team or a new club.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

With just 10 of our top 50 free agents left on the board, our free agent prediction contest is already entering its home stretch. You can check out the leaderboard right here to follow along with the action and see how you’re doing relative to the competition.

Using the leaderboard, you can search for your own name in the contest results. You can also click on anyone’s name to see their individual picks.

A few other things to keep in mind:

  • During the July moratorium, the leaderboard is being updated based on tentative contract agreements. However, until those agreements become official after the moratorium, they won’t be locked in. In other words, if we’d been running this contest back in 2015, when DeAndre Jordan committed to the Mavericks before changing his mind and signing with the Clippers, you wouldn’t have gotten credit for predicting Jordan would sign with Dallas, even if he may have been listed in our leaderboard as a Mav for a few days.
  • If a player exercised his option, his free agency is over. For example, Kyrie Irving will be considered to have “signed” with the Nets even if he’s traded later in the offseason.
  • Ties will be broken based on which entrant picked the higher-ranked free agents more accurately on a cumulative basis. Each free agent will be assigned a point value based on his ranking and the entrant with the lower overall point total would win a tiebreaker. For instance, an entrant who correctly picks the No. 4 and No. 8 free agents’ destinations (12 points) would earn the tiebreaker over an entrant who correctly picks No. 1 and No. 14 (15 points).
  • We will announce the winners on Hoops Rumors once all 50 free agents have signed or on September 27, 2022, whichever comes first. If there are any unsigned players as of September 27, they’ll be excluded from the competition.

You can keep tabs on the leaderboard via the “Hoops Rumors Features” sidebar of our desktop site or the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Checking In On NBA’s Top Remaining Free Agents

Technically, most of this year’s top free agents remain unsigned. Until the moratorium in place at the start of the 2022/23 league year lifts at 11:01 am Central time on July 6, most of them are ineligible to sign their new contracts.

However, within the last 40-ish hours, 40 of the players from our list of 2022’s top 50 free agents have taken themselves off the market by reaching contract agreements with teams around the league.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

While those are just tentative agreements and could still fall apart, that usually doesn’t happen more than once or twice in a given offseason, so it’s safe to pencil those deals in for the time being and assume those free agents are off the board.

So who does that leave? As of Saturday morning, here are the top free agents from our top-50 list (which was last updated on Tuesday) who have yet to agree to new deals:

  1. James Harden, G, Sixers
  2. Deandre Ayton, C, Suns (RFA)
  3. Miles Bridges, F, Hornets (RFA)
  4. Collin Sexton, G, Cavaliers (RFA)
  5. Cody Martin, F, Hornets (RFA)
  6. Caleb Martin, F, Heat (RFA)
  7. Dennis Schröder, G, Rockets
  8. Montrezl Harrell, C, Hornets
  9. Jordan Nwora, F, Bucks (RFA)
  10. T.J. Warren, F, Pacers

Four of our top nine free agents remain on the board, but there are a couple caveats worth considering here. Harden, for instance, is widely expected to remain with the Sixers — it’s just a matter of the two sides figuring out how many years and dollars he’ll get. The two sides are reportedly meeting this weekend to negotiate his new contract.

Bridges’ on-court contributions made him one of our top free agents of this offseason when we published our initial list, but if we were re-ranking the available players today, he would plummet. After being arrested following allegations of felony domestic violence, Bridges was formally charged on Friday, per the Los Angeles Police Department (story via ESPN), and his NBA future is very much up in the air.

Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer wrote on Friday that a long-term deal for Bridges, which appeared to be a formality a few days ago, now appears very unlikely. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link) has sources who believe the Hornets will pull their $7.9MM qualifying offer to Bridges, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 24-year-old is toxic right now, and for good reason.

Of the eight other players listed above, four are restricted free agents, which will reduce their leverage to negotiate favorable multiyear terms, at least to some extent. However, Ayton, in particular, still seems like a good bet to land a lucrative long-term contract.

His situation may be tied to the Kevin Durant trade market — if the Suns can acquire Durant, Ayton could be a key part of the outgoing package in a sign-and-trade, either to Brooklyn or a third team. The Jazz and Pacers are among the teams that have been linked to the former No. 1 overall pick.

It remains unclear which teams might try to force the Cavaliers‘ hand on Sexton. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Cleveland still has about $15MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line. It’s possible the club will be able to bring back Sexton and stay out of the tax if no rival suitors with cap room are prepared to pursue the 23-year-old guard.

