2015 Draft-And-Stash Signees

Free agent signees, trade acquisitions, and signees from last month’s draft are the most common additions to NBA rosters this month. However, a handful of players have come via the draft-and-stash route, as teams have finally brought aboard players drafted in previous years. More such signees figure to come as the offseason continues, with the Thunder reportedly expected to sign Josh Huestis, who was last year’s 29th overall pick, and rumors that the Nets are talking to the Cavs about Sasha Kaun, still who’s unsigned from the 2008 draft. Other draft-and-stash players making positive impressions in summer league, heightening the chances that they sign NBA deals, too.

While we wait for more, here’s a look at the draft-and-stash signees so far this month, categorized by team:

Updated 10-1-15

Cavaliers

  • Sasha Kaun (drafted 56th overall in 2008): The 6’11” center finally signed an NBA deal, inking with the Cavs on a two-year contract worth $2,609,420 via the taxpayer’s mid-level exception. The Russian who played college ball at Kansas finished his tenure with CSKA Moscow in 2014/15.

Hawks

Jazz

Knicks

  • Thanasis Antetokounmpo (drafted 51st overall in 2014): The Knicks signed the 6’6″ small forward for two years at the minimum salary with a $75K partial guarantee for this season. Antetokounmpo spent 2014/15 with New York’s D-League affiliate.

Nuggets

Sixers

  • Jordan McRae (drafted 58th overall in 2014): The 6’5″ shooting guard signed his required tender with the Sixers. That means he took a one-year deal for the minimum salary without any guaranteed money. He split 2014/15 between Melbourne of Australia and Philadelphia’s D-League affiliate.

Spurs

  • Deshaun Thomas (drafted 58th overall in 2013): Just like McRae, Thomas is a former No. 58 pick who signed his required tender, as he put pen to paper on a deal with the Spurs that covers one year at the minimum salary without a guarantee, according to terms that Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders lists. He spent the past season with Barcelona of Spain.

Thunder

  • Josh Huestis (drafted 29th overall in 2014): Huestis and the Thunder made an unprecedented pact before the 2014 draft: The Thunder would take Huestis, who wasn’t widely considered a first-round prospect, at No. 29 overall, and he would play for Oklahoma City’s D-League team instead of signing a rookie scale contract last year. The 6’7″ small forward from Stanford waited his turn, played for the D-League Oklahoma City Blue, and finally signed a rookie scale contract this summer. He’s set to make nearly $5.818MM over four years.

Timberwolves

  • Nemanja Bjelica (drafted 35th overall in 2010): The reigning Euroleague MVP signed a deal reportedly worth $11.7MM over three years, a value that indicates the Timberwolves used part of their mid-level exception. Bjelica, a 6’10” forward, had been playing for Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey.
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