Details On NBA’s Playoff Bonus Money For 2024/25
The pool of bonus money for NBA playoff teams this season is worth approximately $34.7MM, according to Kurt Badenhausen and Lev Akabas of Sportico.
The top six teams in each conference earn bonuses based on their regular season records, while the 16 playoff teams also receive a chunk of money from the playoff pool, increasing the value of their payout with each series win. That bonus money is divvied up among the players on each club’s 15-man roster.
Teams eliminated in the play-in tournament aren’t entitled to any of the playoff bonus money, even if they had the seventh- or eighth-best regular season record in their conference.
The breakdown for 2025’s playoff pool money is as follows (rounded to the nearest thousand), per Sportico:
Regular season achievements:
- Best record in NBA (Thunder): $869K
- No. 1 seeds in each conference (Cavaliers, Thunder): $761K per team
- No. 2 seeds (Celtics, Rockets): $609K per team
- No. 3 seeds (Knicks, Lakers): $456K per team
- No. 4 seeds (Pacers, Nuggets): $372K per team
- No. 5 seeds (Bucks, Clippers): $288K per team
- No. 6 seeds (Pistons, Timberwolves): $204K per team
Postseason achievements:
- Teams participating in first round (all 16 playoff teams — the 12 listed above, plus the Magic, Heat, Warriors, and Grizzlies): $466K per team
- Teams participating in conference semifinals (eight teams): $568K per team
- Teams participating in conference finals (four teams): $951K per team
- Losing team in NBA Finals: $3,803,000
- Winning team in NBA Finals: $8,805,000
A team that makes a deep playoff run will cash in on more than one of the bonuses listed above.
For example, if the Thunder win the championship, their payout from the playoff pool would be worth more than $12.4MM in total — that amount would include their bonuses for posting the NBA’s best record, claiming the West’s No. 1 seed, making the first round, making the conference semifinals, making the conference finals, and winning the NBA Finals.
Nuggets’ Josh Kroenke Talks Depth, Adelman, Front Office, More
Following Denver’s elimination from the playoffs on Sunday, star center Nikola Jokic told reporters that the Nuggets “definitely need to figure out a way to get more depth” this offseason. Jokic pointed to Indiana, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota as examples of teams who have benefited in the playoffs from strong benches, whereas the Nuggets leaned more heavily on their top six players for most of the postseason.
In an end-of-season media session on Thursday, Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke said he agreed with his superstar’s assessment, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
“There’s an urgency to improve the team and the organization everywhere, whether that’s via trade, via draft,” Kroenke said. Right now, I think that having a cohesive organization from coaching staff to front office is our main goal.
“… I heard Jokic’s comments loud and clear. I mean, I think that I was thinking that before those words came out of his mouth. Just in how the playoffs, if you’re watching the games, you can see yourself, as well as watching our games, you can see where we leaned on a lot of guys for a lot of minutes in big-time moments. And that has a cumulative effect that when you play in a seven-game series,that can wear you down.”
Although Kroenke referred to the draft and the trade market as two ways the Nuggets might look to supplement their core, Denver is currently the only team without any picks in the 2025 draft and isn’t exactly loaded with trade assets. The team’s proximity to the tax aprons also means it will be difficult to make upgrades via free agency.
As Kroenke pointed out, that means the front office will have to get creative in terms of adding talent, while the coaching staff will have to do all it can to develop the Nuggets’ young players who are still on team-friendly contracts.
“The rules don’t allow certain (cap) exceptions to exist anymore the same way they did previously, for you to go out and get a veteran player, kind of a plug-and-play bench-type player,” Kroenke said. “I think those opportunities do exist if you’re smart and can find value where others might not see it. But I also think that whether it’s Oklahoma City, you look at some of the guys on the Pacers’ roster, these guys have been developed over a period of years. They understand their roles, they understand their responsibilities, and they’re accountable to that. Those are the teams that I see having a lot of success. So there’s a lot of ways to improve it, and we’re gonna be looking at all of them.”
Here’s more from the Nuggets’ vice chairman:
- As we detailed on Thursday, Kronenke confirmed that Denver will retain interim head coach David Adelman, giving him the job on a permanent basis. Management is hopeful that Adelman will be able to get more out of some of the younger players on the roster than former head coach Michael Malone did, which might reduce the need for the team to find answers on the trade market. “I think a lot of our answers are internal right now,” Kroenke said, according to Durando. “With where we are from a roster standpoint, we have guys locked into contracts. We’re going into a coaching transition. And to be frank, that’s a huge change. Huge change. … DA’s philosophy, how he might use these guys slightly differently, there’s gonna be a lot of big changes throughout our organization already.”
