Top 15 salaries in 4 eras.

[Kblaze8855]

92

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070711350322.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

2002

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070711560306.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

2012


https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070713410312.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

2022


https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070714200322.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

Obvious first observation is them getting bigger but that’s just how it works. More money generated…higher pay. Not worth going into so I’ll move on.


Would you say teams were doing better or worse deciding who to pay as time went on?

Luckily the cap and cba limits how stupid you can be early which saves some teams. We would have a lot more Larry Johnson or Webber style 12-15 year rookie deals.

It helps these gms. Protects them from their own stupidity.

[1987_Lakers]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Could Have Joined the ABA Until an NBA Legend Made a $1 Million Mistake

After the respective drafts, Abdul-Jabbar told both sides he would be home in New York for one day. He’d field each league’s best offer, decide, and move on.

The ABA’s plan to make Kareem Abdul-Jabbar an instant millionaire was literal. They were going to offer an enormous contract, but they would seal the deal by presenting him a cashier’s check for $1 million.

Mikan went into the meeting with the check in his pocket. The Nets made the first presentation, with Mikan and Nets owner Arthur Brown doing the talking. The money would be the closer. Storen was confident, at least until Mikan left the meeting.”

“They came out, and I said, ‘That check got us where we wanted to go, right?’” Storen said. “Mikan said, ‘We decided that it wasn’t necessary to give him our best offer. We figure when he comes back to us, then we’ll use the check for the second round of talks.’ I screamed, ‘You did what?’”

Mikan told Storen that Abdul-Jabbar would come back after he got Milwaukee’s offer. When Storen pressed the commissioner about whether the player made that statement, the answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Mikan said, “The kid did say that he would make the decision.”

Storen exploded:

“I was really screaming. ‘You dumb SOBs, why did we spend all that money to find out all this information if you’re not going to use it? How could you guys not give him the check?’”

It was over. Abdul-Jabbar accepted the Bucks’ five-year, $1.4 million offer. The ABA tried to give him the check at the airport, but it was too late. The ABA lost.

https://www.sportscasting.com/kareem-abdul-jabbar-aba-legend-made-1-million-mistake/

[Kblaze8855]

Rest of the top 30 if you want


https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070721170300.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070721380316.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070724380318.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2206070725080310.jpeg

[Kblaze8855]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Could Have Joined the ABA Until an NBA Legend Made a $1 Million Mistake

After the respective drafts, Abdul-Jabbar told both sides he would be home in New York for one day. He’d field each league’s best offer, decide, and move on.

The ABA’s plan to make Kareem Abdul-Jabbar an instant millionaire was literal. They were going to offer an enormous contract, but they would seal the deal by presenting him a cashier’s check for $1 million.

Mikan went into the meeting with the check in his pocket. The Nets made the first presentation, with Mikan and Nets owner Arthur Brown doing the talking. The money would be the closer. Storen was confident, at least until Mikan left the meeting.”

“They came out, and I said, ‘That check got us where we wanted to go, right?’” Storen said. “Mikan said, ‘We decided that it wasn’t necessary to give him our best offer. We figure when he comes back to us, then we’ll use the check for the second round of talks.’ I screamed, ‘You did what?’”

Mikan told Storen that Abdul-Jabbar would come back after he got Milwaukee’s offer. When Storen pressed the commissioner about whether the player made that statement, the answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Mikan said, “The kid did say that he would make the decision.”

Storen exploded:

“I was really screaming. ‘You dumb SOBs, why did we spend all that money to find out all this information if you’re not going to use it? How could you guys not give him the check?’”

It was over. Abdul-Jabbar accepted the Bucks’ five-year, $1.4 million offer. The ABA tried to give him the check at the airport, but it was too late. The ABA lost.

https://www.sportscasting.com/kareem-abdul-jabbar-aba-legend-made-1-million-mistake/


I read about that in some book I can’t remember. It pretty much ensured the ABA would die.

[1987_Lakers]

I read about that in some book I can’t remember. It pretty much ensured the ABA would die.

Also read it in a book like a decade ago, that story always stuck with me. lol.

[iamgine]

The net salary difference isn't actually that much.

Curry in '22 probably takes home ~$19M out of his $45M salary while Garnett in '02 probably took home ~$9.4M, which is worth ~$14M in 2022.

So the difference is only $5-6M.

[kawhileonard2]

Why would anyone give John Wall a contract like that?

[Spurs m8]

John Wall is the funniest contract ever

[Sulico]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Could Have Joined the ABA Until an NBA Legend Made a $1 Million Mistake

After the respective drafts, Abdul-Jabbar told both sides he would be home in New York for one day. He’d field each league’s best offer, decide, and move on.

The ABA’s plan to make Kareem Abdul-Jabbar an instant millionaire was literal. They were going to offer an enormous contract, but they would seal the deal by presenting him a cashier’s check for $1 million.

Mikan went into the meeting with the check in his pocket. The Nets made the first presentation, with Mikan and Nets owner Arthur Brown doing the talking. The money would be the closer. Storen was confident, at least until Mikan left the meeting.”

“They came out, and I said, ‘That check got us where we wanted to go, right?’” Storen said. “Mikan said, ‘We decided that it wasn’t necessary to give him our best offer. We figure when he comes back to us, then we’ll use the check for the second round of talks.’ I screamed, ‘You did what?’”

Mikan told Storen that Abdul-Jabbar would come back after he got Milwaukee’s offer. When Storen pressed the commissioner about whether the player made that statement, the answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Mikan said, “The kid did say that he would make the decision.”

Storen exploded:

“I was really screaming. ‘You dumb SOBs, why did we spend all that money to find out all this information if you’re not going to use it? How could you guys not give him the check?’”

It was over. Abdul-Jabbar accepted the Bucks’ five-year, $1.4 million offer. The ABA tried to give him the check at the airport, but it was too late. The ABA lost.

https://www.sportscasting.com/kareem-abdul-jabbar-aba-legend-made-1-million-mistake/

Thank you. Very interesting read. Didn't know that story.

[Taurus]

John Wall is the funniest contract ever

Those Rashard Lewis and Gilbert Arenas contracts are a strong contender considering they're from 2012 :lol

And the real kicker is that all three of those contracts were offered by the Wizards