The pool of bonus money for NBA playoff teams this season will be worth approximately $33.7MM, according to Kurt Badenhausen and Lev Akabas of Sportico, who say the figure represents a 25% increase over last year’s total playoff bonuses.
The top six teams in each conference earn bonuses based on their regular season records, while the 16 playoff teams will also receive a chunk of money from the playoff pool, increasing the value of their payout with each series win. That bonus money will be divvied up among the players on each club’s roster.
Teams eliminated in the play-in tournament won’t be able to claim any of the playoff bonus money.
The breakdown for 2024’s playoff pool money is as follows:
Regular season achievements:
- Best record in NBA (Celtics): $844K
- No. 1 seeds in each conference (Celtics, Thunder): $739K each
- No. 2 seeds (Knicks, Nuggets): $591K each
- No. 3 seeds (Bucks, Timberwolves): $443K each
- No. 4 seeds (Cavaliers, Clippers): $361K each
- No. 5 seeds (Magic, Mavericks): $280K each
- No. 6 seeds (Pacers, Suns): $198K each
Postseason achievements:
- Teams participating in first round (all 16 playoff teams): $453K each
- Teams participating in conference semifinals (eight teams): $552K each
- Teams participating in conference finals (four teams): $923K each
- Losing team in NBA Finals: $3,692,000
- Winning team in NBA Finals: $8,549,000
A team that makes a deep playoff run would be entitled to more than one of the bonuses listed above.
For example, if the Celtics were to win the championship, their payout from the playoff pool would be worth a total of nearly $12.1MM — that amount would include their bonuses for posting the NBA’s best record, claiming the East’s No. 1 seed, making the first round, making the conference semifinals, making the conference finals, and winning the NBA Finals.
Good info Luke thanks. That money is distributed equally amongst all the 14-15 players on the team, or is it proportional to their salary (i.e. Tatum gets a higher payout than Pritchard)?
Do two-way guys also get a share?
Sportico’s report suggests (but doesn’t say explicitly) that it’s distributed equally among players on the 15-man roster (ie. no two-way players). The CBA doesn’t specify on either count.
I suppose it makes sense that two-way players wouldn’t be entitled to it, given that it’s specifically designated as “playoff” bonus money, but you’d think they’ve earned a small piece of the bonuses for the top six seeds (and best record).
Interesting point about 2-way players having a right to a portion of bonuses based on regular season win loss record. Do the coaches receive any portion of the bonus, or is there a separate bonus pool for them? I assume they get nothing
@jobbins Coaches aren’t entitled to anything extra, as far as I know. If they do, it would likely be negotiated separately (as it was for the in-season tournament prize money), but I don’t recall ever seeing anything about that.
For what it’s worth, this clause in the CBA’s section on playoff pool money makes it sound like there’s an option to share up to 5% of the playoff bonus money with “team personnel.” That “team personnel” wording is pretty vague though — it could apply to staffers besides coaches.
“The players on a Team that receive amounts from the Player Playoff Pool in respect of a Salary Cap Year shall not be permitted to share with Team personnel amounts that, in the aggregate, exceed five percent (5%) of the total amount received by the players on that Team, collectively, from the Player Playoff Pool in respect of such Salary Cap Year.”
literally was just wondering about the numbers the other day. thanks.
Interesting! Thanks.