While July is known for its loud free agency moves, it is also the beginning of the rookie scale extension period. Everyone who signed their four-year rookie scale contract in the summer of 2021, had both of their team options subsequently exercised and who were not waived at any point are now due to head into the final season of those deals. And between the end of the July Moratorium and the day before the start of the regular season, those players can extend their contracts.
Last season, a record 14 players signed such deals, and this season, 24 more are eligible. Only six players from the 2021 NBA draft class are not; having been waived off of their rookie deals, James Bouknight (the No. 11 pick), Josh Primo (No. 12), Kai Jones (No. 19), Keon Johnson (No. 21), Usman Garuba (No. 23) and Josh Christopher (No. 24) are completely out of the running for an extension. Going the other way, however, Franz Wagner (No. 8), Scottie Barnes (No. 4) and Cade Cunningham (No. 1) have been reported to have already agreed to signing maximum-value extensions.
This, then, leaves 21 other players picked in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft who are eligible for contract extensions this summer. There follows a look at who from that class might sign such extensions, and the potential value of them.