Harrell has his own legal issues to deal with, though the marijuana charges he’s facing will presumably be viewed by teams as far less troublesome as Bridges’ charges.

Warren, meanwhile, is a bit of a wild card. On merit alone, he would’ve ranked much higher on our initial list, but the fact that he has essentially missed two full seasons due to injuries made me wary of placing him too high — it seems as though his lengthy layoff may be giving potential suitors pause as well.

The following free agents were noted in the honorable mention section of our top-50 list and aren’t yet spoken for:

Here are our full lists of free agents by position/type and by team.

NBA 2022 Free Agency: Day 2 Recap

The rate of the contract agreements reported on the second day of the NBA’s free agent period slowed down a little after a fast-paced first day on Thursday. Still, we saw another 20-plus free agents come off the board, including one who became the second free agent to receive a maximum-salary commitment this summer.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

It was also an eventful day in non-free agent NBA news, with a three-time Defensive Player of the Year headlining a blockbuster trade agreement and a former No. 1 overall pick nearing a maximum-salary contract extension.

Listed below are the highlights from around the NBA on Friday.


Free agent agreements:

These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these agreements sometime after the moratorium ends on July 6.

Note: Some of these salary figures may include options, incentives, or non-guaranteed money.

  1. Zach LaVine, Bulls agree to five-year, $215.16MM (maximum-salary) contract.
  2. Jusuf Nurkic, Trail Blazers agree to four-year, $70MM contract.
  3. Mitchell Robinson, Knicks agree to four-year, $60MM contract.
  4. Kevon Looney, Warriors agree to three-year, $25.5MM contract.
  5. Ricky Rubio, Cavaliers agree to three-year, $18.4MM contract.
  6. John Wall, Clippers agree to two-year, $13.2MM contract.
  7. Bruce Brown, Nuggets agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
  8. Danilo Gallinari, Celtics agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
  9. Jalen Smith, Pacers agree to two-year, $9.6MM contract.
  10. Donte DiVincenzo, Warriors agree to two-year, $9.3MM contract.
  11. Derrick Jones, Bulls agree to two-year, $6.6MM contract.
  12. Bryn Forbes, Timberwolves agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  13. Aaron Holiday, Hawks agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  14. Damion Lee, Suns agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  15. Robin Lopez, Cavaliers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  16. Raul Neto, Cavaliers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  17. Bol Bol, Magic agree to two-year contract.
  18. Luke Kornet, Celtics agree to two-year contract.
  19. Otto Porter, Raptors agree to two-year contract.
  20. Drew Eubanks, Trail Blazers agree to one-year contract.
  21. Theo Pinson, Mavericks agree to one-year contract.

Trades:

  1. Jazz agree to trade Rudy Gobert to Timberwolves for five players, four first-round picks (three unprotected), and a pick swap.
  2. Pacers agree to trade Malcolm Brogdon to Celtics for five players – including Daniel Theis and Aaron Nesmith – and a 2023 first-round pick (top-12 protected).
  3. Hawks agree to trade Kevin Huerter to Kings for Justin Holiday, Maurice Harkless, and a 2024 first-round pick (top-14 protected).

Other news:

  1. Zion Williamson, Pelicans nearing five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension (expected to include protections related to games played and/or injury).
  2. The Nets are reportedly seeking a “historic haul” for Kevin Durant. Here are the latest rumors.
  3. Nemanja Bjelica agrees to sign two-year, $4MM contract with Turkish team Fenerbahce.

Previously:

Rookie Scale Salaries For 2022 NBA First-Round Picks

With the NBA’s salary cap set at $123,655,000 for the 2022/23 league year, the rookie scale has been set as well. The rookie scale locks in the value of contracts for first-round picks.

In every NBA league year, rookie scale amounts are assigned to each first-round slot, from No. 1 through No. 30. Teams can sign their first-rounders to as little as 80% of that rookie scale amount, or up to 120% of that figure.

While that rule theoretically affords teams some flexibility, first-round picks virtually always sign contracts worth 120% of their rookie scale amount, and unsigned first-rounders have a cap hold worth 120% of their rookie scale amount.

Listed below are the salary figures that represent 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2022’s first-round picks. If a first-round pick signs a rookie scale contract in 2022/23, it will be for the amount below unless he accepts a deal worth less than the maximum allowable 120%. If that happens, we’ll adjust their amounts below.

