What is Exhibit 10 Contract? Inside NBA’s Unique Deal as Warriors Use It For Javan Johnson, Donta Scott

With only 15 spots available on the main roster, making it to an NBA team is no easy feat. Especially when most of those spots are already occupied by big-name superstars and veteran free agents. But there is another way for aspiring hoopers to keep their dream alive. Yes, we are talking about the Exhibit 10 contract, which allows players to be part of the team’s training camp and possibly secure a future in the league. The Golden State Warriors have used the same deal to test out young talents Donta Scott and Javan Johnson.

But what are the conditions of an Exhibit 10 contract and how is it different from a regular NBA contract? Surely, many of you would have this question in mind. And here’s the answer!

Exhibit 10 contract: A ray of hope for aspiring players

While a team can only employ 15 players on regular contracts when the season is on, their roster size could increase to 21 in the off-season. Now, these added players are usually brought in for training camps to either compete for a spot on the main roster or to be developmental projects in the team’s G League affiliate. In most cases, both parties agree on Exhibit 10 contracts before the tryout.

Well, this is a fairly new concept, and it was introduced only 7 years ago in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. It is basically a one-year, non-guaranteed, minimum-salary deal. So, what’s in it for the players if the money is non-guaranteed?

The contract usually includes a bonus which can range anywhere between $5K up to $77.5K for the next season (on top of their standard G League salaries). However, it can only be availed if a player fulfills certain conditions.

1. If a player is waived before the season begins, he will be eligible to claim the bonus, only after spending 2 months with the G League affiliate. But if the hooper signs with another team within that period or chooses to leave, the bonus is nullified.
2. Another way to bag the amount is by converting the Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way contract by impressing the front office, displaying enough potential to play in the NBA. Then, the bonus would be a guaranteed salary regardless of how long they stay with the team.

However, in most cases, teams go with option 1 and waive the players on Exhibit 10 deals to secure them in their G League roster. More so because they can only have a maximum of 3 players on two-way deals. A team can give out 6 Exhibit 10 deals at a time and as far as their salary cap goes, it is not included in the amount before the season begins.

This method does give teams more flexibility to test out new players and assess if they fit their roster. Meanwhile, it gives hope to the ones who were unable to secure a guaranteed contract. And the Golden State Warriors just did the same for two young athletes.

How the Warriors signing Javan Johnson and Donta Scott on Exhibit 10 deals could help both parties

Joe Lacob’s franchise has reportedly added forward Javan Johnson and Maryland alum Donta Scott on Exhibit 10 contracts. Well, the former went undrafted last year after graduating from DePaul with an average of 14.2 points as a senior. But this is not his first rodeo with the Warriors, as he was part of their training camp last summer and even suited up for the Santa Cruz Warriors. During his one year with the team, he averaged a solid 9.9 points in 48 total appearances. Surely, the team saw something positive now that he’s back.

On the other hand, Donta Scott recently graduated college after spending 5 years at Maryland, averaging a solid 11.3 points as a senior. Unfortunately, his name wasn’t announced on this year’s draft night, making him an unrestricted free agent. But he got a chance to showcase his talent in the Summer League for the Warriors. He put up a stat line of 5.6 points and nearly 4 rebounds.

Considering both are forwards, the Warriors are looking for young big men who could likely take over Draymond Green’s role in the future when he decides to hang his boots or leave. But as of now, Donta and Javan will likely get waived before the start of the season and spend the upcoming season suiting up for the team in the G League. These two signings have filled the Bay Area franchise’s roster spots for this offseason and they will need to get a player off contract if they want to add a new player to the mix.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.