- Interim general manager Ben Tenzer has “done an unbelievable job” since taking over for Calvin Booth last month, according to Kroenke, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Tenzer is a lock to be named the club’s full-time GM. “I’ve promoted (general managers) from within for several cycles now,” Kroenke said, per Durando. “Am I going to do that again? I’m not 100% sure. But I know we have some very capable people in this organization, and they’ve made me rethink a few things that I’ve already been thinking myself, which is great. I don’t want an organization where everyone agrees. I want everyone to challenge people, and then when the door opens and we move out, we’re all moving in unison.”
- While the Nuggets’ decision to fire their head coach and general manager with less than a week left in the regular season created the perception of instability, Kroenke pushed back against that notion, as Durando tweets. “I think the real instability would be if I just hid behind the curtain and allowed the plane to continue to go where it was heading, and probably, I think that plane would have landed in the play-in (tournament) and probably gone right out then,” Kroenke said. When Adelman coached his first game on April 9, Denver was in a four-way tie for fourth in the Western Conference. The Nuggets won their last three regular season games to secure that No. 4 seed.
Eastern Notes: Banchero, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, J. Holiday
Forward Paolo Banchero, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, is optimistic the Magic can capitalize on the NBA’s parity, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. After Boston was eliminated in the second round, the league will crown its seventh champion in as many years, the first time that has ever occurred.
“You don’t know how excited I am just seeing all of these new teams in the conference finals,” Banchero said. “Definitely going to have a new champion this year and so, it just excites you because that could be us.
“Obviously it’s not going to be easy and it takes a lot of things to go right, but seeing all of these teams get there, all these young players lead their teams … It definitely gets me excited.”
Here’s more from the East:
- Orlando isn’t the only Eastern Conference team optimistic about its future. The Pistons also believe they can become a contender sooner rather than later after a remarkable turnaround in 2024/25, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Detroit won a league-worst 14 games in ’23/24, but made the playoffs outright as the No. 6 seed after winning 44 games this season. The Pistons also had a highly competitive first-round series with New York, which is now in the conference final.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac previews the Bulls‘ offseason. While Josh Giddey‘s restricted free agency is perhaps the most pressing issue that needs to be addressed, Chicago also has several players eligible for veteran extensions. Smith views Ayo Dosunmu as the most likely to ink a new deal of the extension-eligible players.
- Celtics guard Jrue Holiday has come up multiple times in recent trade rumors, though one report stated Boston might have a difficult time moving him due to the $104MM he’s owed over the next three years. With that in mind, Brian Robb of MassLive explores seven hypothetical Holiday trades. According to Robb, the Mavericks could be a good fit if they like Holiday. His fake proposal has Holiday and unspecified draft capital heading to Dallas for Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin, Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Wells, Grizzlies, Biberovic
The Mavericks are a prime example of how quickly things can change in sports, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. The team had been lambasted for trading Luka Doncic and then repeatedly botching the public messaging in the aftermath of arguably the most shocking deal in NBA history, but now there’s suddenly reason for optimism after Dallas won the draft lottery and the right to select consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg.
“Our lives today have no resemblance to the way our lives were before last week,” said CEO Rick Welts. “It’s really quite extraordinary. Just walking around town. Getting high-fives from the doormen at my apartment building when they were looking away when I’d walk by before. … The excitement around this for our fans is just unbelievable. I can’t imagine a more dramatic change in fortune than what we’ve experienced.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Southwest:
- The Mavericks will host Alabama center Clifford Omoruyi and Obinna Anochili-Killen for pre-draft workouts next week, sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. As Afseth notes, Dallas currently only controls one selection — No. 1 overall — in next month’s draft, but GM Nico Harrison has a history of making trades involving second-round picks. Omoruyi comes in at No. 80 on ESPN’s big board, while Onochili-Killen is unranked, so it’s possible neither player will end up being drafted.
- Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells was recently named to the All-Rookie First Team. The Sacramento native has repeatedly surpassed external expectations over the years, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscriber link), going from a 5’6″ freshman in high school to Metro Player of the Year as a senior. Wells started his college career at Division II Sonoma State before transferring to Washington State for his junior season, and wound up being selected No. 39 in 2024 after impressing in the pre-draft process. Now he’s been recognized as one of the top rookies in his class.