These salary figures will only apply if the player signs in 2022/23. If a player doesn’t sign an NBA contract this year, his rookie contract will look a little different in future seasons.

Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.

Here’s the 2022 breakdown, via Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom:

Player 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 Total
Paolo Banchero $11,055,120 $11,608,080 $12,160,800 $15,334,769 $50,158,769
Chet Holmgren $9,891,240 $10,386,000 $10,880,640 $13,731,368 $44,889,248
Jabari Smith $8,882,640 $9,326,520 $9,770,880 $12,350,392 $40,330,432
Keegan Murray $8,008,440 $8,409,000 $8,809,560 $11,144,093 $36,371,093
Jaden Ivey $7,252,200 $7,614,480 $7,977,240 $10,107,163 $32,951,083
Bennedict Mathurin $6,586,800 $6,916,080 $7,245,720 $9,187,573 $29,936,173
Shaedon Sharpe $6,012,960 $6,313,800 $6,614,160 $8,399,983 $27,340,903
Dyson Daniels $5,508,600 $5,784,120 $6,059,520 $7,707,709 $25,059,949
Jeremy Sochan $5,063,520 $5,316,960 $5,570,040 $7,096,231 $23,046,751
Johnny Davis $4,810,320 $5,050,800 $5,291,160 $6,746,229 $21,898,509
Ousmane Dieng $4,569,840 $4,798,440 $5,027,040 $6,670,882 $21,166,202
Jalen Williams $4,341,480 $4,558,680 $4,775,760 $6,580,997 $20,256,917
Jalen Duren $4,124,280 $4,330,680 $4,536,840 $6,483,144 $19,474,944
Ochai Agbaji $3,918,360 $4,114,200 $4,310,280 $6,383,525 $18,726,365
Mark Williams $3,722,040 $3,908,160 $4,094,280 $6,276,531 $18,001,011
AJ Griffin $3,536,180 $3,712,920 $3,889,920 $5,967,137 $17,106,157
Tari Eason $3,359,160 $3,527,160 $3,695,160 $5,675,766 $16,257,246
Dalen Terry $3,191,400 $3,350,760 $3,510,480 $5,399,118 $15,451,758
Jake LaRavia $3,047,640 $3,199,920 $3,352,680 $5,163,127 $14,763,367
Malaki Branham $2,925,600 $3,071,880 $3,217,920 $4,962,033 $14,177,433
Christian Braun $2,808,600 $2,949,120 $3,089,640 $4,921,797 $13,769,157
Walker Kessler $2,696,400 $2,831,160 $2,965,920 $4,878,938 $13,372,418
David Roddy $2,588,640 $2,718,240 $2,847,240 $4,831,766 $12,985,886
MarJon Beauchamp $2,420,400 $2,609,400 $2,733,720 $4,781,276 $12,544,796
Blake Wesley $2,385,480 $2,504,640 $2,624,280 $4,726,328 $12,240,728
Wendell Moore $2,306,520 $2,421,720 $2,537,040 $4,574,283 $11,839,563
Nikola Jovic $2,239,920 $2,352,000 $2,464,200 $4,445,417 $11,501,537
Patrick Baldwin $2,226,000 $2,337,720 $2,448,840 $4,420,156 $11,432,716
TyTy Washington $2,210,040 $2,320,440 $2,431,080 $4,388,099 $11,349,659
Peyton Watson $2,193,960 $2,303,520 $2,413,560 $4,356,476 $11,267,516

NBA Minimum Salaries For 2022/23

An NBA team that has spent all its cap space and doesn’t have any of its mid-level or bi-annual exception available still always has the ability to sign a player to a minimum-salary contract, unless that club is right up against its hard cap.

Teams with cap room or with access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception will have a little more flexibility to sign players to longer-term minimum-salary contracts. However, teams without cap room and without any other exceptions on hand can still use the minimum salary exception to add as many players as roster limits and the hard cap allow, for contracts of up to two years. Unlike other exceptions, such as the mid-level or the bi-annual, the minimum salary exception can be used multiple times.

[RELATED: Values of 2022/23 mid-level, bi-annual exceptions]

Undrafted free agents and second-round picks are often recipients of minimum-salary contracts, but there are plenty of veterans who end up settling for the minimum too. Because a player’s minimum salary is determined by how much NBA experience he has, many veterans will earn more than twice as much money as a rookie will in 2022/23 on a minimum-salary contract.

