Rookie Scale Salaries For 2019 First-Round Picks

With the NBA’s salary cap set at $109,140,000 for the 2019/20 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, via Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights and RealGM, are the salary figures that represent 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2019’s first-round picks. Players will sign for these amounts unless they accept a deal worth less than the maximum allowable 120%, which hasn’t happened for several years. Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.

Here’s the 2019 breakdown:

Player 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 Total
Zion Williamson $9,757,440 $10,245,480 $10,733,400 $13,534,817 $44,271,137
Ja Morant $8,730,240 $9,166,800 $9,603,360 $12,119,440 $39,619,840
R.J. Barrett $7,839,960 $8,231,760 $8,623,920 $10,900,635 $35,596,275
De’Andre Hunter $7,068,360 $7,422,000 $7,775,400 $9,835,881 $32,101,641
Darius Garland $6,400,920 $6,720,720 $7,040,880 $8,920,795 $29,083,315
Jarrett Culver $5,813,640 $6,104,280 $6,395,160 $8,109,063 $26,422,143
Coby White $5,307,120 $5,572,680 $5,837,760 $7,413,955 $24,131,515
Jaxson Hayes $4,862,040 $5,105,160 $5,348,280 $6,803,012 $22,118,492
Rui Hachimura $4,469,160 $4,692,840 $4,916,160 $6,263,188 $20,341,348
Cam Reddish $4,245,720 $4,458,000 $4,670,160 $5,954,454 $19,328,334
Cameron Johnson $4,033,440 $4,235,160 $4,437,000 $5,887,899 $18,593,499
PJ Washington $3,831,840 $4,023,600 $4,215,120 $5,808,435 $17,878,995
Tyler Herro $3,640,200 $3,822,240 $4,004,280 $5,722,116 $17,188,836
Romeo Langford $3,458,400 $3,631,200 $3,804,360 $5,634,257 $16,528,217
Sekou Doumbouya $3,285,120 $3,449,400 $3,613,680 $5,539,771 $15,887,971
Chuma Okeke * $3,121,080 $3,277,080 $3,433,320 $5,266,713 $15,098,193
Nickeil Alexander-
Walker
$2,964,840 $3,113,160 $3,261,480 $5,009,633 $14,349,113
Goga Bitadze $2,816,760 $2,957,520 $3,098,400 $4,765,339 $13,638,019
Luka Samanic $2,689,920 $2,824,320 $2,959,080 $4,556,983 $13,030,303
Matisse Thybulle $2,582,160 $2,711,280 $2,840,160 $4,379,527 $12,513,127
Brandon Clarke $2,478,840 $2,602,920 $2,726,880 $4,343,920 $12,152,560
Grant Williams $2,379,840 $2,498,760 $2,617,800 $4,306,281 $11,802,681
Darius Bazley $2,284,800 $2,399,160 $2,513,040 $4,264,629 $11,461,629
Ty Jerome $2,193,480 $2,303,040 $2,412,840 $4,220,057 $11,129,417
Nassir Little $2,105,520 $2,210,640 $2,316,240 $4,171,548 $10,803,948
Dylan Windler $2,035,800 $2,137,440 $2,239,200 $4,037,278 $10,449,718
Mfiondu Kabengele $1,977,000 $2,075,880 $2,174,880 $3,923,484 $10,151,244
Jordan Poole $1,964,760 $2,063,280 $2,161,440 $3,901,399 $10,090,879
Keldon Johnson $1,950,600 $2,048,040 $2,145,720 $3,873,025 $10,017,385
Kevin Porter Jr. * $1,290,960 $1,717,981 $1,782,621 $3,217,631 $8,009,193

* Okeke won’t sign his rookie contract until 2020/21.

* Porter will earn 80% of the rookie scale in 2019/20 and less than 120% of the rookie scale in future seasons.

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