Every year we see a slew of NBA Gatorade League (formerly Developmental League) talents get called up to an NBA team and make a real impact, so it’s only right these players are compensated correctly and justly.
This really hasn’t been the case in previous years but the NBA is now taking steps towards alleviating that problem. According to a release from the NBA and G League, the league plans to increase salaries to the tune of $35,000 for the season, equivalent to $7,000 a month.
The NBA G League announced today the salaries for the 2018-19 season: players under NBA G League contracts will earn a base salary of $7,000 per month – or $35,000 – for the five-month regular season.
In addition to their salaries, players under NBA G League contracts will continue to have the opportunity to earn additional money through affiliate player bonuses and NBA Call-Ups.
The NBA G League also pays bonuses to players on NBA G League playoff teams and to those recognized as end-of-season performance award winners. The league awarded more than $225,000 in bonus money this season.
Further, in accordance with the NBA and National Basketball Players Association collective bargaining agreement, NBA players will continue to be able to enter into two-way contracts.
As the G League continues to rapidly expand with 27 teams now having an affiliate, the rewards for playing will also increase. We saw a number of players this past season get called up and some of those moves have paid major dividends for franchises.
The emergence of the two-way contract this season was also worth noting and should only gain popularity in coming years. Incentivizing young talent with an increased salary could expose teams to more potential difference makers, especially because two-way players will earn $77,250 next season and beyond.
Names such as Jonathon Simmons and David Nwaba have proven themselves to be NBA players after first barely getting an opportunity to display their abilities in the G League. This season, we saw Quinn Cook provide the defending champs with a major boost offensively while players such as Emeka Okafor, Tyrone Wallace, Trey Burke, and more have also carved out niches for themselves.
