They don’t play just for fame and salaries, teams earn more money with each round they advance
The NBA Finals are set to begin, featuring the Boston Celtics against the Dallas Mavericks. Both teams are vying for the championship and the associated financial rewards.
This year’s NBA playoff teams will share a $33.7 million pool, with payouts based on each team’s progress. Rewards range from $452,708 per team, or about $30,000 per player on a 15-player roster, to potentially $12.1 million, or $804,000 per player, for the champions.
Teams earn more money as they advance through each round. The NBA also considers regular season standings when distributing the playoff pool, giving an extra bonus to the team with the best record.
For instance, the Boston Celtics, who ended the season as the No. 1 seed with a 64-18 record, will have their players earn $804,000 each if they win the championship. Teams seeded seventh or eighth do not receive bonuses for their regular season performance. Players on these teams could earn $698,000 if they make a surprising run to the title.
Historically, the lowest-seeded team to win the NBA Finals was the 1995 Houston Rockets, a sixth seed. No additional financial rewards are given for play-in tournament games beyond regular season salaries, typically paid over 12 months.
The NBA’s playoff pool has increased by 25 percent from last year due to the new collective bargaining agreement for the 2023/24 season. Playoff bonuses have increased between 12 and 17 percent for each round, except for the champion’s payout, which has jumped 79 percent to $8.55 million from $4.78 million.
The average NBA salary now exceeds $10 million, with Stephen Curry leading at $51.9 million. This season, 42 NBA players earned at least $30 million before incentives, including Kristaps Porziņģis ($36 million), Jrue Holiday ($35 million), and Jayson Tatum ($32.6 million) of the Celtics.
