Both Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams have landed on their feet after going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft in June. Following summer league play, the former Indiana University players each signed their first NBA contracts.
Ferrell and Williams, both of whom worked out for the Pacers, signed their respective deals in late July. Because undrafted players typically don’t get long-term guaranteed deals, the important items when picking a team are 1) fit and 2) guaranteed money.
And they each got at least $100,000 guaranteed, per league sources — meaning that if they do not make the regular season roster and are cut, they still are ahead of the majority of 20-somethings in their first year out of college.
Breakdown of the Deals
Yogi has what appears to be a real opportunity in Brooklyn.
Ferrell signed first, inking a one-year deal for the minimum with the Brooklyn Nets. He will earn $100,000 guaranteed, and that could stretch out to as much as the minimum, $543,471, if he’s on their roster all season.
Playing for the Nets, the point guard out of Indianapolis has a real opportunity. The Nets are bad, don’t have flexibility because they lack assets, and lack depth at point guard.
Jeremy Lin, who signed to a three-year, $36 million contract, should be their starter but then after that … eh.
Ferrell averaged 8.8 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game while appearing in four Las Vegas Summer League games for the Nets.
Troy Williams shakes Pacers President Larry Bird’s hand after his pre-draft workout.
Meanwhile, Williams, who left IU after his junior season, had five options — Golden State, Los Angeles (Lakers), Memphis, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix — and ultimately decided to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. Williams agreed to a two-year minimum-level deal that included a $150,000 guarantee.
If not waived by July 1, 2017, he’s owed $301,750 and if he’s still not waived by August 1, 2017, his guarantee increases to $603,500.
Williams averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds per game in six Las Vegas Summer League games.
How It Compares
The Pacers drafted Georges Niang out of Iowa State at No. 50 and signed him to a three-year deal with the first year-plus guaranteed ($750,000 total).
Purdue big man A.J. Hammons made out nicely, drafted by the Mavericks at 46 and then he signed a three-year deal worth $2.6 million.
Um, this article blows these signings waaaaay out of proportion. Ferrell’s deal is not a great one, as he faces very long odds to make the Nets’ 15-man roster (they already have 15 guaranteed contracts for next season); unless someone gets hurt, he will be cut and headed directly to the Nets’ D-League affiliate. So he makes his $75K or whatever and then gets paid by the D-League, too. Williams’s deal is slightly better at $150,000 guaranteed, and he might slip onto MEM’s final roster and be used mostly as a practice player. But these guys are hanging on by a thread to their NBA careers; one misstep and they’ll be on the outside, looking in overseas on things. Not a great place to be.