NBA Finals: Payoff for Knicks players goes beyond potential championship
Knicks' Miles McBride drives to the basket against the Spurs' Stephon Castle during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Wednesday in San Antonio, TX. Credit: Getty Images/Gregory Shamus
In addition to the obvious glory and fulfillment that comes with being an NBA champion, there are financial stakes.
And for some players, career-changing money.
The NBA has an annual playoff bonus pool, and Sportico reported in April that players will split $35.7 million this year — up $1 million from last year. The share for each team increases the further they go in the postseason.
For the Knicks, who played in their first NBA Finals game since 1999 on Wednesday night, that sum has become significant.
As part of their team share, according to the numbers rounded to the nearest thousand by Sportico, the Knicks already have made $471,000 for finishing third in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, $481,000 for playing in the first round, $586,000 for playing in the Eastern Conference semifinals and $980,000 for playing in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Split among the 15-man playoff roster, their total team share already is approximately $2,518,000 before the NBA Finals.
If they beat the Spurs, they’ll make an additional $9,078,000 for a total playoff bonus share of approximately $11,596,000 (approximately $773,067 per player). If they lose, it’ll be an additional $3,921,000 for a total share of approximately $6,439,000 (approximately $429,267 per player).
Here’s a look at how each Knick will benefit.
NOTE: The percentage increases listed do not include the $530,933 bonus each player on the NBA Cup-winning team earned. All salaries and career earnings are according to Spotrac.
MOHAMED DIAWARA
2025-26 salary: $1,272,870
If Finals win: 60.7% increase
If Finals loss: 33.7% increase
No one has benefited more from bonuses than Diawara, the 51st overall pick in last year’s draft. The total between his NBA Cup bonus and potential bonus if the Knicks win the Finals would be more than $30,000 greater than his entire 2025-26 salary. Diawara, who has played 43 minutes this postseason, will be a restricted free agent this summer.
ARIEL HUKPORTI
2025-26 salary: $1,955,377
If Finals win: 39.5% increase
If Finals loss: 22% increase
Hukporti, the 58th overall pick in 2024, is another big winner from the bonuses. If the Knicks win the Finals, the extra $1.304 million in cash between the NBA title and the NBA Cup would be significant. He has played 70 minutes this postseason and will be a restricted free agent after the season.
TYLER KOLEK
2025-26 salary: $2,191,897
If Finals win: 35.3% increase
If Finals loss: 19.6% increase
Kolek’s $2.1 million salary could balloon to around $3.5 million if the Knicks win it all (that also includes the NBA Cup bonus). The 25-year-old has played only 53 minutes this postseason. Kolek, drafted No. 34 overall in 2024, will see his salary increase next season to $2,296,271, a number he has surpassed this season including bonuses.
LANDRY SHAMET
2025-26 salary: $2,296,274
If Finals win: 33.7% increase
If Finals loss: 18.7% increase
Shamet, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, has become a fan favorite in the playoffs. He averaged 9.8 points and shot 11-for-12 from three in the Knicks’ four-game sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Shamet has received a boost from his 2025-26 salary, though the eight-year pro has made $34,491,309 in career earnings through 2026.
JORDAN CLARKSON
2025-26 salary: $2,296,274
If Finals win: 33.7% increase
If Finals loss: 18.7% increase
Clarkson, who also will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, already has seen a nice pay increase with bonuses. But it probably isn’t making too much of a difference for the 12-year NBA pro, who has made $139,329,560 in his career through 2026 and turns 34 on Sunday. He is averaging 5.4 points in 11.8 minutes per game this postseason.
PACOME DADIET
2025-26 salary: $2,847,600
If Finals win: 27.1% increase
If Finals loss: 15.1% increase
Dadiet — whom the Knicks selected 25th overall in 2024 — still is on his rookie contract, so the bonuses likely have meant more to him compared to seasoned pros. The 20-year-old has played just 40 minutes this postseason after averaging 4.7 minutes in only 29 regular-season games. The Knicks picked up his club option for the 2026-27 season, and he has another club option for 2027-28 with an Oct. 31 deadline.
