NBA contracts are well-known for ballooning into eye-popping figures, but beyond the base salaries and superstar endorsements, some players have negotiated truly strange and surprising contract incentives. Sometimes, teams find that just paying a base salary isn’t quite enough to keep certain players motivated, so they add quirky clauses—some practical, others downright bizarre. From allergic clauses to mathematical shooting bonuses, here’s a countdown of 13 of the weirdest contract incentives ever seen in NBA history.
13. Nick Collison’s MVP Incentive: The Fan’s Favorite Underachiever
Nick Collison was never a frontrunner for awards during his long tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mostly valued for leadership off the court, Collison’s contract included a $100,000 bonus if he ever won the MVP award. It’s a fan’s joke that All-Star players might pool money to pay that bonus just to see it triggered!
12. No Dogs Allowed for Steve Novak
Allergic to dog dander to an extreme degree, Steve Novak’s contract with the New York Knicks forbade him from owning a dog altogether. This unusual clause came with a hefty penalty—$100,000 if violated—because exposure to dogs could cause Novak to miss games, jeopardizing team performance.
11. Bill Walton’s Bruce Springsteen Ticket Deal
Basketball legend Bill Walton made headlines not just for his skills but for a peculiar contract clause with the San Diego Clippers. Walton demanded 56 tickets (eight tickets for each of seven sold-out Bruce Springsteen concerts) as part of his signing bonus. Negotiations delayed his signing by a couple of days until the “Bruce Springsteen clause” was sorted out.
10. Baron Davis’ Mediocrity Incentive
Before the Clippers drafted their “Lob City” future, they had a tough time winning games. To add motivation, Baron Davis had a $1 million bonus if he played 70 games and the team reached a modest 30 wins. The team fell just short at 29 wins, making this incentive both amusing and a reminder of the Clippers’ struggles pre-Paul and Griffin.
9. Matt Bonner’s Mathematical Bonus
Known as “The Red Rocket” for his sharp shooting, Matt Bonner’s Spurs contract included a highly specific shooting percentage target. If his combined field goal, three-point, and free throw percentages added up to 169%, he would earn a $100,000 bonus. Spoiler alert: He fell just short with 157% during the 2010 season.
8. Michael Jordan’s Baseball Payoff
When MJ shocked the world by trading courts for baseball diamonds, Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf continued paying him $4 million—the amount Jordan would have earned in the NBA—even as he floundered in baseball’s minor leagues. A faithful, unusual incentive to keep their greatest icon financially secure.
7. Tony Battie’s Triple Incentive
Tony Battie’s Nets contract had a trifecta of quirky bonuses: $100,000 if he played 50 games averaging 8 rebounds, another $100,000 if he attempted five free throws in those games, and a final $100,000 if the team made the playoffs. Battie played only 15 games that season, missing out on all three.
6. Michael Jordan’s “Love for the Game” Clause
Jordan was so influential that the Bulls agreed to a rare contractual freedom granting him the right to play basketball “for the love of the game” wherever and whenever he wanted—regardless of profit or professional context. This unprecedented clause showcased his unique status and passion.
5. Boris Diaw’s Weight Clause
San Antonio Spurs included a $500,000 incentive in Boris Diaw’s contract to motivate him to maintain his playing weight. Payments were triggered by weighing 254 pounds or less on several specific dates during the season. The Spurs even placed bets on whether Diaw would meet these targets, blending fitness and entertainment.
4. Adonal Foyle’s MVP Aspirations
Adonal Foyle, a solid but unspectacular player, negotiated incentives of $500,000 each for winning either an MVP or Finals MVP award. Given his career averages and role, these clauses were optimistic at best, highlighting a player’s self-confidence and dreaming big.
3. Scottie Pippen’s Family-Focused Contract
Coming from a large family with significant hardships, Scottie Pippen crafted his contracts to avoid injury risk that could jeopardize his ability to support his family. While details of these contract clauses are less flashy than others, they were grounded in real-life concerns over health and longevity.
Takeaway: When Motivation Meets Quirkiness
These NBA contract incentives reveal just how creative—or eccentric—teams and players can get when structuring deals. Beyond money, health, awards, and playing conditions, contracts have been used to safeguard well-being, energize middling teams, or simply celebrate a player’s personality. They add an unexpected layer of depth to understanding NBA deals and the business behind sports stars.
Whether tied to bizarre protocols like “no dogs allowed” or ambitious goals like “combined shooting percentages adding to 169%,” these contract bonuses underscore how professional sports blend passion, business strategy, and sometimes, just plain oddity.
NBA contract clauses have become something truly extraordinary—proof that sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction!
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