NBA Players to Divvy Up $36M in 2026 Playoff Bonuses
The NBA playoffs tip off this week with the Oklahoma City Thunder a heavy favorite to lift the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy for the second straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics are next in line to win the NBA title among oddsmakers. The Thunder also posted the best regular-season record, which means they could have the highest possible playoff payday at $12.
8 million if they win the title. More from Sportico. com LIV Golf in Crisis as PIF Considers Cutting Funding After $5B+ Loss Charlotte's Buzzing for the NBA's Most Interesting Play-In Team WNBA Draft Picks to Earn Record Salaries: Inside the Numbers NBA players have the highest salaries in U.
S. pro sports by a wide margin. The same holds true come playoff time.
Players on NBA playoff teams will split $35. 7 million this season, with each team receiving a chunk based on how far their teams go; teams earn more for each round they advance. The total is up $1 million from last year.
Source The NBA also factors regular-season standings into its playoff pool, with an added bonus of $896,293 for the best record among all 30 teams. Players on playoff teams will receive anywhere from $480,715—roughly $32,050 per player based on a 15-player roster—to potentially $12. 8 million ($853,700 per player) if the Thunder, who finished the season 64-18, win the NBA championship.