Rob Dillingham Contract: Taking a Closer Look at Timberwolves Rookie’s $28.4 Million Deal

During the 2024 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected guard Rob Dillingham with the eighth overall pick before trading him to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The move could be a steal for the Wolves as the 6’1” shifty guard excels in long-range shooting and can convert around the rim. In other words, he could end up being the perfect backup to vet Mike Conley. So how much will Dillingham make in his first four years with the franchise?

Here is a look at the rookie-scale contract of the Kentucky Wildcats alum, who has hired Klutch Sports Agency for contract negotiations.

As per Spotrac, Dillingham has signed a four-year, $28,491,756(~$28 million) rookie-scale-exception contract with the Timberwolves. “[The deal includes] $12,839,040 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $7,122,894. In 2024-25, Dillingham will earn a base salary of $6,262,920, while carrying a cap hit of $6,262,920 and a dead cap value of $6,262,920,” the website adds.

As per his deal, the 19-year-old will make $6,262,290 in his rookie year. In his sophomore year, Dillingham has been promised $6,576,120.

The third and fourth years are club options, implying that the Timberwolves will decide whether to retain the guard’s tenure during these years of the deal.

If the team exercises the extensions in both years, Dillingham will make $6,889,320 in the third year and $8,763,216 in his fourth year. The average base salary of the contract amounts to $7,122,894. 

After the fourth year, Dillingham will be a restricted free agent(RFA), which means that if he signs a deal elsewhere during the 2028 free agency, then the Wolves can match the offer sheet to retain his talents.

But let us see now how his contract compares to the two other Wolves superstars who also signed rookie-level contracts with the franchise.

What contracts did ANT and KAT sign in their rookie years?

Karl-Anthony Towns was the #1 pick in the 2015 draft. He signed a four-year, $25.5 million contract, garnering $5,703,600 in the first year of the deal. He made $5,960,160 in the second year while bagging $6,216,840 in the third and $7,839,435 in the final year of his deal. 

Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards signed the heftiest rookie deal in franchise history. Edwards was the #1 pick in the 2020 draft. He inked a four-year, $44.27 million contract. During the first year, he made $9,757,440. From the second year onward, he landed more than $10 million each year.

Edwards hauled in $10,124,480 during his second year, $10,733,400 in his third, and $13,534,817 during his fourth year. Since they were All-NBA talents right off the bat, both KAT and Ant-Man were able to land max-level extensions after their first contract expired.

Dillingham will hope to tread a similar path. But for now, he’d like to be the missing link to the Timberwolves’ maiden championship run.