When the NBA’s 2020/21 league year begins in November, players eligible for free agency will be able to begin negotiating and reaching contract agreements with suitors. In addition to those free agents, another group of players will also become eligible to sign new deals.
For players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts, the first day of the new league year (November 21) is the first day they can agree to rookie scale extensions. Those players, who are almost exclusively 2017 first-round selections, will have until December 21, the day before the 2020/21 regular season starts, to finalize long-term agreements with their current teams.
Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run for up to four – or five – years, with those contracts taking effect beginning in 2021/22. If they don’t sign extensions during the coming offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2021.
A year ago, nine players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new deals between July 1 and the start of the season. That number was a little higher than usual, likely because few teams projected to have significant cap room available in 2020. Still, we should have at least that many viable candidates for rookie scale extensions this time around, even if that doesn’t mean they’ll all sign new contracts.
Here are the players who will be eligible to sign rookie scale extensions during the 2020 offseason:
- Bam Adebayo (Heat): Extended
- Jarrett Allen (Nets)
- OG Anunoby (Raptors): Extended
- Lonzo Ball (Pelicans)
- Tony Bradley (Sixers)
- John Collins (Hawks)
- Zach Collins (Trail Blazers)
- Terrance Ferguson (Sixers)
- De’Aaron Fox (Kings): Extended
- Markelle Fultz (Magic): Extended
- Josh Hart (Pelicans)
- Jonathan Isaac (Magic): Extended
- Justin Jackson (Thunder)
- Luke Kennard (Clippers): Extended
- Kyle Kuzma (Lakers): Extended
- T.J. Leaf (Thunder)
- Lauri Markkanen (Bulls)
- Donovan Mitchell (Jazz): Extended
- Malik Monk (Hornets)
- Frank Ntilikina (Knicks)
- Dennis Smith Jr. (Knicks)
- Jayson Tatum (Celtics): Extended
- Derrick White (Spurs): Extended
- D.J. Wilson (Bucks)
The following players were either selected in the first round of the 2017 draft or signed their rookie scale contracts in ’17 along with the players listed above. However, they aren’t eligible for rookie scale extensions this year for the reasons noted:
- Harry Giles: Fourth-year option declined by Kings in 2019.
- Josh Jackson: Fourth-year option declined by Grizzlies in 2019.
- Tyler Lydon: Third-year option declined by Nuggets in 2018.
- Anzejs Pasecniks: Never signed rookie scale contract; rights renounced by Sixers in 2019.
- Justin Patton: Third-year option declined by Timberwolves in 2018.
- Caleb Swanigan: Fourth-year option declined by Kings in 2019.
- Guerschon Yabusele: Waived by Celtics in 2019.
- Ante Zizic: Fourth-year option declined by Cavaliers in 2019.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sekou Doumbouya for Derrick White. Who says no?
Pistons are really high on Sekoyu, they think he can be the next Giannas (hahahah).
Sekoyu is only 19 and Derrick is 25.. so there’s that.
I also think the pistons having a top draft pick this year wouldn’t make that move knowing if they want a guard they can just take one in the draft.
Pistons says no
One thousand players can be like Gianni, but Giannis (Giannakis) is the one in one thousand. So your hypothesis is based on a possible pistons illusion. I agree that Sekou is still a kid and there lies his value (upside), otherwise they wouldn’t be able to trade for such a good young and playoff ready player like DW. At last and not least I think the pistons need more than one (combo) guard at this point. White would be perfect ,as a player and as a mentor, alongside Killian Hays (that’s my illusion and it’s an illusion mostly because Spurs don’t want to trade Derrick)
I never said he will be Giannas, I think it’s funny how the pistons think they can turn him into Giannas.
Pistons are just very high on Sekoyu and won’t be letting him go unless it’s for a great return.
As for a mentor PG they still have DRose on the roster I think he can play that role.
I just definitely don’t see this grad happening
Fair, thanx for sharing your thoughts with me
I’m wondering how Pat Riley and the Heat navigate this situation with Bam. Love Bam, hope he is a Heat lifer, but I usually wouldnt advocate for paying a big more than $14-16 million in today’s NBA, with the exception of very few guys. Bam has the potential to be on that list, but it’s still hard to say they should give him something in the near max range. He is arguably the most important part of this team, as it currently looks, so it’s not an easy situation
I believe the versatility Bam offers warrants that type of extension. He’s not a traditional “caveman” big like Drummond. His ceiling is closer to someone like Jokic
I would agree with that. For team success though, I wonder what the line is for the Heat and Bam.
For me, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, and KAT are the only guys I have in that definitive list of bigs that should be paid in that near max-max range, and then there are like 3 or 4 other guys that i would say are borderline in that area underneath that, like Jokic, Marc Gasol (probably too old at this point), Horford (too old at this point though), Steven Adams, Myles Turner, and Porzingis if he plays the 5…you could put
I feel like Bam could be in that first group, as he continues to improve, especially if his jumpshot keeps getting better, but he could be in that 2nd group, and most of those guys are probably overpaid, which is hurtful when trying to build a championship roster. It’s hard to allocate certain money to the 5 spot, in today’s NBA, especially when also considering still needing size to backup a guy like Bam and help defend the big 5s in the post for 8-12 minutes a game
Kyle Kuzma to the Nets
Jarrett Allen to the Spurs
Derrick White to the Lakers
Nets give the starting centre spot to DeAndre Jordan and get another decent scorer in Kuzma.
Spurs swap out a 25 year old back up PG for a young and very solid centre.
Lakers swap out an inconsistent back up PF for Derrick White a very consistent and balanced PG who can contribute to a contender.
If I’m the Lakers, i just take Allen, hes a better player and a better ttade asset than white
But Lakers don’t need Allen they have McGee and Howard both on the vets min who play a similar game and give similar production.
Jarrett Allen is going to want to sign a deal for some decent money and the Lakers probably don’t want to spend money on something they already have.
Derrick White is like a young Avery Bradley.
He can play PG or SG, can play make or shoot and is good defensively. Obviously Bradley is past his best now but White could continue to improve and be a decent player on a championship team. You could start White at PG and move Bron to SF, or you could have White leading a second unit.
If you are the Lakers you already know that you don’t get any young quality player from the Spurs via trade (even via 3team , 5team, 10team trade)
Why don’t you need a young player from the Spurs???
White would be perfect for playing with Green Bron and AD