{"id":6878,"date":"2020-02-28T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/?p=6878"},"modified":"2020-02-19T09:49:46","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T15:49:46","slug":"are-nba-players-paid-to-perform-in-the-clutch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/are-nba-players-paid-to-perform-in-the-clutch\/","title":{"rendered":"Are NBA Players Paid to Perform in the Clutch?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Authors: <\/strong>Kevin Sigler <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corresponding Author:<\/strong>
Kevin Sigler, PhD
601 College Road
Department of Economics and Finance
Cameron School of Business
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington, NC 28403
siglerk@uncw.edu
910-200-2076<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Sigler is Professor of\nFinance in the Cameron School of Business, UNC Wilmington<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are NBA Players Paid to Perform in the Clutch?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ABSTRACT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The star players in the National\nBasketball Association (NBA) are paid extremely well.  In the 2018-19 season there were 60 players\nin the NBA that were paid $17 million or more for their services.  Stephen Curry was the highest paid at $37.5 million\n(Table 1).  LeBron James, Chris Paul, and\nRussell Westbrook tied for second at salaries of $35.7 million (1).  This study examines if the highest 60 paid\nNBA players are compensated for performing in the clutch.  The research finds that the pay for the\nsample of highly paid NBA players is related to their field goal percentage and\nto assists to other players during the last four minutes of close games when\nthe score is within five points.  Their\npay is tied significantly to field goal attempts in the last minute of close\ngames as well.  It appears from the\nresults that NBA organizations reward players who at the end of close games\nmake shots, are able to handle the ball, and set up their teammates to score as\nwell as be willing to take shots in the last minute of tightly contested games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Keywords<\/strong>: National Basketball Association, players, salary,\nclutch
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION                            <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The star players in the\nNational Basketball Association (NBA) are paid extremely well.   In the 2018-19 season there were 60 players\nin the NBA that were paid $17 million or more for their services (Table\n1).  This study examines if NBA organizations\npay highly compensated players for performing in the clutch, producing for\ntheir teams when the game is on the line in the last minutes of play.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephen Curry was the\nhighest paid NBA player in the 2018-19 season paid at $37.5 million (Table\n1).  LeBron James, Chris Paul, and\nRussell Westbrook tied for second at salaries of $35.7 million (1).  However, there are limits to the amount a team\ncan pay its players.  The most a team can\npay a player is either a max or super-max contract lasting no longer than five\nyears.  <\/p>\n\n\n\nTable 1:<\/strong> Top 60 Paid NBA Players 2018-19\n\n \n \n \n \n \n
Name<\/strong><\/td>\n Team<\/strong><\/td>\n Salary<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Stephen Curry\n Chris Paul\n LeBron James\n Russell Westbrook\u00a0 \n Blake Griffin\n Gordon Hayward\n Kyle Lowery\n Paul George\n Mike Conley\n James Harden\n Kevin Durant\n Paul Millsap\n Al Horford\n Damian Lillard\n Demar DeRozen\n Otto Porter Jr.\n Jrue Holiday\n CJ McCollum\n Joel Embiid\n Andrew Wiggins\n Bradley Beal\n Anthony Davis\n Andre Drummond\n Hassan Whiteside\n Nikola Jokic\n Steven Adams\n Giannis Antetokounmp\n Marc Gasol\n Kevin Love\n Harrison Barnes\n Chandler Parsons\n Nicolas Batum\n Rudy Gobert\n Kawhi Leonard\n DeAndre Jordan\n LaMarcus Aldridge\n Serge Ibaka\n Aaron Gordon\n Danilo Gillinari\n Victor Oladipo\n Jimmy Butler\n Ryan Anderson\n Kyrie Irving\n Jabari Psrker\n Zach LaVine\u00a0\n Tyler Johnson\n Tim Hardaway\n John Wall\n Jeff Teague\n George Hill\u00a0\n Klay Thompson\n Allen Crabbe\n Goran Dragic\n Kent Bazemore\n Evan Turner\n Draymond Green\n Tristan Thompson\n Evan Fournier\n Reggie Jackson\n Bismack Biyombo <\/td>\n Golden State Warriors
