NBA rookies can sign contracts worth millions before they receive their first regular paycheck. The number on a rookie deal may grab attention, but the timing of those payments works very differently from what many fans **** ume.
Draymond Green recently explained how NBA players receive their salaries and why rookies can face a long wait before their first check. The system also allows players to negotiate how some of that money reaches them.
Green said NBA players are normally paid twice each month, but rookies enter the league under a different timeline. Their contracts can include an advance before the regular salary schedule begins, which gives new players some access to their earnings during that gap.
Apr 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) gestures toward the Sacramento Kings bench during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
"Most people are paid every 1st and the 15th all year, an NBA rookie can take an advance up to 15% of their salary once they're signed," Green said. "What you should understand about rookies is the rookies don't get their 1st paycheck till November 15th, a month and a half into the season."

#rookies #draymond #sacramento #first