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Basketball fans are wondering how much money the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers can earn by winning the NBA In-Season Tournament championship. There is a reason why NBA players are all-in on the NBA Cup because each player on the winning team earns $500,000.
All is not lost for the losing team, as second-place players earn $200,000 for reaching the final. It is not just the Lakers and Pacers cashing in.
There are financial incentives throughout the tournament so even eliminated teams earn money depending on how far they advanced. Two-way players on the rosters only get half of the prize money for each incentive. Tim Reynolds
“There are cash prizes for reaching the knockout round in the tournament, and the prizes will keep growing as a team advances,” The Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds detailed for NBA.com on December 4, 2023.
“Each player gets $500,000 for winning the title, $200,000 for making the final, $100,000 for reaching the semifinals and $50,000 for making the quarterfinals. There is one caveat: two-way players on those rosters only get half as much as those on standard contracts.”
LeBron James on NBA In-Season Tournament Prize Money: ‘Y’all Heard It’s $500,000 on the Line, So We Going for That’
Part of the reason for the sizable NBA In-Season Tournament purse it to get buy-in (literally) from the players. There had been some resistance to the idea of adding the NBA Cup, but even LeBron James admits the $500,000 is a motivating factor.
“It feels great because it’s an In-Season Tournament win, and we’ll take that,” James told ESPN after a Lakers’ win over the Suns on November 11. “We’ll take that for sure. Y’all heard it’s $500,000 on the line, so we going for that. We’re going for that.”
D’Angelo Russell on Winning $500,000: ‘I’d Spend It on Vacation’
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell was asked what he would spend the money on if Los Angeles wins the NBA Cup. Russell has his eyes on a vacation with family and friends if the Lakers win the $500,000.
“I’d spend it on vacation,” Russell told reporters on December 8 when asked about how he planned to spend the prize money. “I don’t think I’d spend it on a car or something like that.
“Yeah, I’d spend it on vacation. Bring the whole family, friends, family, they friends’ family, they friends’ family. I’d do that. I’d do it right, for sure.”
Darvin Ham on NBA Cup Getting the Lakers’ Attention: ‘Once They Start[ed] Announcing Those Numbers, Man’
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham suggests potentially adding money to the purse or a draft incentive as possible future changes. As is, Ham admits the NBA In-Season Tournament prize money is what got the players’ attention.
“There wasn’t really any specific conversation about how we were going to approach this In-Season Tournament,” Ham said during a December 7 press conference. “But that said, everyone knew, once they start announcing what was at stake [with] the prize money and obviously, it’s a beautiful trophy.
“But no disrespect to the trophy, but once they start[ed] announcing those numbers, man. It fell right in the line with what we’re trying to do.”
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