There has been a lot of talk around the league about how much  players are worth after there rookie contracts expire. What are you paying for production or potential? Before 1995 you could sign rookies to whatever type of contract you wanted. (length and value)

The rookie salary scale was implemented prior to the 1995 draft by the NBA and the National Basketball Player's Association, a year after overall No. 1 pick Glenn Robinson signed a 10-year, $68 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks out of college. CBA rules now force first-round picks to play at a predetermined pay structure for at least three years before becoming a free agent.

What some draft picks might make under the old system

NBA players generally want no less than the guys drafted after them. Gordon was drafted # 3 and Deng # 7 overall so I compiled a list  of players drafted around those slots between 1999-2004 to what other players picked in the top 9 signed for. Because so many players were either Maxed out or given just below MAX iwhile GM's were still adjusting to the new rules (1996-1998) I left them out. Think Marbury, Allen, Bibby, Jamison, Hughes (ugh), Van Horn, Ron Mercer.

Included all the Bulls picks except Jwill and Brand. I also included Al Jefferson # 15 and Josh Smith #16 in 2004. Also excluded players who were huge busts and never signed extensions i.e. Dajuan Wagner, Nikoloz Tskitishvili .

The players are listed by their draft day position, height, weight, position, team that signed them (signed not drafted), years, value, best statistical season before extension.

1999

# 3 Baron Davis 6-2 190 PG  So-New Orleans-6 yrs-MAX-18.1 ppg, 8.5 apg, 4.3rpg

# 4 Lamar Odom 6-10 220 SF  Fr-Miami-6 yrs 65million-17.6 ppg, 7rpg, 5apg-MIA

# 5 Jonathan Bender 6-11 210 SF  H.S.-IND-4 yrs 27 million-7.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg

# 6 Wally Szczerbiak 6-8 243 SF Sr.-Minn-6 yrs 67million-18.7ppg, 4.8 ppg

# 7 Richard Hamilton 6-6 185 SF Jr-Det.-7yrs 62 million-19.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.7apg

# 8 Andre Miller 6-2 204 PG Sr-Denver 6yrs 51 million-16.5ppg, 10apg

 # 9 Shawn Marion 6-7 210 SF Jr-PHO-6yrs MAX-21 ppg, 9.5 rpg

2000

# 3 Darius Miles HS- SF 6-9 200 -Portland-6yrs 48 million-9.4 ppg 5.4 rpg

# 4 Marcus Fizer  Jr. PF 6-8 240 -Milwaukee-1yr figures unrealeased-12.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg

#5 Mike Miller  So. SF 6-8 218 -Memphis-6yrs 48 million-16.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg

# 8 Jamal Crawford  Fr. PG/SG 6-6 195-NY-7yrs 55miliion-17.3 ppg 5.1 apg

2001

# 2 Tyson Chandler 7-0 220 SF/PF HS-CHI-6 yrs 64 million-8 ppg, 9.7rpg

# 3 Pau Gasol 7-1 220 SF (Spain)-MEM-6yrs MAX-19 ppg, 8 rpg

# 4 Eddy Curry 6-11 300 C HS- NY-6 yrs 56 million-16.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg

# 5 Jason Richardson 6-6 220 SG -So-GSW-6 yrs 71 million-21 ppg, 5rpg

# 6 Shane Battier -6-9 225 SF Sr.-MEM-6yrs 36 million-14.4 ppg 5.5 rpg

# 8 Joe Johnson -6-9 225 SF  So-ATL-5yrs 70 million-17.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg

2002

# 3 Mike Dunleavy 6-9 220 SF Jr.-GSW-5 yrs 44 million-13.4 ppg 5.5 rpg

# 4 Drew Gooden 6-10 230 PF  Jr.-CLE-3yrs 23 million 14.4 ppg, 9rpg

# 7 Maybyner "Nene" Hilario 6-10 253 PF/C (Brazil)-DEN-6 yrs 60 million-12.2 ppg, 7rpg

# 8 Chris Wilcox 6-10 218 PF So.-SEA-3 yrs 24 million-8.1 ppg 5.3 rpg

# 9 Amare Stoudemire 6-10 240 PF HS-PHO-5 yrs 73 mil-26 ppg, 8.9 rpg

2003

# 3 Carmelo Anthony 6-7 234 SF  Fr-5 yrs 80 mil-28.9 ppg, 6rpg

# 4 Chris Bosh 6-11 210 PF  Fr-TOR-3 yrs 43 mil-22.6 ppg 10.7 rpg

# 5 Dwyane Wade 6-5 212 SG Jr.-3 yrs MAX-27.2 ppg 6.7 apg

# 6 Chris Kaman 7-0 255 C Jr.-5 yrs 52.5-11.9 ppg 9.6 rpg

# 7 Kirk Hinrich 6-4 190 PG Sr- CHI-5yrs 47.5-16.6 ppg 6 apg

# 8 TJ Ford 6-0 162 PG So-TOR-4 yrs 33 mil-14 ppg, 7.9 apg

2004

# 2 Emeka Okafor 6-10 257 PF/C UConn Jr.-turned down $13 mil-14.4 ppg 11rpg 2.6 bpg

# 3 Ben Gordon 6-2 192 PG UConn Jr.-turned down $10 miliion-21.4 ppg 3.6 apg

# 5 Devin Harris 6-3 170 PG  Jr.-5 yrs 42 mil-10.2 ppg 3.7 apg

# 6 Josh Childress 6-7 196 SG/SF Stanford Jr-13 ppg 6rpg

# 7 Luol Deng 6-8 220 SF Fr-turned down 11 mil-18.8 ppg 7 rpg

# 9 Andre Iguodala 6-7 217 SG/SF Ariz.-19.9 ppg 5.4 rpg 4.8apg

# 15 Al Jefferson 6-9 263 PF  HSSr-5 yrs 65 million-16 ppg 11 rpg

# 16 Josh Smith 6-8 221 SF HS-17.2 ppg 8.2 rpg

A couple of things that came to mind while reviewing this list

Denver set the market for Chandler's contract with Nene's deal could Iggy's deal have the same effect on Deng this year?

Will Gordon come in closer to Hinrich (47 million) or  Wally's world (67 million)

What would the Bulls have looked like with Pau and Tyson?

2000 has to be one of the worst drafts ever