If you are a NBA player, agent, family/free loader, or ignorant fan, then the title of this post may instigate a negative reaction. I understand, and I do not care. The truth is the truth whether it is pouplar or not. Here is a list of facts that show that the salary structure of the NBA is bloated, in decline, and in need of total restructuring.
* For the record, the average salary of a Fortune 500 CEO is $15.5M/ year.
1) The most recent back to back NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, made slightly over $30M last season. Twenty eight players were paid more than Jokic. Several were not all stars, and a couple did not play even one game during the season.
2) In 2016 Mike Conley signed a contract that made him the highest paid players in the league. He co tract now makes him the 50th highest paid player in the league.
3) Ja Morant was 2nd team All-Pro, but the 109th highest paid player this past season. Next season he will not break the Top 100. Morant will receive an increase that takes him up to the Fortune 500 CEO pay range in the fillowing season.
4) Nikola Jokic just signed a five year $270M. The 5th year includes a player option salary of $60M. That is TWICE what Michael Jordan demanded in each of his final three champuonship years with the Bulls. Each NBA team's salary cap will increase to $122M, and Jokic's salary will be half of that.
Like Jokic, Michael Jordan was getting paid less than dozens of players he crushed on a nightly basis. After winning his third ring Jordan then requested a $30M one year contract. At the time that seemed outlandish, but Jordan brought back another NBA championship. Consequently, he was able to "go back to the well" two more times for $30M with no problem. MJ put up, and the Bulls paid up. Fair exchange is no robbery.
In total contrast, there were 39 players that made over $30M, and only 10 of them have NBA championship rings. Six are on the Top 10 highest paid list, which means that four of the pay leaders have won nothing. A total of four of the other 29 players that made $30M or more have championship rings as well. Therefore, a total of 29 out of 39 player making $30M/ year or more are not bonafide winners. Not only that, all of the "non-winners" whose contracts did not expire this year will be getting raises. That is like paying hitmen that miss bonuses.
Further, Steph Curry was the highest paid player this season, his team won the NBA championship, and he was rightfully voted the NBA Finals MVP after dropping 31 ppg on the Boston Celtics, the NBA's best defense, for six games. His pay is justified, just ask the Celtics.
On the other hand, the salaries of the 39 lowest paid players in the NBA, if combined, still do not earn what Steph Curry made this season. These same 39 players could also be paid with the individual salaries of John Wall (DNP), Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Damian Lillard (hurt), and Kawhi Leonard (hurt). These six players are receiving salaries that would pay 240 young players!!! Each would willingly accept one fourtieth of their pay ($1M) for 8 months of "work".
The six players above are not "the problem", they are just making over $40M last season. The Los Angeles Lakers could not put a quality team on the court last season or this coming season because three players are taking up most of the salary cap space. Now the Lakers cannot give the underperforming Russell Westbrook away, and the Laker faithful cannot be happy. They are not the only NBA fan bases that wishes their GM made better choices.
* It is possible to "objectively" calculate player value. If all of the GMs in the NBA were aware of how to do it, then their teams would not be in such dilemnas. For detailed information that reveals every facet of the Player Valuation Numeric click the link below.
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