OKC Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, somewhat surprisingly, are both set to battle it out for their first championship title. Defeating the reigning champions from last season, the Thunder enter the Finals week as fan favorites. And while Indiana has had a remarkable season, for now, they remain the underdogs. Both teams are now focused on that coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy, but that is not all.
In the playoffs, success also comes with some sweet financial rewards. For instance, the Thunder are projected to earn an NBA-high $12.4 million, or $828,000 per player in bonuses. After posting a 68- 14 regular-season record, this would be the cherry on the top. After a 25% boost last season, the NBA playoff pool saw another 3% hike this season. In addition, last season playoff bonuses also rose from 12% to 17%. Meanwhile, the Championship reward saw a whopping 79% increase from 4.78 million.
What Is the Total Prize Money for the 2025 NBA Playoffs?
Reportedly, the total pool prize for the 2025 playoffs has been set at 34.7 million. Compared to 2023-24, which was 33.7 million, the total prize pool has been increased by another million. This decision was made in an effort to show the NBA’s commitment to rewarding postseason success and player incentives for their growth. Primarily funded through playoff tickets, sponsorships, and media deals, the prize pool is distributed among the qualifying playoff teams depending on their performance throughout the season.
How Is the NBA Playoff Prize Money Distributed Among Teams?
While the prize money is divvied up based on regular season and postseason advancement, teams with the best records receive additional incentives. A team with the best overall regular season performance is entitled to almost $869,345 extra. For the First Round, the allocated amount is $466,000, the Conference Semi-finals $568,000, the Conference Finals $951,000, while the NBA Finals is $3.8 million. And finally, the Championship reward is $8.8 million.
2025 NBA Playoff Pool
Team Share
6th Best Record in Conference
$204,000 each
5th Best Record in Conference
$288,000 each
Losing Team in NBA Finals
$3,803,000
Total Playoff Pool
$34,666,000
4th Best Record in Conference
$372,000 each
3rd Best Record in Conference
$456,000 each
Teams in First Round
$466,000 each
Teams in Conference Semifinals
$568,000 each
2nd Best Record in Conference
$609,000 each
Best Record in Conference
$761,000 each
Winning Team in NBA Finals
$8,805,000
Best Record in NBA
$869,000
Teams in Conference Finals
$951,000 each
How Much Could Each Player Earn from Winning the 2025 NBA Finals?
If it is assumed that the standard roster consists of 15 players, then, dividing the Finals prize money, each player could approximately end up with $313,333. Although these numbers could also look different depending on individual contracts, performance bonuses, team agreements, and lineup positions. For context, the Boston Celtics’ 2024 championship run resulted in $804,000 per player.
Meanwhile, teams that finished as seventh or eighth seeds will not be getting any bonuses for their regular season, while those whose journey ended in the play-in tournament will only receive their regular-season salaries.
It is also worth mentioning that players in lower-end contracts or two-way deals see a significant increase in the substantial bonuses of the NBA Cup, greatly impacting their financial success. For the high-salary drawing players, bonuses are mostly supplementary. For players such as Dillon Jones and Jaylin Williams, who earned less than three million this season, the title money would increase their pay by at least 30%.
Hence, while the championship is most certainly the biggest reward, the financial incentives will only make players work even harder.
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