NBA players make a lot of money, though as in the rest of America, the distribution is wildly uneven. For every star who brings in $40+ million a season, there are guys on the end of the bench — primarily practice players living the dream — who make only the league’s lowest salary, or $1,119,563.
[NOTE: The top ten NBA moneymakers all top $45 million per year, topping out this season at Stephen Curry‘s $51 million. Curry, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the ten.]
Enter the brand new NBA innovation — the NBA in-season tournament. It’s a chance for the league to play on fresh Instagram-ready courts and have another contest within the larger framework of the grinding 82-game NBA season.
It’s also a chance for every player on the winning in-season tournament team to earn an extra $500,000.
That may not mean much to Curry or Embiid, but to players making the minimum it essentially gives them a 50% bonus from the boss. That’s good spoils, even on Wall Street.
The đ… and LeBron James pic.twitter.com/AyFZXKqBzp
— Duncan Robinson Fan Club (@DR55FanClub) October 5, 2020
James recognizes that while he’s a billionaire, some of his Lakers teammates could use the loot. After a recent in-season tournament win James said: “Thereâs $500,000 on the line â so weâre goinâ for that. Weâre goinâ for that.” (James doubtless has his winnings earmarked for charity.)
The funniest take on the in-season tourney belongs to Miami Heat star Duncan Robinson. Robinson has had perhaps the most unlikely journey to the NBA of any player, starting his collegiate basketball career at the academically elite Williams College in, yes, the NCAA’s Division III.
(Duncan later transferred to Michigan before catching the wave of Heat culture with his 3-point prowess.)
Robinson’s Heat won their first in-season tourney game and he responded by saying: “Itâs big. No one in the history of the In-Season Tournament has ever lost their first game and won the tournament. So it was huge to get that first one.”
Given that the NBA In-Season Tournament has no history, Duncan is full of the truth on this one. He’s got perspective: last year Robinson signed a five-year $90 million contract with Miami. His tournament winnings might go to charity, too.
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