The contracts of NBA players on partial or non-guaranteed deals will become fully-guaranteed if not waived by Tuesday. Since the waiver period is 48 hours, it has to happen on Tuesday so players can clear before Friday’s official deadline.
Of the 23 players across the league who fit that description, the Nets have two rostered in Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson, both of whom stepped into significant roles this season. Both are young, getting better and fit the team’s rebuilding timeline, so converting their contracts to fully guaranteed deals should be a no-brainer for Brooklyn.
Wilson, 24, has averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 34 games this season while shooting 39.3% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range. The 2023 second-round pick was named NBA Summer League MVP back in July after averaging 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals per game across Brooklyn’s five summer contests. He has started nine games for the Nets this season and has continued to impress with his improved marksmanship from deep and all-around effort at both ends of the court.
Wilson signed a three-year, $4.9 million contract with the Nets last March, including $925,000 guaranteed. He will earn $1.8 million this season.
“I’ve set my preparation for the year, starting with the summer league,” Wilson said following the Nets’ 123-100 loss to the Orlando Magic on Nov. 29, a game in which he started and had 11 points in 31 minutes. “Just want to be confident in myself. There was always going to be an opportunity to play and you just got to be ready to play. I’m just a guy that wants to do whatever it takes to win and no matter how many minutes I play, it’s going to be the same type of play for me. Just playing hard and playing the right way. Just preparing throughout the summer and giving myself the confidence to come into the year and do it.”
Johnson has averaged 7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 33 games this season while shooting 36.1% from the field and 28.9% from deep. He was with the Nets on a two-way deal last season and spent most of 2023-24 with G League affiliate Long Island. But after averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds in four appearances for the Nets in Las Vegas last summer, he earned a two-year, $4.5 million deal.
The 22-year-old has started 14 straight games for the Nets entering Monday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center. He has been a double-figure scorer in six of his last seven games and tied a career high with eight assists in Saturday’s home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Johnson will earn $2.1 million this season, including $250,000 guaranteed.
Both Wilson and Johnson will have team options in 2025-26.
“I’m always trying to prove myself and show what I can bring to the league and to the table for my team,” Johnson said. “I feel like each night I get more and more comfortable, but my role doesn’t change, it doesn’t waver. I know I come in, play defense, play as hard as I can, and everything else solves itself. So, that’s just what I’ve been focusing on night in and night out.”