The NBA’s one-year deadline for rookie contract extensions ended on Monday, officially ending the extension window for 2023 first-round picks.
A total of seven players signed rookie scale extensions by Monday’s deadline at 5:00 PM Central Time, which represents a step down from the numbers we’ve seen in recent years. In each of the seven offseasons from 2019-2025, at least nine players completed rookie-scale extensions, making this year’s total the lowest since 2018, when just five eligible players signed new deals.
Here are the total results for the last decade:
Here’s a breakdown of the seven rookie scale extensions signed before this year’s deadline, sorted by total value.
Note: The projected value of the salary cap extension is based on a salary cap of $174 million for 2027/2028. If the limit is lower or higher than this, the value of the maximum trade will change as it is determined by a percentage of the limit.
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs): five years, maximum salary (history). Estimated cost $255,200,000. Includes fifth year player option and trade (15%).
- Brandon Miller (Hornets): five years, $208,800,000 (history).
- Note: Exact details are yet to be confirmed.
- Amin Thompson (Rockets): Five years, $208,000,000 (history). Includes trade kicker (10%).
- Keyonte George (Jazz): Five years, $155,000,000 (history). Includes $2,500,000 in incentives.
- Ausar Thompson (Pistons): Five years, $155,000,000 (history).
- Cason Wallace (Thunder): Five years, $135,000,000 (history). Includes $4,000,000 in incentives.
- Note: Exact details are yet to be confirmed.
- Brandin underground (Warriors): Five years, $110,000,000 (history). Includes mutual fifth-year option and trade kicker (less than $1 million or 15%).
Notably, the fact that Wembanyama was the only player to sign a maximum salary agreement means that 2026 is the first year since 2016 that we haven’t seen multiple players receive a maximum extension on the rookie scale. From 2017-2025, two, three or four players were signed for the full maximum.
You could argue that Wembanyama was the only player from the 2023 draft who actually to earn maximum salary commitment for three seasons. None of the other 2023 first-rounders extended this season came close to making an All-Star or All-NBA team.
However, rising stars like Miller and Amen Thompson have been max salary extension candidates in the past. The fact that they ended up well below that threshold while Wembanyama chose to opt out The rule of roses wording that would increase the projected value of his extension to $306 million if he earns All-NBA honors next season — certainly could be interpreted as a sign that teams are wary of apron restrictions and are making efforts to negotiate more aggressively than before.
It’s also interesting that all seven players who signed rookie-level extensions this year were given fully guaranteed five-year contracts. Both Vembanyama and Podzemski’s deals technically include fifth-year options, but both hold player options, so they’re sure to be paid in full unless they opt out of negotiating new deals in 2031 (Podzemski’s deal also includes a fifth-year team option, so either he or Warriors could participate).
While most rookie-scale extensions are longer-term deals, we usually see at least a few four-year contracts and sometimes even some three-year deals — and often at least one or two of those extensions will include team options in the final season.
Finally, it’s worth noting that while incentives have fallen out of favor almost entirely over the past couple of years due to their impact on cap calculations (even incentives that are deemed unlikely count toward team salary), both the Jazz and Thunder were willing to include them in their George and Wallace deals. That’s a little surprising, especially for an Oklahoma City team that plans to work on a second tax haven in 2027/28 and beyond.
A total of 23 players entered the offseason eligible for the rookie scale expansion. Seven signed extensions and two – Cam Whitmore and Jordan Hawkins – have been waived, so there are 14 players who have not reached agreements and will enter contract years.
Here is the list of players who are now eligible to become restricted free agents in the 2027 offseason, provided they finish their current deals:
Several players in that group, like Dick, Hendricks, Murray and Sasser, have never looked like serious extension candidates and will need to prove themselves worthy of qualifying offers in 2027 this season. That said, there are some intriguing names on that list, including several who could command big paydays next offseason if they have a strong contract.
Black and Jaques strike me as the safest bets for lucrative contracts in 2027, but Coulibaly, Henderson and Lively are some who could do well next summer if they can get or stay healthy and hit the ground running in 2026/27. All three missed much of last season with injuries, while Lively is still recovering from foot surgery.
Sensabaugh will have to fight for playing time in an increasingly crowded rotation in Utah, while Strother’s push for a big one-year contract will be delayed as he recovers from dislocation of the knee joint.
In Indiana, Sheppard and Walker will look to show they can successfully handle complementary roles, though it remains to be seen how much flexibility the Pacers will have to re-sign either player next summer.
As for Clowney, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Link to Twitter) suggested today that the Nets were “encouraged by his combination of length, shooting and ability to get to the foul line.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that there were seven players selected in the first round of the 2022 draft who, for various reasons, were not eligible for a rookie extension at all this offseason. These players are as follows:
Of those seven players, only Prosper is currently on a standard NBA contract — he spent a modest season with Memphis in 2025/26, getting upgraded from a two-way contract to a two-year, minimum-salary deal.
Brown and Howard are currently under two-way contracts with the Pacers and Mavericks, respectively, while Smith plays for Real Madrid. Bufkin was in camp with the Pelicans but was waived Saturday, while Whitehead recently signed off waivers from the Thunder and plans to open the season with Oklahoma City’s G-League affiliate. Hood-Shiffino, meanwhile, has been out of the NBA since the end of the 2024-25 season on a two-way deal with Philadelphia.
