2012-13 NBA Rookie Salary Scale
Rookies can sign for up to 120% of the first-year amount (and almost always do), but also as low as 80% (never?). The third and fourth seasons are team options.
To get the fourth year amount, multiply the third year amount by 1.(fourth-year column percentage). Take that number and multiply by 1.(QO column percentage) to get the amount of the Qualifying Offer, the amount a team must offer in order to make the player a restricted free agent following his fourth season.
Here’s the math using the 2005-06 #1 spot as an example:
Year 1 – $4,340,520 (Year 1 * 120%)
Year 2 – $4,838,880 (Year 2 * 120%)
Year 3 – $4,991,520 (Year 3 * 120%) – Team Option
Year 4 – $6,294,307 (Year 3 *1.261) – Team Option
Qualifying Offer – $8,182,599 (Year 4 *1.3)
NOTE: The 2011-12 and 2012-13 NBA rookie salary scales begin at the same amount as the 2010-11 scale, but the increases from Year 1 to Year 2 and Year 2 to Year 3 are lower. That was part of the new collective bargaining agreement where the salary cap, luxury tax, minimum salaries, and the rookie scales were all effectively frozen at the 2010-11 levels in order for teams to stabilize their caps for the new rules.
| Pick | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | QO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4,286,900 | $4,479,800 | $4,672,700 | 26.10% | 30.00% |
| 2 | $3,835,600 | $4,008,200 | $4,180,800 | 26.20% | 30.50% |
| 3 | $3,444,400 | $3,599,400 | $3,754,400 | 26.40% | 31.20% |
| 4 | $3,105,500 | $3,245,200 | $3,385,000 | 26.50% | 31.90% |
| 5 | $2,812,200 | $2,938,700 | $3,065,300 | 26.70% | 32.60% |
| 6 | $2,554,200 | $2,669,100 | $2,784,100 | 26.80% | 33.40% |
| 7 | $2,331,700 | $2,436,600 | $2,541,600 | 27.00% | 34.10% |
| 8 | $2,136,100 | $2,232,200 | $2,328,300 | 27.20% | 34.80% |
| 9 | $1,963,600 | $2,052,000 | $2,140,300 | 27.40% | 35.50% |
| 10 | $1,865,300 | $1,949,200 | $2,033,200 | 27.50% | 36.20% |
| 11 | $1,772,100 | $1,851,800 | $1,931,600 | 32.70% | 36.90% |
| 12 | $1,683,500 | $1,759,300 | $1,835,000 | 37.80% | 37.60% |
| 13 | $1,599,300 | $1,671,300 | $1,743,200 | 42.90% | 38.30% |
| 14 | $1,519,400 | $1,587,800 | $1,656,100 | 48.10% | 39.10% |
| 15 | $1,443,300 | $1,508,200 | $1,573,200 | 53.30% | 39.80% |
| 16 | $1,371,200 | $1,432,900 | $1,494,600 | 53.40% | 40.50% |
| 17 | $1,302,600 | $1,361,200 | $1,419,800 | 53.60% | 41.20% |
| 18 | $1,237,500 | $1,293,200 | $1,348,900 | 53.80% | 41.90% |
| 19 | $1,181,800 | $1,235,000 | $1,288,200 | 54.00% | 42.60% |
| 20 | $1,134,500 | $1,185,600 | $1,236,600 | 54.20% | 43.30% |
| 21 | $1,089,100 | $1,138,100 | $1,187,100 | 59.30% | 44.10% |
| 22 | $1,045,600 | $1,092,700 | $1,139,700 | 64.50% | 44.80% |
| 23 | $1,003,800 | $1,049,000 | $1,094,100 | 69.70% | 45.50% |
| 24 | $963,600 | $1,007,000 | $1,050,300 | 74.90% | 46.20% |
| 25 | $925,100 | $966,700 | $1,008,400 | 80.10% | 46.90% |
| 26 | $894,400 | $934,600 | $974,900 | 80.30% | 47.60% |
| 27 | $868,600 | $907,700 | $946,800 | 80.40% | 48.30% |
| 28 | $863,300 | $902,100 | $941,000 | 80.50% | 49.00% |
| 29 | $857,000 | $895,600 | $934,100 | 80.50% | 50.00% |
| 30 | $850,800 | $889,100 | $927,400 | 80.50% | 50.00% |





