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.
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.
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.
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.
That and well UD has been playing in Miami since he first picked up a basketball.
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.
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.
Players who have played for less (to win)
