Some years ago, Keita Bates-Diop was sitting on the bench at Ohio State, waiting for his chance. Fast forward to today, we see him in the NBA. His journey is shiny but Bates-Diop’s work ethic has always spoken louder than any draft position. “At this point, we’ve got guys playing really, really well that weren’t drafted,” he once said. His game is cerebral, a product of constant learning and adapting. The quiet patience and consistent effort he put into staying ready has finally paid him off, but once he expressed what it feels like not playing. “It was hard not playing. It wasn’t easy, because I’m used to playing at least a little bit.” So, now that you have some idea of what his career must have been, let’s take a deeper look at his career.
What is Keita Bates-Diop’s contract with the Timberwolves? Looking into his tragic contracts.
It’s been seven years in the NBA, but still, Keita Bates-Diop hasn’t found his safe nest. While it’s ok as some hoopers take time to find their home in the NBA, his journey is an unusual story. He has been a rollercoaster, struggling between the NBA regular games and G-League games. However, to look at his Timberwolves contract, we will go back to 2023 when he was traded to the Suns where he signed a contract worth $5,001,258 with an average salary of $2,500,629 per year, with all of it guaranteed. For a player trying to make a name for himself, it was a solid deal that showed some belief in his abilities. But, wait as mentioned his journey wasn’t easy, his story took a crazy turn in 2024.
In February 2024, he got traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal, which included the Memphis Grizzlies. That trade looked like a fresh start, but things quickly soured. Bates-Diop suffered a fractured tibia, and the NBA announced that he would miss the remainder of the season. Tough luck, right?
But again the drama didn’t stop there. In July 2024, he was traded again, this time to the New York Knicks. It was part of a massive deal involving multiple players and picks. He never even played for the Knicks, though. By October, Bates-Diop found himself back with the Timberwolves, as part of another three-team trade. He was finally back from where he began his, with the Timberwolves.
As per the Spotrac website, there is no contract of his record after the Suns one. Which means his deal with the Wolves is unknown. Anyways, hard luck caught him again. And he is one of them, as after just two preseason games, against the Nuggets and the 76ers, where he scored 5 points each, he was waived by the Timberwolves. It felt like he was caught in a whirlwind, constantly moving but not really getting the chance to settle.
Fast forward to February 2025, and the hooper’s journey takes another turn. Well, one, this was a major one. He signed with the Qingdao Eagles in China, heading to the CBA for a fresh start. Sometimes, things like these make you wonder why the NBA wastes such talents. He had flashes of talent, but constant trades made it hard for him to build anything consistent. Hopefully, in the CBA, he’ll find the stability and success he needs. But we have only looked into his one contract, so let’s take a look at his other contracts, too.
How much money did Keita Bates-Diop make in the NBA? Reviewing all his NBA contracts.
They say making it to the NBA is the real challenge, but what we say is that the real challenge starts when you get into the NBA. The challenge of being consistent. One of the best examples is Keita Bates-Diop, whose NBA earnings add up to a decent chunk of change, but after going through whatnot. His story began when the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him in 2018 as their 48th pick. They gave him a pretty good contract, he earned a rookie contract for three years, worth $3,919,177. That meant an average salary of $1,306,392 per year, with $2,255,316 guaranteed at signing. Well, now that’s not bad for a second-round pick.
But how can his journey not have any problems, right? In 2020 came traded to the Denver Nuggets, but that didn’t last long. Bates-Diop was waived by the Nuggets later that year. Then came his time with the San Antonio Spurs, where they signed him to a two-way contract in November 2020, meaning he could spend time between the NBA and the G League.
In 2021, he was re-signed by the Spurs to a two-year deal worth $3,607,937. This contract gave him an average salary of $1,803,969, with $1,729,217 guaranteed at signing. It seemed like the Spurs were starting to trust him more. He even had that standout performance in December 2021, scoring a career-high 30 points against the Lakers. That moment must’ve felt like a reward for all the struggle. But, when you think of him, imagine what his feelings would have been when he saw his teammates doing great with their careers.
When talking about how much he has made so far, if you add up his contracts, Bates-Diop made about $9,738,467 in the NBA. Well, it’s not bad, but still, if given more play time and all, he would have gained a better contract. Now, he’s off to China, and I wonder what kind of impact he’ll make there. As we know about all his contracts, let’s get into his net worth and brand deals.
What is Keita Bates-Diop’s net worth? Does he have any brand deals?
Keita Bates-Diop’s net worth isn’t publicly known, and neither are his brand deals. When we speak about how hoopers get major brand deals, some hoopers are unlucky, too. With his moves across teams like Minnesota, San Antonio, and Brooklyn, his career hasn’t been stable enough for major endorsements. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t tried to build a brand. If he’s working on anything behind the scenes, it’s kept quiet for now. Still, his focus seems to be on basketball, especially with his recent move to the CBA.
The post Keita Bates-Diop Net Worth in 2025: Timberwolves Star’s Salary, Contract, Endorsements & Other Details Revealed appeared first on EssentiallySports.
