{"id":740124,"date":"2026-07-03T03:25:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T03:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/740124\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T03:25:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T03:25:09","slug":"rookie-scale-salaries-for-2026-nba-first-round-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/740124\/","title":{"rendered":"Rookie Scale Salaries For 2026 NBA First-Round Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the NBA\u2019s salary cap set at $164,961,000<\/a> for the 2026\/27 league year, the rookie scale<\/a> has been set as well. The rookie scale locks in the value of contracts for first-round picks.<\/p>\n

\"\"In each 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.<\/p>\n

While that rule theoretically affords teams some flexibility, first-round picks almost always sign contracts worth 120% of their rookie scale amount, and unsigned first-rounders have a cap hold<\/a> worth 120% of their rookie scale amount.<\/p>\n

Listed below are the salary figures that represent 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2026\u2019s first-round picks<\/a>. If a first-round pick signs a rookie scale contract in 2026\/27, it will be for the amount below \u2014 unless he accepts a deal worth less than the maximum allowable 120% (in which case, we\u2019ll update these numbers).<\/p>\n

These salary figures will only apply if the player signs in 2026\/27. If a player doesn\u2019t sign an NBA contract this year, his rookie deal will look a little different in future seasons.<\/p>\n

Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years. Those option years are represented in italics below.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the 2026 breakdown:<\/p>\n

No.
\n2026\/27
\n2027\/28
\n2028\/29
\n2029\/30
\nTotal<\/p>\n

1
\n$14,748,000
\n$15,485,760
\n$16,223,040
\n$20,457,253
\n$66,914,053<\/p>\n

2
\n$13,195,320
\n$13,855,320
\n$14,515,320
\n$18,318,334
\n$59,884,294<\/p>\n

3
\n$11,849,760
\n$12,441,840
\n$13,034,880
\n$16,476,088
\n$53,802,568<\/p>\n

4
\n$10,683,720
\n$11,217,960
\n$11,752,320
\n$14,866,685
\n$48,520,685<\/p>\n

5
\n$9,674,760
\n$10,158,240
\n$10,641,960
\n$13,483,363
\n$43,958,323<\/p>\n

6
\n$8,787,000
\n$9,226,440
\n$9,666,000
\n$12,256,488
\n$39,935,928<\/p>\n

7
\n$8,021,640
\n$8,422,920
\n$8,823,600
\n$11,205,972
\n$36,474,132<\/p>\n

8
\n$7,348,680
\n$7,716,120
\n$8,083,680
\n$10,282,441
\n$33,430,921<\/p>\n

9
\n$6,754,800
\n$7,093,080
\n$7,430,640
\n$9,466,635
\n$30,745,155<\/p>\n

10
\n$6,417,360
\n$6,738,000
\n$7,058,520
\n$8,999,613
\n$29,213,493<\/p>\n

11
\n$6,096,240
\n$6,401,280
\n$6,706,200
\n$8,899,127
\n$28,102,847<\/p>\n

12
\n$5,791,680
\n$6,081,480
\n$6,371,160
\n$8,779,458
\n$27,023,778<\/p>\n

13
\n$5,502,000
\n$5,777,280
\n$6,052,200
\n$8,648,594
\n$25,980,074<\/p>\n

14
\n$5,227,200
\n$5,488,560
\n$5,750,160
\n$8,515,987
\n$24,981,907<\/p>\n

15
\n$4,965,480
\n$5,213,760
\n$5,461,920
\n$8,373,123
\n$24,014,283<\/p>\n

16
\n$4,717,320
\n$4,953,240
\n$5,189,400
\n$7,960,540
\n$22,820,500<\/p>\n

17
\n$4,481,280
\n$4,705,440
\n$4,929,360
\n$7,571,497
\n$21,687,577<\/p>\n

18
\n$4,257,480
\n$4,470,000
\n$4,683,120
\n$7,202,639
\n$20,613,239<\/p>\n

19
\n$4,065,720
\n$4,268,880
\n$4,472,640
\n$6,887,866
\n$19,695,106<\/p>\n

20
\n$3,902,760
\n$4,097,880
\n$4,292,880
\n$6,619,621
\n$18,913,141<\/p>\n

21
\n$3,746,760
\n$3,934,320
\n$4,121,760
\n$6,565,964
\n$18,368,804<\/p>\n

22
\n$3,597,120
\n$3,776,760
\n$3,956,760
\n$6,508,870
\n$17,839,510<\/p>\n

23
\n$3,453,360
\n$3,626,160
\n$3,798,360
\n$6,445,817
\n$17,323,697<\/p>\n

24
\n$3,315,360
\n$3,481,080
\n$3,646,800
\n$6,378,253
\n$16,821,493<\/p>\n

25
\n$3,182,280
\n$3,341,280
\n$3,500,880
\n$6,305,085
\n$16,329,525<\/p>\n

26
\n$3,076,920
\n$3,230,520
\n$3,384,480
\n$6,102,217
\n$15,794,137<\/p>\n

27
\n$2,988,120
\n$3,137,640
\n$3,287,400
\n$5,930,470
\n$15,343,630<\/p>\n

28
\n$2,969,520
\n$3,118,560
\n$3,266,880
\n$5,896,718
\n$15,251,678<\/p>\n

29
\n$2,948,280
\n$3,095,640
\n$3,243,120
\n$5,853,832
\n$15,140,872<\/p>\n

30
\n$2,926,800
\n$3,073,080
\n$3,219,840
\n$5,811,811
\n$15,031,531<\/p>\n

2026\u2019s first-round picks:<\/p>\n

AJ Dybantsa<\/a> (Wizards)
\nDarryn Peterson<\/a> (Jazz)
\nCameron Boozer<\/a> (Grizzlies)
\nCaleb Wilson<\/a> (Bulls)
\nKeaton Wagler<\/a> (Clippers)
\nMikel Brown Jr.<\/a> (Nets)
\nDarius Acuff Jr.<\/a> (Kings)
\nKingston Flemings<\/a> (Hawks)
\nMorez Johnson Jr.<\/a> (Mavericks)
\nBrayden Burries<\/a> (Bucks)
\nYaxel Lendeborg<\/a> (Warriors)
\nAday Mara<\/a> (Thunder)
\nNate Ament<\/a> (Bucks)
\nHannes Steinbach<\/a> (Hornets)
\nDailyn Swain<\/a> (Bulls)
\nBennett Stirtz<\/a> (Thunder)
\nEbuka Okorie<\/a> (Pistons)
\nChristian Anderson Jr.<\/a> (Hornets)
\nAllen Graves<\/a> (Raptors)
\nJayden Quaintance<\/a> (Spurs)
\nKarim Lopez<\/a> (Grizzlies)
\nLabaron Philon Jr.<\/a> (Sixers)
\nZuby Ejiofor<\/a> (Hawks)
\nCameron Carr<\/a> (Lakers)
\nSergio de Larrea<\/a> (Mavericks)
\nTarris Reed Jr.<\/a> (Spurs)
\nChris Cenac Jr.<\/a> (Celtics)
\nJoshua Jefferson<\/a> (Nets)
\nAlex Karaban<\/a> (Kings)
\nKoa Peat<\/a> (Suns)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the NBA\u2019s salary cap set at $164,961,000 for the 2026\/27 league year, the rookie scale has been…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":740125,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[349,99],"class_list":["post-740124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/740124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=740124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/740124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/740125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=740124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=740124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=740124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}