This season is the first time NBA front offices have been able to incorporate two weeks of regular season play into their decisions on players’ rookie scale options. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement did not change this timing, but the league moved up the start of the season and there are still some major decisions to be made. 

- Jahlil Okafor, 76ers - 4th year option worth $6,313,832

Recommendation: With a full max extension for Joel Embiid (which raised his cap value above his RFA cap hold) plus a presumptive renegotiation and extension with Robert Covington on the horizon, the Sixers need to maximize their remaining space to add a talented free agent this summer. That means they should decline Okafor’s option if still on the roster at that point but other teams would be wise to make that commitment. After all, Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7 rebounds in his age 20 season and that was just two years ago. An ideal fit would be a team without much cap space to work with next off-season like the Nets, Clippers, Grizzlies, Bucks or Suns.

- Mario Hezonja, Magic - 4th year option worth $5,167,231

Recommendation: The Croatian shooter has shown some signs of life early this season but the Magic’s uncertain financial future with Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton makes declining this option an even clearer call. Orlando could even bring back Hezonja next season if he impresses as long as he takes a 2018-19 salary at or below that option amount, which should not be a problem.

- Rashad Vaughn, Bucks - 4th year option worth $2,901,565

Recommendation: Vaughn is still only 21 years old but the Bucks are facing a salary crunch next summer assuming they retain Jabari Parker and they should be able to recruit shooters interested in playing with Giannis at or near the minimum, which would be substantially cheaper than Vaughn’s option so they should decline it.

- Chris McCullough, Wizards - 4th year option worth $2,243,326

Recommendation: McCullough has only played fifteen minutes for the Wizards, a team facing a more expensive future with their existing commitments and lofty aspirations. Like Okafor, they should decline the option unless another team comes forward right now with desire to acquire the Syracuse product and make that commitment for next season. 

- Kevon Looney, Warriors- 4th year option worth $2,227,081

- Damian Jones, Warriors- 3rd year option worth $1,544,951

Recommendation: As laid out over the weekend at The Athletic, Golden State is in an unusual situation because they can attract higher level talent for their exceptions than any other team in the league. As such, tying up roster spots (and more money, compounded by the luxury tax) in young players who have potential but limited immediate value is not a good idea unless they really impress. Both Looney and Jones have had their moments but neither has established themselves as a clear part of the team’s future. The Warriors decided to decline their option on Looney and pick it up on Jones.

- Brice Johnson, Clippers - 3rd year option worth $1,514,547

Recommendation: Like so many of these decisions, the Clippers’ front office has significantly more information to work with than we do since Johnson has not gotten much of a chance to play in NBA games. That said, they have at least ten roster spots spoken for next year and at least a few big men ahead of Johnson in the backup rotation even before 2018 free agency. Unless management feels Johnson can leapfrog them in the near term, they might as well open up a spot unless Ballmer is willing to pony up the eventual luxury tax money for a fringe roster player.

- Georgios Papagiannis, Kings - 3rd year option worth $2,400,480

- Malachi Richardson, Kings - 3rd year option worth $1,569,360

Recommendation: If they had handled the 2017 offseason differently, the Kings may have had occasion to decline one or both of these options to clear out a little extra cap space. However, their heavy spending on veterans and the tepid market likely scaring Kosta Koufos and Garrett Temple into picking up their player options means Sacramento would not be losing as much keeping these two around for another year. Both Richardson and Papagiannis could be cap casualties for their fourth-year options as their salaries go up and the Kings could be lined up for a more impactful summer of 2019. 

- Cameron Payne, Bulls- 4th year option worth $3,263,294

- Bobby Portis, Bulls - 4th year option worth $2,494,346

Recommendation: Chicago should have declined both of these options, giving themselves an extra $5.8 million in space, but they picked up both on Friday.