How Much Money the Bucks and Thunder Could Stand to Make For Winning the NBA Cup Final

The NBA Cup prize money in the competition’s sophomore marks a slight increase on 2023, and for some players there are life-changing amounts of cash on the line.

NBA Cup Prize Money 2024

The stage is set for the second annual NBA Cup, with the Milwaukee Bucks going head-to-head with Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

There is plenty on the line for both teams, with the Bucks vying for their first piece of silverware since the 2020/21 season, while the Thunder have to rewind all the way back to the late 70’s – when the franchise was still based in Seattle – to find their sole NBA finals win.

Aside from bragging rights and the chance to etch their names into history, some of the younger players across both rosters will be licking their lips at this year’s NBA Cup prize money.

Players on the winning team will receive $514,970 from the league’s Cup prize pool, should they be on standard NBA contracts.

Even those on the losing side can expect to receive $205,988 each. It is worth noting that players currently on two-way contracts will only make half of those amounts.

How Does the 2024 NBA Cup Prize Money Compare to Last Year?

With the NBA citing a growth in basketball related income – that is, aggregated operating revenues across the league – they have bumped up the prize money for this year’s Cup.

Thunder forward Jalen Williams explained just how important the NBA Cup renumeration is for some players.

He said:“Not everybody gets the same paycheck in the NBA.

“We have guys that are on two-way contracts and some guys that are fighting to stay in the league. So, obviously, that money is a bigger deal for some people than others — so we definitely play for that.”

Even, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who makes almost $500 million per-season, was quick to point out how the prize money can have a transformative effect.

“It’s life-changing money,” he said.

“Obviously, $500,000, you can put a down payment on a house. You can put the down payment on two houses. … It’s an ongoing joke we have in our locker room.

“We say we play for the young guys because this money will mean a lot to them. But it really means a lot to everybody — because it’s a lot of money.”

Ajay Mitchell, who is on a two-way contract and makes $578,577 per-year, said, “obviously, there’s a lot of money on the line.

“It’s exciting to know that there’s money on the line, but the main focus is just winning another basketball game.”