The 2026 NBA Draft class is almost completely locked in on the first-round side, but the second round still has plenty of unfinished business.
Mexican forward Karim Lopez, the No. 21 overall pick, put pen to paper on his rookie scale deal with the Grizzlies on July 29, which officially made him the final first-rounder to sign with his new team. That means first-round picks are now 30-for-30 on their first NBA contracts.
The second round, though, is sitting at 21-for-30. Nine players remain unsigned:
Memphis Grizzlies: Richie Saunders
Indiana Pacers: Braden Smith
New York Knicks: Tyler Nickel
Denver Nuggets: Bryce Hopkins
Golden State Warriors: Lajae Jones
Dallas Mavericks: Vsevolod Ishchenko
Los Angeles Clippers: Narcisse Ngoy
Minnesota Timberwolves: Trey Kaufman-Renn
Milwaukee Bucks: Malique Lewis
A few of those names may never end up on an NBA roster this season. Ngoy is the clearest example.
He had already committed to the Auburn Tigers for 2026/27 and said he was surprised when the Clippers drafted him in June. After the draft, he and Los Angeles were said to be weighing their options, but the expectation is that he’ll suit up for Auburn and operate as a domestic draft-and-stash player.
That same kind of path could also be in play for others. No. 39 pick Jack Kayil, whose rights belong to the Knicks, recently signed a multiyear deal to remain in Germany with ALBA Berlin. Ishchenko and Lewis are also candidates to wind up in Europe or Australia in 2026/27, though nothing has been confirmed for either player yet.
Saunders is a different case. He was drafted as high as No. 32, where teams usually sign players to three- or four-year contracts with multiple guaranteed seasons.
But the former BYU standout tore his ACL in February and could miss a sizable chunk of his rookie year while rehabbing. Memphis is also dealing with a crowded roster and may not have a standard spot available for him anyway.
Because of that, a two-way deal this season wouldn’t be a surprise. Neither would a G League contract to start the year, followed by a standard deal after the trade deadline if Memphis opens up space and his recovery is close to complete.
Indiana appears to have a clearer path for Smith. The Pacers waived guard Ethan Thompson recently, which opened a two-way spot for the former Purdue star. At the time of the draft, reporting indicated Indiana intended to sign the 6-foot point guard to a two-way contract.
Nickel’s situation is murkier. At least two reports have said the former Vanderbilt sharpshooter is likely to begin his NBA career with the Knicks, while two others have suggested he is still considering a return to college for another season after a federal court ruling gave him an extra year of eligibility. The NCAA has appealed that ruling, and even if Nickel does go back to school, New York would still hold his NBA rights as a domestic draft-and-stash prospect.
For the Knicks, Nuggets, Warriors, and Timberwolves, the decision on Nickel, Hopkins, Jones, and Kaufman-Renn may come down to tax and apron math as much as roster fit. A second-round pick on the rookie minimum carries a cap hit of just $1.36MM, while a veteran’s minimum deal counts for $2.45MM. That gap can matter a lot for teams sitting close to a hard cap or trying to keep the tax bill from climbing.
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