Players who have played for less (to win)
 

I was just reminded how Earvin "Magic" Johnson lowered his contract salary, an estimate of 100k to 250k, so that the Lakers could sign Terry Teagle for the 1991 season (because of the salary cap).

Now I'm wondering which other players have done similar things. I suppose LeBron James. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh also count for not taking max salary contracts.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Kobe Bryant, just kidding, he likes to eat the whole thing up.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

if kobe lowered his contract, what good would it do?

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Difficult, if not impossible, to do this in the NBA.

Unless I'm wrong, players can't renegotiate their contracts until a designated time.

That means that a player would have to take less money from the get-go (aka: without knowing the full makeup of the team after signings, etc) in order to make this possible. And frankly, I can't fault players for not taking millions less just based on a possibility.

If players are allowed to renegotiate contracts whenever, and have the change automatically show, then I believe taking less should be done (if winning is what you truly care about). But, as I said, I don't think that's possible in the NBA.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Tim Duncan.

props to him

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Udonis Haslem took $14 Million less to stay with the Heat (total number of a multi year offer from Dallas).

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Shane Battier also took less I read. Around $8-10M less that was offered from other teams.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

None since good players don't want to play with him anyway.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Both of Hank's posts are correct.

However, I took the OP to mean star players. Role players take less quite often. But getting to my earlier point, someone like Haslem or Battier saw the makeup of the team (3 of the top 10-15 players in the league) and knew that they were signing on for likely championships.
In that situation, it baffles me whenever any player doesn't sign on there. Only reason they could go elsewhere is money and/or geography. In which case, fine.. more power to them. But never again claim that you value winning above all else.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

That and well UD has been playing in Miami since he first picked up a basketball.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

i don't get it, do you sit on here 247?

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Just follow Shaqs career, long list of players who took less money to play with him. Gary Payton did that twice in LA and Miami. Mourning came out retirement and signed for the minimum to win a ring also. Mailman fell short but you get idea.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

i always forget gp got that ring with miami.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

He hit the game winning jumper, I think it was game 3.

Re: Players who have played for less (to win)
 

Thanks Force, I forgot about Payton, Malone and Mourning's ring chases.