Hornets Sign Steinbach, Anderson To Rookie Scale Contracts

Steinbach, the No. 14 pick in the draft, is expected to receive a starting salary of $5,227,200. The total value of the four-year contract is $24,981,907, assuming team options are eventually exercised in the third and fourth seasons.

A 20-year-old big man who played for Würzburg in his home country of Germany in 2024/25, Steinbach joined the University of Washington for the ’25/26 season and made an immediate impact, earning a spot on the All-Big Ten third team as a freshman.

He led the nation with 11.8 rebounds per game, including 4.2 per game on the offensive boards. The 6’11” German also contributed 18.5 points, 1.6 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 34.6 minutes per contest.

Anderson, a guard out of Texas Tech, was the No. 18 selection in the draft. He’s on track to earn $4,257,480 in his rookie year. His four-year contract will be worth $20,613,239 if those team options are exercised.

Anderson played 38.4 minutes per game in 33 starts for Texas Tech this past season, enjoying a breakout sophomore season as he claimed a spot on the All-Big 12 first team and was named the conference’s Most Improved Player. The 20-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, with a strong shooting line of .472/.415/.805.