Listed below are 2022/23’s minimum salary figures, sorted by years of NBA experience. If a player spent any time on an NBA club’s active regular season roster in a given season, he earned one year of experience. So any player with zero years of experience has not yet made his NBA debut.

These figures represent a 10% increase on last season’s figures, since that’s the amount of the NBA’s salary cap increase for 2022/23.

Here’s the full breakdown:

Years of Experience Salary
0 $1,017,781
1 $1,637,966
2 $1,836,090
3 $1,902,133
4 $1,968,175
5 $2,133,278
6 $2,298,385
7 $2,463,490
8 $2,628,597
9 $2,641,682
10+ $2,905,851

Because the NBA doesn’t want teams to avoid signing veteran players in favor of cheaper, younger players, the league reimburses clubs who sign veterans with three or more years of experience to one-year, minimum-salary contracts. Those deals will only count against the cap – and against a team’s bank balance – for $1,836,090, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.

For instance, DeAndre Jordan, who has 14 seasons of NBA experience, has signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Nuggets, who will only be charged $1,836,090 for Jordan’s contract. He’ll earn $2,905,851, but the NBA will make up the difference. This only applies to one-year contracts, rather than multiyear deals.

If a player signs a minimum-salary contract after the regular season begins, he’ll earn a prorated portion of the amount listed above.

Those figures listed above also only apply to players who are signing new contracts in 2022/23. Players who are in the second, third, or fourth year of a minimum-salary deal will be earning a slightly different predetermined amount.

For example, a player like Knicks guard Miles McBride – who signed a minimum-salary contract last offseason and now has one year of NBA experience – will earn a $1,563,518 salary in the second year of his contract, shy of the $1,637,966 he would receive if he were signing a new minimum deal this fall. That’s because his second-year salary is based on a 5% raise over last season’s minimum salary for a player with one year of experience, whereas the cap rose by 10%.

Here’s what multiyear minimum-salary contracts signed in 2022/23 will look like:

Experience
2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26
0 $1,017,781 $1,719,864 $2,019,699 $2,187,451
1 $1,637,966 $1,927,896 $2,092,344 $2,263,403
2 $1,836,090 $1,997,238 $2,164,993 $2,453,270
3 $1,902,133 $2,066,585 $2,346,606 $2,643,140
4 $1,968,175 $2,239,943 $2,528,221 $2,833,013
5 $2,133,278 $2,413,304 $2,709,839 $3,022,889
6 $2,298,385 $2,586,665 $2,891,458 $3,037,934
7 $2,463,490 $2,760,026 $2,905,850 $3,341,730
8 $2,628,597 $2,773,765 $3,196,438 $3,341,730
9 $2,641,682 $3,051,144 $3,196,438 $3,341,730
10+ $2,905,851 $3,051,144 $3,196,438 $3,341,730

Technically, a minimum-salary contract could cover five years for a player with full Bird rights, but in actuality, that never happens. While some second-round picks and undrafted free agents will sign three- or four-year minimum-salary contracts, a minimum deal exceeding two years is rare for a player with more than a year or two of NBA experience under his belt.


Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

NBA Maximum Salaries For 2022/23

Now that the NBA has set its salary cap for the 2022/23 league year at $123,655,000, we have a clear idea of what maximum-salary contracts will look like for the coming season.

Listed below are the maximum-salary contracts for players signing contracts that start in 2022/23.

The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous team can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.

These figures will apply to a number of players who signed maximum-salary contract extensions that will go into effect in 2022/23: Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter Jr. They’ll also apply to anyone who signs a maximum-salary contract as a free agent this offseason — Bradley Beal, for instance.

A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players.

In the charts below, the “6 years or less” column details the maximum contracts for players like Gilgeous-Alexander and Porter, as well as what a free agent like Deandre Ayton is eligible for; the “7-9 years” column applies to free agents like Zach LaVine and to players who qualified for a Rose Rule rookie scale extension, such as Doncic and Young; and the “10+ years” column applies to the league’s most experienced vets, including Beal, or those who qualified for the super-max.

