The fate of Tony Wroten‘s rookie scale contract hangs in the balance today and Saturday, the two days that NBA teams have to consider claiming that deal off waivers from the Sixers, who released him Thursday. Any team that submits a claim by 4:00pm Central time Saturday would be responsible for his $2,179,353 salary, but that team would have the ability to match competing bids for him in restricted free agency this summer. Few midseason signees warrant more than the minimum salary, so if Wroten clears waivers, he’s liable to come more cheaply. However, if he only signs for the rest of the season, he’d be set for unrestricted free agency, not restricted free agency.
In any case, Wroten, the 25th overall pick from 2012, would become the 11th first-round pick from that year whose rookie scale contract didn’t run to term if he clears waivers. Here’s a look at the others, a group that includes three lottery picks:
- Thomas Robinson (No. 5) — The Trail Blazers declined his fourth-year rookie scale option in October 2014. They later traded him to the Nuggets, who waived him, but the Sixers claimed him off waivers, so he remained on his rookie scale contract until the end of last season. He’s now on a two-year, minimum-salary deal with the Nets.
- Austin Rivers (No. 10) — The Pelicans declined his fourth-year rookie scale option in October 2014. They later traded him to the Celtics, who flipped him to the Clippers. Now he’s on a two-year, $6.455MM deal with the Clippers that pays him a salary this season that’s exactly what he would have made if the Pelicans had picked up his option.
- Kendall Marshall (No. 13) — The Wizards waived his rookie scale contract in October 2013 soon after they traded with the Suns for him. He’s now on a four-year, $8MM deal with the Sixers.
- Royce White (No. 16) — The Sixers waived his rookie scale contract in October 2013 a few months after acquiring him in a trade with the Rockets. He’s now out of the NBA.
- Fab Melo (No. 22) — The Grizzlies waived his rookie scale contract in August 2013 shortly after acquiring him via trade from the Celtics. He’s now out of the NBA.
- John Jenkins (No. 23) — The Hawks declined his fourth-year rookie scale option in October 2014. He’s now on a three-year, minimum-salary deal with the Mavericks.
- Jared Cunningham (No. 24) — The Hawks declined his third-year rookie scale option in October 2013 and waived his rookie scale contract in February 2014. He’s now on a one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Cavaliers.
- Arnett Moultrie (No. 27) — The Knicks waived his rookie scale contract in October 2014, shortly after acquiring him in a trade with the Sixers. He’s now out of the NBA.
- Perry Jones III (No. 28) — The Celtics waived his rookie scale contract in October 2015, a few months after acquiring him in a trade with the Thunder. He’s now out of the NBA.
- Marquis Teague (No. 29) — The Sixers waived his rookie scale contract in October 2014, shortly after acquiring him in a trade with the Nets. He’s now out of the NBA.
The other 2012 first-rounders are either in the final seasons of their rookie scale contracts or signed extensions this past offseason.
Wroten is good enough for a claim
Perry Jones will get signed by the end of the year.