Are salaries for first round draft picks regulated by the Rookie Scale?

Salaries for first-round draft picks are indeed regulated by the Rookie Scale, which is a framework established in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). The Rookie Scale sets predetermined salary slots for players based on their draft position. This means that first-round picks in the NBA have their salaries effectively capped to ensure consistency and fairness across the league. Each pick in the first round has a specific salary amount that the team must adhere to, which also includes a predetermined increase for each subsequent season of the player's contract. This structure is designed to control spending and maintain competitive balance among teams.

In contrast, the answers that suggest all first-round picks being subject to negotiation, only applying to international players, or not being regulated, misrepresent the guidelines established by the league regarding rookie salaries. Therefore, the correct understanding is that the Rookie Scale governs the contracts of first-round draft picks, providing clear salary parameters.