With the opening of the free agency market today, the 2020 draft class has completed their rookie contracts and is ready to sign new deals with their teams.
This class, having entered the league during the pandemic when the NCAA was suspended, was initially considered a weak draft. However, it has proven to have a high success rate. Not only did high picks like Edwards and Ball secure max contracts, but late first-rounders like McDaniels and Beane also landed big deals. Let’s take a look at these once-underestimated prospects (ranked by the size of their extensions):
1. Edwards (1st Pick): Averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals last season, he signed a 5-year $245 million extension last year (triggering a supermax due to All-NBA selection).
2. Haliburton (12th Pick): Posting 20.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 10.9 assists, and 1.2 steals, he also signed a 5-year $245 million extension last year (supermax for All-NBA selection).
3. LaMelo Ball (3rd Pick): With averages of 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.8 steals, he inked a 5-year $204 million extension last year.
4. Maxey (21st Pick): Averaging 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1 steal, he’s expected to sign a 5-year $205 million extension with the 76ers.
5. Beane (30th Pick): Putting up 23.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1 steal, he signed a 5-year $197 million extension last year.
6. Quickley (25th Pick): Averaging 17 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, he just agreed to a 5-year $175 million extension.
7. Vassell (11th Pick): Posting 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, he signed a 5-year $135 million extension last year.
8. Jaden McDaniels (28th Pick): With averages of 10.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, he secured a 5-year $131 million extension last year.
9. Patrick Williams (4th Pick): Averaging 10 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks, he will sign a 5-year $90 million extension.
10. Okongwu (6th Pick): Posting 10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, he agreed to a 4-year $61.98 million extension last year.
11. Toppin (8th Pick): Averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, he’s expected to sign a 4-year $60 million extension.
12. Stewart (16th Pick): With averages of 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, he signed a 4-year $60 million extension last year.
13. Josh Green (18th Pick): Posting 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, he signed a 3-year $41 million extension last year.
14. Cole Anthony (15th Pick): Averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, he inked a 3-year $39.1 million extension last year.
15. Avdija (9th Pick): Posting 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, he signed a 4-year $55 million extension last year.
16. Aaron Nesmith (14th Pick): Averaging 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals, he signed a 3-year $33 million extension last year.
17. Zeke Naji (22nd Pick): Averaging 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists, he agreed to a 4-year $32 million extension last year.
18. Pritchard (26th Pick): Posting 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, he signed a 4-year $30 million extension last year.
Special Mention: Wiseman (2nd Pick): Averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, now an unrestricted free agent.