By Winning The NBA Finals, Oklahoma City Thunder Players Made An Extra $12.4 Million
ByJoey Heldon June 26, 2025inArticles›Sports News
The Oklahoma City Thunder capped off one of the greatest seasons in NBA history with a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder’s 84 wins between the regular season and playoffs are tied with the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for the third-most wins by a team in a single season and playoffs. Only the 1995-96 Bulls (87 wins) and 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors (88 wins) won more, though those Warriors notably lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
This year’s Thunder team has had some fun moments after winning the first championship in franchise history. From Aaron Wiggins’s passionate speech and mic drop to Alex Caruso having to teach his younger teammates how to successfully pop champagne bottles , there’s been plenty to celebrate.
There are also a few financial reasons to cheer about. Not only will key contributors like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren be in line for potentially massive extensions, every player on the team scored extra money. By virtue of having the best record in the NBA and winning the title, the Thunder collectively earned $12.42 million , or $828,000 per player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates his NBA Finals MVP award with his teammates. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
How NBA Playoff Bonuses Work
The $12.42 million earned by the Thunder comes from the NBA’s $33.7 million playoff pool, which is distributed based on regular-season standings and postseason progression. Teams earn slices of the pool for finishing among the top six in their conference, advancing through playoff rounds, and winning the title.
The NBA champions receive the largest single payment — $4.8 million — for winning the Finals, on top of previous round earnings. All of it is distributed equally across the team’s playoff roster, regardless of contract size or minutes played. That means superstars and role players cash the same check.
This year’s $828,000 per-player bonus is the largest in NBA history. For comparison, when the Golden State Warriors won the 2015 title, each player took home about $220,000 in playoff bonuses. In less than a decade, the payout has nearly quadrupled — thanks to explosive league growth, international TV deals, and the NBA’s escalating financial success.
Bonus Money Matters More For Some Than Others
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named Finals MVP, earned a base salary of $35.9 million this season. His teammate Isaiah Hartenstein made $30 million. For them, the bonus is a nice perk, like a high-end sports car dropped in their lap.
But for players further down the roster, the payout is game-changing. Dillon Jones earned $2.62 million this season. Jaylin Williams made just over $2 million. The $828,000 bonus increases Jones’s earnings by more than 30%. For Williams, it’s over 40% — a huge windfall in a league where non-stars often play on short-term deals without guaranteed long-term income.
Pacers Earn Half
The Indiana Pacers, despite finishing fourth in the East, made a stunning run through the playoffs, including an NBA-record five postseason comebacks of 15 points or more. Their Game 1 victory over the Thunder in the Finals was a stunner, and their run earned them respect throughout the league. Financially, they took home $6.16 million in bonuses, or $410,667 per player — about half of what OKC earned.
A Title and a Pay Raise for the Entire Franchise
For Thunder ownership, the title is a milestone long in the making. Since relocating from Seattle in 2008, the team had been chasing the validation of a championship. With the win, the franchise — currently valued around $3.5 billion — likely saw its value climb further. Clay Bennett , who led the relocation effort, now oversees one of the most successful small-market turnarounds in modern sports.
The future is bright and expensive. Gilgeous-Alexander is already on a max contract, but rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will soon be eligible for extensions. With a championship now on their résumés, those negotiations could push into nine-figure territory.
What Comes Next?
The Thunder are already viewed as early favorites to repeat next season. And as the NBA’s revenue continues to grow, so do the bonuses. This year’s playoff pool increased by $1 million compared to 2023–24. If OKC can go back-to-back, their financial reward will only grow.
And if you’re a player who just cashed an extra $828,000 check? That makes every grueling minute of the season — and every celebratory champagne shower — feel worth it.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Could Smash The Single-Season NBA Salary Record With His Next Contract
ByJoey Heldon July 22, 2024inArticles›Sports News
NBA teams have handed out plenty of big contracts this summer. Jayson Tatum signed a historic $314 million extension with the Boston Celtics, the largest total-value contract the NBA has ever seen. The 2021 No. 1 pick, Cade Cunningham , could make upwards of a quarter-billion dollars. Ditto for Scottie Barnes , the fourth pick from that draft.
Despite those hefty price tags, none of them are going to make as much in a single season as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander .
The Oklahoma City Thunder star was the runner-up in MVP voting this past season and earned All-NBA First Team status for a second consecutive year. That makes him eligible for a supermax extension next offseason, a deal the Thunder will surely offer.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted , Gilgeous-Alexander can sign a four-year extension worth $294,268,128.
This extension would kick in after Gilgeous-Alexander’s current contract ends in the summer of 2027. In most situations, NBA contracts are backloaded, meaning the final year is the most lucrative. SGA would earn $81,449,214 during the 2030-31 season. To repeat. That’s $81.449 million in salary for a single season of play.
That’s essentially $1 million per game the Thunder play, whether he suits up or not. And it’ll likely be north of that since Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t played a full 82 games since his rookie year.
Joshua Gateley/Getty Images
As a reminder, Michael Jordan earned just shy of $94 million throughout his entire 15-year NBA career. Granted, he’s made billions thanks to endorsements and investments. And while SGA starred in that very memorable (some might say grating) “What a Pro Wants” commercial , he’s still well behind MJ in that regard.
There’s another interesting wrinkle to this extension, too. Gilgeous-Alexander played his rookie season for the Los Angeles Clippers. Then, in the 2019 offseason, the Clippers traded him, Danilo Gallinari, and five draft picks to the Thunder for Paul George .
One of this offseason’s big moves saw George signing with the Philadelphia 76ers. He claimed the Clippers initially gave him a lowball offer , which led to him looking elsewhere. The Sixers gave him four years and $212 million.
Granted, the Clippers needed to acquire George to get Kawhi Leonard on the roster. Still, it’s wild that they lost an MVP candidate and the guy they traded that candidate for in the span of five years—with only one Western Conference Finals appearance to show for it.
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