With the NBA on hold until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic, questions have surfaced if players will receive their full salaries for the 2019-20 season.
The “force majeure” provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement gives the NBA some financial relief in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as war, natural disaster or a pandemic.
Players were notified by the NBA that they would receive paychecks as scheduled on April 1 but they have not been assured of future payments beyond that date. The next scheduled payment date is April 15 and there is a possibility the league withholds some salary on that pay period.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported on Tuesday that the NBA could withhold 1.08% of each player’s salary for every game missed due to the coronavirus. Nearly 90% of the players will have received less than half of their 2019-20 salary on April 1 because they are on a 12-month payment schedule.
However, some players in the league have negotiated different payment schedules.
According to the report, less than 20 players leaguewide will have received 90% of their salary on April 1 because they negotiated to have the maximum advancement of salary on a six-month payment schedule. Nine of those players are represented by Rich Paul of the Klutch Sports Group, including rookies Darius Garland and Darius Bazley.
The nine Klutch players are naturally led by LeBron James and include John Wall, Kentavious-Caldwell Pope, Dejounte Murray, Miles Bridges, Darius Bazley, Darius Garland, Terrance Ferguson and Trey Lyles. Next season it will be 10 when Draymond Green’s contract extension kicks in
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 31, 2020
The NBA is set to meet in the coming days to make a decision on the April 15 pay period and it could be the first time the league has withheld salary money this season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
[lawrence-related id=14654,14545,14347]
[vertical-gallery id=14709]