The NBA rookie-scale contract extension deadline is quickly approaching. What is the key date to keep an eye on?
Over the next month, between the start of NBA Training camps, the start of the pre-season, and then the start of the regular season, there is one other key date to keep in mind - that's the NBA rookie-scale extension deadline. As is the case nearly every summer, as the initial free agency wave calms, the attention shifts toward the rookie-scale extension deadline.
Players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie contracts are eligible to sign an extension starting July 1 through October 21. If long-term agreements are not met within that window for eligible players, their fate will then await them in restricted free agency the following offseason.
Even though restricted free agency still does favor the team with the player's rights, it's one of those difficult scenarios that no team wants to put themselves in - unless they absolutely have to. With a little more than a month before the rookie-scale deadline, there are several players and teams that will be putting in the work to get something done.
If not, restricted free agency awaits them next offseason.
What players have signed their NBA rookie-scale extensions this summer?
Over the course of this summer, we've already seen a handful of eligible players sign their rookie-scale extensions. Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner, Cade Cunningham, and Scottie Barnes are four players who recently inked their extensions this offseason. Of the players eligible, these four were absolute no-brainers for their respective teams.
Each of these young players is considered to be foundational pieces toward their team's build. It would've been shocking if any of these players didn't reach an extension with their teams. As we continue to inch closer and closer to the NBA rookie-scale extension deadline, there are many big decisions yet to be made.
While it's difficult to predict which other eligible players will end up signing their rookie-scale extensions before the deadline, it's pretty safe to assume that there will likely be a few other agreements before next month.