- Draft-and-stash prospect Tarik Biberovic continues to impress with Turkish club Fenerbahce, which is in the EuroLeague Final Four, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Biberovic was selected No. 56 overall in the 2023 draft by the Grizzlies, who hold his NBA rights.
- In an interview with Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops, sharpshooter Biberovic discussed the possibility of signing an NBA contract with the Grizzlies. “Right now, I don’t think too much about the NBA and all the rumors that are talked about,” Biberovic said. “I told all my agents and everyone who’s dealing with this topic to stop. Because I have a very important weekend. Everything I was working for this year and my whole life will be summed up in this. I don’t want any distractions.”
Pacers Notes: Haliburton, Nesmith, Comebacks
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton reenacted Reggie Miller‘s infamous “choke” gesture when his high-bouncing jump shot tied Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the end of regulation, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Haliburton thought he had won the game, but his foot was on the three-point line with Indiana down two points. The Pacers ultimately completed their historic comeback in overtime.
Haliburton said he has watched the “Winning Time” documentary featuring Miller and film director and Knicks fan Spike Lee “probably 50 times” growing up. Miller was courtside for Game 1 as an analyst for TNT.
“That’s just a historic moment,” Haliburton said after the game. “Obviously him versus Spike, kind of the one-on-one. I felt like [my gesture] was kind of to everybody. But to [Miller], too. I wanted him to see it more than anything.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Head coach Rick Carlisle had no issue with Haliburton’s celebration, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link). “Players can do what they want. It’s an emotional thing. It’s not a big deal,” Carlisle said. “… Tyrese has earned the right to do whatever he wants.”
- Although Haliburton was the one who made the gesture, forward Aaron Nesmith was the Pacer who best embodied Miller’s past heroics during the furious late-game rally, as Jared Schwartz of The New York Post relays. Nesmith scored 20 of his 30 points in the last five minutes of regulation, going 6-of-6 from long distance and making both of his free throws. “It’s unreal, it’s probably the best feeling in the world,” Nesmith said. “I love it, when that basket feels like an ocean, anything you toss up, it feels like it’s gonna go in. It’s just so much fun. Didn’t really realize what I was doing in the moment. Just trying to win a basketball game.”
- Comebacks have been a hallmark of the Pacers’ 2025 playoff run, according to Shakeia Taylor of The Athletic, who takes a closer look at how Indiana has clawed its way back into multiple games that seemed out of reach. The Pacers have now won three games this postseason when trailing by seven or more points in the final minute of regulation or overtime, something only one other team has accomplished since 1998 in a huge sample size (4-1,640). “We’ve had a lot of these games this year,” Carlisle said. “We’ve probably had a dozen of them throughout the season. A lot of the games early, where we were struggling, were games we had to pull out … it’s a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. It’s not easy. It’s not easy.“
Knicks Notes: Game 1, Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Lineup
New York fans were stunned to silence following the Knicks‘ late-game collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. It was a historic loss: the Knicks were up 14 points with 2:51 remaining, and NBA playoff teams were 977-0 in those situations since 1997. They also led by nine with a minute left — no postseason team had lost a game in that position since 1998 (1,414-0). Now there’s a one on both of those tallies.
“We didn’t do what we needed to do; otherwise, we’d be in here talking about a whole different ballgame,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said after Wednesday’s game. “There’s a lot of things we did good, to put ourselves in the position to win. It’s just about … and I’ve said this multiple times, executing and discipline for 48 minutes.
“We played 46 good minutes. Those last two minutes is where we lost the game. That’s on all of us.”
As Chris Herring of ESPN.com writes, the Pacers and Knicks had both completed multiple double-digit playoff comebacks on their way to the conference final matchup. But Game 1 — which New York lost in overtime after a series of miscues — had the Knicks in the unenviable position of blowing the lead.
“Defensively, we let off the gas. The intensity and physicality weren’t there,” wing Josh Hart said. “Offensively, we were playing slower, and more stagnant. It looked like we were playing not to lose.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 43 points, he also committed seven turnovers, including three late in the game, notes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “Obviously, it’s not a good feeling, but there is a lot of basketball left to be played,” Brunson said, per Edwards. “We can’t sulk. We just got to get better.”
- ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne takes a look at what New York’s collapse means for the series — and for the team’s title chances. Brunson said he thought the momentum of Game 1 shifted with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter when he stumbled trying to get around a screen, leaving Aaron Nesmith open for a three-pointer. Nesmith went 6-of-6 on triples in the final 4:45 of regulation, including three in the final minute. “Once he hits one, you’ve got to be on high alert,” Brunson said. “I’ve got to do a better job of finding him. I think he had like one or two with me in the vicinity.”
- Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) hands out grades for Game 1, with Brunson receiving a B-plus and Towns, who finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds but missed a key free throw late in regulation, getting a B-minus. Mikal Bridges, who had 16 points on 16 shots and was a game-worst minus-15 in the three-point loss while being the primary defender on Tyrese Haliburton (31 points, 11 assists), got a D from Bondy.
- Towns and OG Anunoby appeared to get in a heated sideline argument with 34 seconds left in regulation, as Jaclyn Hendricks of The New York Post relays. Nesmith had just converted his fifth three-pointer of the quarter leading up to the incident.
- Could the Knicks alter their starting or closing lineup for Game 2? Head coach Tom Thibodeau said “everything is always on the table” when asked about that possibility on Thursday, according to Begley, who points out (via Twitter) that the starting unit of Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, Anunoby and Towns has a poor net rating in the playoffs.
Draft Notes: Lendeborg, Kings, Beringer, Knox, Mock
Former UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who reportedly has a lucrative offer on the table to transfer to Michigan if he opts to return to college, is among the prospects who will be working out for the Kings on Friday, tweets James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com.
Lendeborg comes in at No. 26 on ESPN’s best available prospects list, making him a possible late first-round pick. Interestingly, Sacramento currently only controls a second-rounder — No. 42 overall — in June’s draft.
While there have been no reports (that we’re aware of) to this point indicating the Kings are interested in acquiring an earlier selection, it also wouldn’t be surprising at all if they do — there are always teams on the hunt for young players on cost-controlled contracts. For what it’s worth, the Nets — who have a league-high five picks (all in the top 36) — are expected to be active in trade talks around the draft.
The other five prospects joining Lendeborg on Friday will be Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee), RJ Felton (East Carolina), Ben Henshall (Perth), Cameron Matthews (Mississippi State) and Jalon Moore (Oklahoma). Henshall (No. 63) and Moore (No. 73) also appear on ESPN’s big board, while the other players do not.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- French center Joan Beringer, a late bloomer who is the third-youngest player in the 2025 class, is drawing late-lottery interest, sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.org. The 18-year-old big man comes in at No. 16 on ESPN’s board. According to Afseth, scouts have pegged the Hawks (No. 13) as a potential fit, since Clint Capela is an unrestricted free agent and the team could be looking for a younger option at backup center behind Onyeka Okongwu.
- Guard Kobe Knox is withdrawing from the draft and will transfer to South Carolina for his senior season, reports Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Knox is the younger brother of Warriors forward Kevin Knox and the older brother of early entrant Karter Knox. The middle Knox brother averaged 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals on .463/.331/.767 shooting in 30 games in 2024/25 with South Florida (28.6 minutes per contest).
- Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype recently released the website’s latest aggregate mock draft, which compiles 10 mock drafts from various outlets for a composite ranking. The aggregate mock also features a scouting report on each prospect in the first round.
Latest On Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill
Speaking to reporters on Monday at his end-of-season media session, Cavaliers head of basketball operations Koby Altman expressed a desire to re-sign free agents Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill this offseason. While Cleveland projects to operate above the second tax apron next season, the team will have the ability to sign both players using Jerome’s Early Bird rights and Merrill’s Bird rights.
However, the cost of retaining the two key reserves would be significant due to the accompanying luxury tax penalties. Although neither Jerome nor Merrill projects to get a massive payday, both players are due significant raises after earning just $2.6MM and $2.2MM, respectively, in 2024/25.
One Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) predicted that Jerome’s market in free agency will be in the neighborhood of $12-14MM annually, which would make him a target for teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available this summer. The full MLE is projected to be worth $14.1MM next season.
As Fedor writes, despite his breakout season this past year, Jerome is still viewed as a backup rather than a starter, especially since he was exploited on defense during the Cavaliers’ second-round series vs. Indiana. That perception figures to limit the 27-year-old’s earning potential to some extent in free agency, reducing the odds that he gets a deal exceeding the mid-level.
Fedor identifies the Spurs, Mavericks, and Warriors as a few of the teams to watch as possible suitors for Jerome and hears from sources that the Nuggets have interest too, though their cap situation could prevent them from getting involved. That may also be the case for the Mavs, barring cost-cutting moves in Dallas.
