The NBA Cup, introduced two years ago, may not be the proudest accolade for a franchise to boast about, but for players, it is a much bigger deal than many fans realize. The in-season tournament is highly contested, and Desmond Bane recently revealed his true and honest motivation for going all in.
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Bane put up 37 points in the Orlando Magic’s 117-108 win over the Miami Heat earlier today, which means they will now travel to Las Vegas for the Final 4. This means, there’s a lucrative cash price already waiting for him and the rest of the players on the Magic roster.
Going into the semi-finals itself means that each player on all four teams will get around $106k guaranteed. Go the Finals and the figure rises to $212k, and win the whole thing, you’ll get half a million dollars. Bane doesn’t just want that extra cash, he needs it.
In the post-game press conference, he said, “I just lost $35,000, so, I gotta go get it back somehow.”
Bane said it with a smile as he was fined this $35k for chucking a ball at OG Anunoby during the Magic’s loss to the Knicks. It was chalked up to “unsportsmanlike conduct”.
“I’m excited, great opportunity for us to play some meaningful basketball early in the season,” Bane added.
Bane, who joined the Magic in June earlier this, earns around $36 million per year. So, losing $35k or winning $500k isn’t life-changing for him. But for the role players on the Magic squad, or on other teams, who have yearly salaries lesser than the prize money, it’s colossal.
So, the NBA Cup carries weight on a personal level for these players, who give their 100%, not just for themselves, but also their teammates. The Magic will be facing the New York Knicks, who won against the Toronto Raptors earlier today, on the 13th of December.
The other four teams remaining in the tournament are from the West. The Thunder play the Suns, and the Lakers play San Antonio tomorrow. The semis bracket will be complete thereafter.