Here are the maximum salary figures for 2022/23:


A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):

Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years
2022/23 $30,913,750 $37,096,500 $43,279,250
2023/24 $33,386,850 $40,064,220 $46,741,590
2024/25 $35,859,950 $43,031,940 $50,203,930
2025/26 $38,333,050 $45,999,660 $53,666,270
2026/27 $40,806,150 $48,967,380 $57,128,610
Total $179,299,750 $215,159,700 $251,019,650

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years
2022/23 $30,913,750 $37,096,500 $43,279,250
2023/24 $32,459,438 $38,951,325 $45,443,213
2024/25 $34,005,126 $40,806,150 $47,607,176
2025/26 $35,550,814 $42,660,975 $49,771,139
Total $132,929,128 $159,514,950 $186,100,778

It’s worth noting that none of the maximum-salary figures listed above will apply to extension-eligible players whose new contracts will start in 2023/24.

This group includes players like Nikola Jokic and Ja Morant, who are on track to sign max extensions with the Nuggets and Grizzlies, respectively. It also includes players who signed maximum-salary extensions in previous years that will begin in ’23/24, including Joel Embiid.

The exact value of those players’ contracts will depend on where the cap lands for 2023/24. The NBA has announced that the cap for ’23/24 is projected to come in at $133MM, but there’s plenty of time for that estimate to fluctuate between now and next summer.

Values Of 2022/23 Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exceptions

The salary cap for the 2022/23 NBA league year has officially been set, with the league announcing that the cap will be $123,655,000, a 10% increase on last year’s number.

Under the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the values of the mid-level, room, and bi-annual exceptions are tied to the percentage that the salary cap shifts in a given year. Because the cap figure for 2022/23 increased by 10%, the values of the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions will increase by the same amount.

Listed below are the maximum annual and total values of each of these exceptions, along with a brief explanation of how they work and which teams will have access to them.


Mid-Level Exception (Non-Taxpayer):

Year Salary
2022/23 $10,490,000
2023/24 $11,014,500
2024/25 $11,539,000
2025/26 $12,063,500
Total $45,107,000

The non-taxpayer mid-level exception is the primary tool available for over-the-cap teams to add free agents. As long as a team hasn’t dipped below the cap to use cap space and doesn’t go over the tax apron ($156.98MM) at all, it can use this MLE, which runs for up to four years with 5% annual raises.


Mid-Level Exception (Taxpayer):

Year Salary
2022/23 $6,479,000
2023/24 $6,802,950
2024/25 $7,126,900
Total $20,408,850

If an over-the-cap team currently projects to be a taxpayer or expects to move into tax territory later in the 2022/23 season, it will have access to this smaller mid-level exception for taxpaying teams.

If a team uses more than $6,479,000 of its mid-level exception, it is forbidden from surpassing the tax apron at any time during the league year. So even if a team isn’t above the apron when it uses its MLE, it might make sense to play it safe by avoiding using the full MLE and imposing a hard cap.

The taxpayer MLE can be used to sign a player for up to three years, with 5% annual raises.


Room Exception:

Year Salary
2022/23 $5,401,000
2023/24 $5,671,050
Total $11,072,050

Although this is also a mid-level exception of sorts, it’s colloquially known as the “room” exception, since it’s only available to teams that go below the cap and use their cap room.

If a club goes under the cap, it loses its full mid-level exception, but gets this smaller room exception, which allows the team to go over the cap to sign a player once the team has used up all its cap space. It can be used to sign players for up to two years, with a 5% raise for the second season.


Bi-Annual Exception:

Year Salary
2022/23 $4,105,000
2023/24 $4,310,250
Total $8,415,250

The bi-annual exception, as its name suggests, is only available to teams once every two years. Of the NBA’s 30 clubs, only two – the Mavericks and Bullsused it in 2021/22, so they won’t have access to it in 2022/23. The league’s other 28 teams could theoretically use it this season.

Still, even if a team didn’t use its BAE in ’21/22, that club doesn’t necessarily have access to it for the coming year. As is the case with the non-taxpayer MLE, this exception disappears once a team goes under the cap to use room. It’s also not available to teams over the tax apron — using the BAE creates a hard cap at the apron.

The BAE can be used to sign players for up to two years, with a 5% raise after year one.


Note: Be sure to check out our Hoops Rumors Glossary for more information on the mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception.

NBA 2022 Free Agency: Day 1 Recap

It was a very busy first day of NBA free agency on Thursday. By our count, a total of 38 free agents have agreed to new deals since the negotiating period officially began at 5:00 pm CT, while seven more players either signed or agreed to contract extensions.

However, all of those deals were overshadowed by the drama in Brooklyn, where Kevin Durant reportedly asked the Nets to trade him. With Durant’s situation unresolved, we could be in for some serious fireworks in the coming days.

