New deals handed out this summer to 2011 lottery picks ranged in value all the way from the minimum salary to the maximum. Rookie scale contracts signed in 2011 ran to term in June, so many of the lottery picks from that year will start this season on new deals. Some, including 2011 No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving, locked in their second NBA deals early, agreeing to extensions last year. Others, like Jimmer Fredette, saw the team options on their rookie scale extensions go unexercised, meaning they hit free agency before the rest of the 2011 lottery class. That wasn’t a lucrative proposition for Fredette, who’s followed up his rookie scale contract with back-to-back minimum-salary deals.
Jonas Valanciunas remained overseas for a year after the Raptors drafted him, so his rookie scale contract still has a year left on it. However, he already has new terms in place, having signed a four-year, $64MM extension just last week. Tristan Thompson is the only 2011 lottery pick who’s currently a free agent, with everything from his nearly $6,778MM qualifying offer to the max seemingly in play.
Here’s a look at how each 2011 lottery pick has followed up on his rookie scale contract:
- Kyrie Irving — signed five-year max extension with Cavaliers in 2014.
- Derrick Williams — signed two-year, $8.998MM deal with Knicks in July.
- Enes Kanter — signed four-year max offer sheet with Blazers in July; Thunder matched.
- Tristan Thompson — remains an restricted free agent.
- Jonas Valanciunas — signed four-year, $64MM extension with Raptors last week.
- Jan Vesely — signed with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker in 2014.
- Bismack Biyombo — signed two-year deal worth nearly $5.755MM with Raptors last month.
- Brandon Knight — signed five-year, $70MM deal with Suns last month.
- Kemba Walker — signed four-year, $48MM extension with Hornets in 2014.
- Jimmer Fredette — signed one-year, minimum-salary deal with Pelicans in 2014; signed one-year, minimum-salary deal with Spurs in July.
- Klay Thompson — signed four-year, $68.979MM extension with Warriors in 2014.
- Alec Burks — signed four-year, $42MM extension with Jazz in 2014.
- Markieff Morris — signed four year, $32MM extension with Suns in 2015.
- Marcus Morris — signed four-year, $20MM extension with Suns in 2014; traded to Pistons last month.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Which of the new contracts for 2011 lottery picks surprised you the most? Leave a comment to tell us.
i could have sworn thompson was a restricted FA
He is! I just put the “un” there by mistake, but it’s gone now.
Biyombo is kind of surprising. I would have pegged him to get the deal that Derrick Williams received if not more. Toronto has a bargain on its hand if he can make the rotation.
The Raptors could use a bargain deal or two, I think. Still not sold on that DeMarre Carroll deal, but Carroll does have a history of outperforming expectations, so we’ll see.