The Pistons could use backcourt help with Dennis Schröder and Malik Beasley entering free agency, but one source close to Jerome tells Cleveland.com that Detroit is probably a “long shot.” As Fedor writes, the Pistons are expected to focus on re-signing Beasley, while Jerome may not be an ideal fit for J.B. Bickerstaff‘s defense-first approach.
If Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is willing to pay a massive tax bill and Jerome doesn’t get offers that far exceed what the Cavs put on the table, Fedor wouldn’t be surprised to see a reunion, noting that the veteran guard recognizes he’s in a great situation in Cleveland.
As for Merrill, one source tells Fedor that his price point could be in the range of $6-8MM per year. The 29-year-old has never earned more than the veteran’s minimum, but he’s a 38.6% career three-point shooter and has improved as a defender.
Northwest Notes: SGA, Randle, Wolves, Blazers
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander always thought he was capable of becoming “a really good player,” the Thunder guard admitted on Wednesday that he didn’t view himself as a potential MVP until several years into his NBA career, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. He first earned MVP votes in 2023, when he finished fifth, then was the runner-up to Nikola Jokic a year ago before flipping spots with the Nuggets star this spring and winning the award for the first time.
“I dreamt about (winning MVP) as a kid, but as a kid, it’s a fake dream,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “As the days go on and you realize that you get closer to your dream, it’s hard to not freak out. It’s hard to not be a six-year-old kid again. I think that’s what’s allowed me to achieve it.”
Because he earned All-NBA honors in 2023 and 2024, Gilgeous-Alexander was already eligible to sign a four-year, super-max extension this offseason. That deal, which would begin in 2027/28, would be worth a projected $293.4MM based on annual 10% salary cap increases.
As a result of being named Most Valuable Player this season, Gilgeous-Alexander now has the option of waiting until the 2026 offseason and signing a five-year super-max deal at that time, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweeted on Wednesday. That contract would look the same through the first four seasons but would include a fifth year worth a whopping $86.45MM, bringing the total value of the projected extension to nearly $380MM.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- After averaging 27.0 points and 7.8 assists per game on 55.7% shooting in the Timberwolves‘ four wins vs. Golden State, Julius Randle had another big scoring night in Game 1 vs. Oklahoma City with a team-high 28 points. But his 13 field goal attempts were well below his postseason average and he was held to one assist while committing five turnovers. He also had just eight of his points in the second half as the Thunder pulled away with the game. “That’s on me, I got to get him the ball,” head coach Chris Finch said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I got to get him more involved to start the second half.”
- While Randle and Anthony Edwards combined for 46 points on 14-of-27 shooting on Tuesday, the rest of the Timberwolves scored just 42 points and made 15-of-57 field goals (26.3%). Zach Kram of ESPN.com examines the challenges a strong Minnesota offense faces against the league’s best defense in this series, while Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that the Wolves need more out of a second unit led by Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo. That duo combined to make just 4-of-25 shots in Game 1, including 3-of-19 three-pointers.
- In a Substack article, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report attempts to answer five questions related to the Trail Blazers‘ sale, including how long it will take, how much they’re worth, and how the process might affect the on-court product. Most importantly, Highkin writes, while it’s technically possible that a new owner could look to relocate the franchise, that’s a highly unlikely outcome — and one that the sellers don’t want.
- The Trail Blazers‘ sale won’t affect Moda Center renovations that are already underway, including an upgraded videoboard, but additional major arena projects will likely be on hold until the sale is complete, says Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
Warriors’ Moses Moody Undergoes Thumb Surgery
Warriors guard Moses Moody underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link). The procedure took place in Los Angeles.
According to the Warriors, the expectation is that Moody will make a full recovery prior to the start of training camp in the fall.
Moody, who will turn 23 next Saturday, averaged a career-high 9.8 points per game on .433/.374/.797 shooting in 74 outings for Golden State in 2024/25. His 34 starts and 22.3 minutes per game also represented career highs, as he established himself as a regular member of Steve Kerr‘s rotation during the second half of the season.
Moody started 30 consecutive games for the Warriors from February 13 to April 23 (Game 2 of the first round) before coming off the bench for the rest of the postseason.
The three-year, $37.5MM rookie scale extension that Moody signed with the Warriors last October will take effect this July once his rookie contract ends. He’ll earn a guaranteed $11.57MM salary on that new deal next season.