About Cap-Holds for 1st Round Picks

[Wizenheimer]

This question is about the scale amount for cap-holds that European players who happen to be 1st round picks will carry.

Specifically, Portland has a pair of 30th pick Euro players in Joel Freeland and Petteri Kaponen. Freeland was the 30th pick in 2006 and Kaponen was 30th in 2007.

Do those cap-hold amounts increase each season to reflect the 30th pick in successive drafts? In other words, will both players actually have cap-holds this summer equal to the scale amount for the 30th pick in this year's draft?

It sure looks like that is the case on Sham's site.

In another related question, how do these players impact the roster charge for under 12 roster spots? By that I mean, the CBA says that besides players under contract, the 12 man limit is also satified by counting 1st round picks as roster spots. So now that Portland has 3 european players as 1st round picks (Freeland, Kaponen, & Claver), do they only need to have 9 players under contract to satisfy the requirement for 12 filled roster spots?

[casey]

I would imagine the cap hold would reflect the current season, considering if the player signs it would be with the current season's rookie scale. And yes those guys would count as 3 of the 12.

[Wizenheimer]

well, someone else found the pertinent section in the CBA:

Article VII Section 4(e)(3) For purposes of this Section 4(e), in the event that a First Round Pick does not sign a Contract with the Team that holds his draft rights during the Salary Cap Year immediately following the Draft in which he was selected (or during the same Salary Cap Year in which he was drafted if the Draft occurs on or after July 1), the “applicable Rookie Scale Amount” for such First Round Pick means, with respect to any subsequent Salary Cap Year, the Rookie Scale Amount that would apply if the player were drafted in the Draft immediately preceding such Salary Cap Year at the same draft position at which he was actually selected.