They say the NBA’s regular season doesn’t have enough stakes. Well, plenty is at stake for the league’s NBA Cup Final on Tuesday between the Bucks and the Thunder.
This game won’t count toward either team’s regular season record, so it doesn’t have any playoff implications moving forward for either side. It’s a solid matchup for both teams that could end up being an NBA Finals matchup.
THIS GAME HAS IT ALL: The Bucks vs. Thunder is a pretty great showcase for the NBA
But that’s not all these guys are playing for. Not even close. There’s legitimate money on the line for the winning team of the NBA Cup, and both sides are looking for it.
The winning team will cash out. Each player on the winning team will be paid $514,970 for winning the whole thing.
The losing team won’t go home empty-handed. Each player on the losing team gets $205,988.
The players on the losing semifinal teams won $102,994. The players on the losing quarterfinal teams took home an extra $51,497.
That’s all slightly increased from last season because of the NBA’s increase in basketball-related income. The purse for the NBA Cup increases as the league’s BRI increases as part of the newly negotiated collective bargaining agreement in 2023.
Half a million dollars might not be a lot for a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has already earned hundreds of millions in NBA contracts. But for role players and rookie salaried players? That’s a hefty chunk of cash to play for.
