NFL agent cap 3%NBA agent cap 4%MLB agent cap 5%Top federal rate 2026 37%Bonus withholding over $1M 37%Texas state tax on wages 0%Florida state tax on wages 0%California top rate 13.3%NBA escrow 10% of each check held backNIL money 1099 income, add 15.3% self-employment taxAgent fees for team salary not deductible on your federal returnNFL players file taxes in about 10 to 14 states a year
2026 NBA draft

21

Karim Lopez

Memphis Grizzlies. 4-year deal worth $18,368,804.

Year one salary

$3,746,760

Guaranteed

$7,681,080

Year one, paid

$3,746,760

Year one, kept

$2,087,207

KeepMyCheckPrivate

$18.4M deal. What he keeps.

$10,194,789

Karim Lopez2026

Whole contract, after taxes and the agent: 56% of the headline.

Where the money goes

NBA first-round picks are paid under the rookie scale. At 120% of scale, year one pays $3,746,760, spread over 24 paychecks. That is about $86,967 per check after taxes and the agent, before the NBA holds back 10% of each check in escrow.

Only the first two years are guaranteed. The team decides on years three and four, so plan your life on the guaranteed $7,681,080, not the full $18,368,804.

These figures assume he lives in Tennessee, files single, and pays a standard agent fee. Change any of that in the calculator to see your own version.

Quick answers

How much is Karim Lopez's rookie contract?+

Karim Lopez, pick 21 in the 2026 NBA draft, is on a 4-year rookie scale deal worth about $18,368,804 at 120% of scale with the Memphis Grizzlies, with the first two years guaranteed.

How much does Karim Lopez take home after taxes?+

About $2,087,207 of the $3,746,760 paid in the first year, and about $10,194,789 of the full $18,368,804 contract, living in Tennessee and paying a standard agent fee. Estimates for education.

Contract figures from Spotrac, Over The Cap, and Hoops Rumors (2026). Take-home is a KeepMyCheck estimate using 2026 tax rules. Not affiliated with the player, team, or league. Education only.