\n Houston Rockets
\n Los Angeles Lakers
\n Oklahoma City Thunder \n Detroit Pistons\n Boston Celtics\n Toronto Raptors\n Oklahoma City Thunder\n Memphis Grizzlies\n Houston Rockets\u00a0\n Golden State Warriors\n Denver Nuggets\n Boston Celtics\n Portland Trailblazers\u00a0\n San Antonio Spurs\n Washington Wizards\u00a0\n New Orleans Pelicans\n Portland Trailblazers\n Philadelphia 76ers\n Minnesota Timberwolves\n Washington Wizards\n New Orleans Pelicans\n Detroit Pistons\n Miami Heat\n Denver Nuggets\n Oklahoma City Thunder\n Milwaukee Bucks\n Toronto Raptors\n Cleveland Cavaliers\n Sacramento Kings\n Memphis Grizzlies\n Charlotte Hornets\n Utah Jazz\n Toronto Raptors\n New York Knicks\n San Antonio Spurs\n Toronto Raptors\n Orlando Magic\n New York Knicks\n Indiana Pacers\n Philadelphia 76ers\n Phoenix Suns\n Boston Celtics\n Washington Wizards\n Chicago Bulls\n Phoenix Suns\n New York Knicks\n Washington Wizards\n Minnesota Timberwolves\n Milwaukee Bucks\n Golden State Warriors\n Brooklyn Nets\n Miami Heat\n Atlanta Hawks\n Portland Trailblazers\n Golden State Warriors\n Cleveland Cavaliers\n Orlando Magic\n Detroit Pistons\n Charlotte Hornets <\/td>\n 		$37,457,154
\n $35,654,150
\n $35,654,150
\n $35,654,150\u00a0 \n $32,088,932\n $31,214,295\n $31,200,000\n $30,560,700\n $30,521,115\n $30,421,854\n $30,000,000\n $29,230,769\n $28,928,709\n $27,977,689\n $27,739,975\n $26,011,913\n $25,976,111\n $25,759,766\n $25,467,250\n $25,467,250\n $25,434,263\n $25,434,263\n $25,434,263\n $25,434,262\n $24,605,181\n $24,157,303\n $24,157,303\n $24,119,025\n $24,119.025\n $24,107,258\n $24,107,258\n $24,000,000\n $23,241,573\n $23,114,067\n $22,897,200\n $22,347,015\n $21,666,667\n $21,590,909\n $21,587,579\n $21,000,000\n $20,445,779\n $20,421,546\n $20,099,189\n $20,000,000\n $19,500,000\n $19,356,932\n $19,200,127\n $19,169,800\n $19,000,000\n $19,000,000\n $18,988,725\n $18,500,000\n $18,109,175\n $18,089,887\n $17,868,853\n $17,469,565\n $17,469,565\n $17,150,000\n $17,043,478\n $17,000,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n Mean<\/strong><\/td>\n $24,157,049<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n Median<\/strong><\/td>\n $24,107,258<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

MAX\nAND SUPER-MAX CONTRACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A player is eligible to\nsign for a maximum salary for the 2018-19 season of $25,467,250 or 25 percent\nof the cap if he has six or less years of experience (2).    A player with 7-9 years in the league can\nget 30 percent of the cap or $30,560,700 and with 10 years or more can receive\nup to 35 percent of the cap or $35,654,150 (Table 2).  <\/p>\n\n\n\nTable 2:<\/strong> Max Salaries and Projected Max Salaries\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years)<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Year<\/strong><\/td>\n 6 years or less<\/strong><\/td>\n 7-9 years<\/strong><\/td>\n 10+ years<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
2018-19
\n 2019-20
\n 2020-21
\n 2021-22<\/td>\n 		$25,467,250
\n $27,504,630
\n $29,542,010
\n $31,579,390<\/td>\n 		$30,560,700
\n $33,005,556
\n $35,450,412
\n $37,895,268<\/td>\n 		$35,654,150
\n $38,506,482
\n $41,358,814
\n $44,211,146<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
A player signing with his a new team (5% annual raises, up to 4 years)<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Year<\/strong><\/td>\n 6 years or less<\/strong><\/td>\n 7-9 years<\/strong><\/td>\n 10+ years<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
2018-19
\n 2019-20
\n 2020-21
\n 2021-22<\/td>\n 		$25,467,250
\n $26,740,613
\n $28,013,975
\n $29,287,338<\/td>\n 		$30,560,700
\n $32,088,735
\n $33,616,770
\n $35,144,805<\/td>\n 		$35,654,150
\n $37,436,858
\n $39,219,565
\n $41,002,273<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

The super-max contract, officially known\nas the Designated Veteran Player Extension, allows teams to re-sign players to\nmaximum five-year contracts\nthat are worth up to 35 percent of the salary cap with raises of eight percent\nin each following season.   A player who has seven or eight years of\nNBA service with one or two years left on his contract and qualifies for the designated\nveteran extension is eligible for a starting salary worth up to 35 percent\nof the cap (3)   Other qualifiers for the Designated Veteran\nExtension are the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n