In the meantime, listed below are all the free agent agreements, contract extensions, trades, and other notable news items from the first day of free agency.


Free agent agreements:

These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these agreements sometime after the moratorium ends on July 6.

Note: Some of these salary figures may include options, incentives, or non-guaranteed money.

  1. Bradley Beal, Wizards agree to five-year, $251.02MM (maximum-salary) contract.
  2. Jalen Brunson, Knicks agree to four-year, $104MM contract.
  3. Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers agree to four-year, $100MM contract.
  4. Luguentz Dort, Thunder agree to five-year, $87.5MM contract.
  5. Bobby Portis, Bucks agree to four-year, $48.58MM contract.
  6. Marvin Bagley III, Pistons agree to three-year, $37MM contract.
  7. Chris Boucher, Raptors agree to three-year, $35.25MM contract.
  8. P.J. Tucker, Sixers agree to three-year, $33.04MM contract.
  9. Tyus Jones, Grizzlies agree to two-year, $30MM contract.
  10. Gary Payton II, Trail Blazers finalizing three-year, $28MM contract.
  11. Jae’Sean Tate, Rockets agree to three-year, $22.1MM contract.
  12. Nicolas Batum, Clippers agree to two-year, $22MM contract.
  13. Mohamed Bamba, Magic agree to two-year, $21MM contract.
  14. JaVale McGee, Mavericks agree to three-year, $20.1MM contract.
  15. Nic Claxton, Nets agree to two-year, $20MM contract.
  16. Malik Monk, Kings agree to two-year, $19MM contract.
  17. Kyle Anderson, Timberwolves agree to two-year, $18MM contract.
  18. Isaiah Hartenstein, Knicks agree to two-year, $16.7MM contract.
  19. Delon Wright, Wizards agree to two-year, $16MM contract.
  20. Patty Mills, Nets agree to two-year, $14.49MM contract.
  21. Victor Oladipo, Heat agree to one-year, $11MM contract.
  22. Amir Coffey, Clippers agree to three-year, $11MM contract.
  23. Dewayne Dedmon, Heat agree to two-year, $9MM contract.
  24. Danuel House, Sixers agree to two-year, $8.42MM contract.
  25. Andre Drummond, Bulls agree to two-year, $6.6MM contract.
  26. Joe Ingles, Bucks agree to one-year, $6.48MM contract.
  27. Lonnie Walker, Lakers agree to one-year, $6.48MM contract.
  28. Kevin Knox, Pistons agree to two-year, $6MM contract.
  29. Jevon Carter, Bucks agree to two-year, $4.6MM contract.
  30. Damian Jones, Lakers agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
  31. Trevelin Queen, Sixers agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
  32. Troy Brown, Lakers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  33. DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  34. Mike Muscala, Thunder agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  35. Juan Toscano-Anderson, Lakers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  36. Anthony Gill, Wizards agree to two-year contract.
  37. Davon Reed, Nuggets agree to two-year contract.
  38. Wesley Matthews, Bucks agree to one-year contract.

Contract extensions:

  1. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets agree to five-year, super-max veteran extension.
  2. Devin Booker, Suns agree to four-year, super-max veteran extension.
  3. Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves agree to four-year, super-max veteran extension.
  4. Ja Morant, Grizzlies agree to five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension.
  5. Gary Harris, Magic officially complete two-year, $26MM veteran extension.
  6. Taurean Prince, Timberwolves officially complete two-year, $16MM veteran extension.
  7. Thaddeus Young, Raptors officially complete two-year, $16MM veteran extension.

Trades:

  1. The Jazz traded Royce O’Neale to the Nets in exchange for either the Rockets’, Nets’, or Sixers’ 2023 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
  2. The Hawks and Spurs officially completed their trade sending Dejounte Murray and Jock Landale to Atlanta for Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks and a first-round pick swap. Gallinari is expected to be waived.

Other news:

  1. The Pistons and Kemba Walker are finalizing a buyout agreement.
  2. The Jazz waived Juancho Hernangomez.
  3. Former Sixers head coach Brett Brown rejoined Gregg Popovich‘s Spurs staff as an assistant.

As active as the first day of free agency was, several of this year’s top free agents don’t yet have deals in place, including Zach LaVine, James Harden, and Deandre Ayton. Our full free agent list is here.