NBA:Draft
| Reference | Contracts · Rosters · Salary Cap · League Spreadsheet |
| Transactions | Waivers · Trades · Options · Re-Signing · Draft · Free Agency · G League · Injured Reserve |
| Timeline | Off-Season · In-Season |
| Governance | League Structure · GM Responsibilities · Rule Changes |
| Tools | Re-Sign Calculator · Free Agency Bid Calculator |
Two rounds, 30 picks each. Every undrafted player enters free agency.
When
The draft runs in the off-season, after re-signing and before free agency. For 2026 it was August 9.
A draft is named for the year it is held and feeds the following season. The 2026 draft produces players for the 2027 season.
Draft order
Both rounds follow reverse order of the standings, worst team first. The lottery only changes who picks in the top 4 of the 1st round.
The lottery
14 non-playoff teams enter the lottery, seeded in that order, and the top 4 picks are drawn. The rest of the lottery teams fall into place by seed, as in the real NBA.
| Seed | Chance at #1 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 14.0% |
| 2 | 14.0% |
| 3 | 14.0% |
| 4 | 12.5% |
| 5 | 10.5% |
| 6 | 9.0% |
| 7 | 7.5% |
| 8 | 6.0% |
| 9 | 4.5% |
| 10 | 3.0% |
| 11 | 2.0% |
| 12 | 1.5% |
| 13 | 1.0% |
| 14 | 0.5% |
Drawn using the ZenGM universal draft lottery simulator.
Rookie contracts
A drafted player is signed the moment he is selected. His salary counts against your cap as soon as the pick is posted — there is no separate signing step, so enter the draft already holding room for every pick you intend to make.
1st-round contracts
4 guaranteed years plus a 5th-year team option, at the salary for that slot:
| Pick | Salary | Pick | Salary | Pick | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,617,100 | 11 | $1,495,200 | 21 | $918,900 |
| 2 | $3,236,600 | 12 | $1,420,400 | 22 | $882,200 |
| 3 | $2,906,200 | 13 | $1,349,400 | 23 | $847,000 |
| 4 | $2,606,200 | 14 | $1,282,000 | 24 | $813,000 |
| 5 | $2,372,800 | 15 | $1,217,800 | 25 | $780,500 |
| 6 | $2,155,100 | 16 | $1,157,000 | 26 | $754,700 |
| 7 | $1,967,400 | 17 | $1,099,100 | 27 | $732,400 |
| 8 | $1,802,400 | 18 | $1,044,200 | 28 | $728,400 |
| 9 | $1,656,800 | 19 | $997,100 | 29 | $723,100 |
| 10 | $1,573,900 | 20 | $957,300 | 30 | $717,800 |
A 2026 1st-rounder is written (2030, 2031x) — guaranteed through the four seasons 2027–2030, with 2031 as the option.
2nd-round contracts
$495,000. One guaranteed year plus four team options — five seasons in total.
A 2026 2nd-rounder is written (2027, ~2031x).
Draft-and-stash
A drafted player who does not come to the NBA immediately is stashed until he arrives. When his contract starts depends on when that is.
When the contract starts
| He arrives | Contract |
|---|---|
| On or before the end of week 9 — the off-season included | Starts immediately |
| After the end of week 9 | Your choice: start it immediately, counting the rest of this season as year 1 regardless of games played — or defer to next season, making him ineligible for the remainder of this one including the playoffs |
Coming over means joining an NBA or G League roster. Verify arrival dates against basketball-reference.com.
Waiving a stashed player before he comes over carries a one-year cap hit.
Trading picks
Picks may be traded whenever trades are open, up to two years out.
How to post
Selections are made in the draft thread in the NBA: Draft Room forum, in this format:
Patrick Ewing | C | Georgetown (NYK)
Name | Position | School (NBA team).
If you miss your turn, the draft moves on without you — TAB does not pick for you. You can still make your selection until the draft ends; after that, the pick is forfeit.
Then add him to your roster post with his contract:
Patrick Ewing (NYK - C) $3,617,100 (2030, 2031x)
See also
- Contracts — reading option years and the
(----)stash notation - Salary Cap — pick salaries count from selection
- Options — exercising a rookie's option
- Free Agency — where undrafted players go
- Trades — trading picks