MILES MCBRIDE
2025-26 salary: $4,333,333
If Finals win: 17.8% increase
If Finals loss: 9.9% increase
McBride, 25, is in his fifth season as a Knick and the second year of a three-year, $13 million contract. The bonuses provided a decent bump for McBride, who has $14,000,779 in career earnings through 2026. He is averaging 6.9 points this postseason and won’t be an unrestricted free agent until after next season.
JOSE ALVARADO
2025-26 salary: $4,500,000
If Finals win: 17.2% increase
If Finals loss: 9.5% increase
Alvarado, traded to the Knicks on Feb. 5, signed a two-year, $9 million contract with New Orleans in September 2024. Alvarado’s pay increase with a Finals win would be strictly 17.2%, as he was not a member of the Knicks when they won the NBA Cup. The 28-year-old New York native has some flexibility with a player option for 2026-27; the deadline to decide is June 29.
JEREMY SOCHAN
2025-26 salary: $7,874,853
If Finals win: 9.8% increase
If Finals loss: 5.5% increase
Sochan will make $7,096,231 from the Spurs, who waived him on Feb. 11, and only $778,622 from the Knicks, who signed him on Feb. 13. He didn’t make any NBA Cup bonus money, but if the Knicks win the NBA Finals, his postseason bonus will nearly equal what the Knicks are paying him. The 23-year-old, who was the No. 9 overall pick in 2022, will become an unrestricted free agent after the season. He has played only 23 minutes this postseason.
MITCHELL ROBINSON
2025-26 salary: $12,954,546
If Finals win: 6% increase
If Finals loss: 3.3% increase
Robinson, 28, has $67,046,018 in career earnings through 2026 and has brought in an extra chunk of change in bonuses. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Just how effective he can be with his fractured fifth metacarpal is one of the X-factors of the Finals.
JOSH HART
2025-26 salary: $19,472,240
If Finals win: 4% increase
If Finals loss: 2.2% increase
Hart, 31, is a nine-year pro who will have $84,522,784 in career earnings through 2026. After the Knicks won the NBA Cup, their stars reportedly gave some of their bonus money to unheralded Knicks staffers. It would be no surprise if Hart and his counterparts do that again. Hart is under contract for the 2026-27 season with a club option for 2027-28.
MIKAL BRIDGES
2025-26 salary: $24,900,000
If Finals win: 3.1% increase
If Finals loss: 1.7% increase
Bridges, 29, has $108,853,053 in career earnings through 2026. The eight-year pro signed a four-year, $150 million extension last August and isn’t set to become an unrestricted free agent until 2030 (he has a player option for 2029-30).
JALEN BRUNSON
2025-26 salary: $34,944,001
If Finals win: 2.2% increase
If Finals loss: 1.2% increase
It’s amazing to think Brunson is the third-highest paid Knick this season. In July 2024, the 29-year-old face of the franchise opted for a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million extension, allowing Leon Rose to build a championship contender around him.
OG ANUNOBY
2025-26 salary: $39,568,966
If Finals win: 2% increase
If Finals loss: 1.1% increase
Anunoby also is around for the long haul, having signed a five-year, $212.5 million contract with the Knicks in July 2024. The 28-year-old will have $138,470,120 in career earnings through 2026, and his salary will increase to $42.5 million next season.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS
2025-26 salary: $53,142,264
If Finals win: 1.5% increase
If Finals loss: 0.8% increase
Towns, who inked a four-year, $220.4 million extension with Minnesota in July 2022, is the highest paid Knick this season. Any bonus money is marginal compared to his salary, and the 30-year-old will have $285,198,217 in career earnings through 2026. He’ll be under contract for even more next season ($57,078,728) and has a $61,015,192 player option for the 2027-28 season.
*Kevin McCullar, Dillon Jones, Trey Jemison III are on two-way contracts and are not on the playoff roster. McCullar and Jemison each earned $265,466 as two-way players on the NBA Cup-winning team, but Jones didn’t sign with the Knicks until Jan. 20.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
