How much do NBA Summer League players make?

Minnesota Timberwolves won the 2019 NBA Summer League.
Minnesota Timberwolves won the 2019 NBA Summer League.

The NBA Summer League is an offseason competition held every year to give NBA teams a chance to try out different rosters and players. The Summer League is a name given to multiple off-season competitions, with the first one held back in Orlando in 2019. The Orlando Summer League went defunct after 2018 while the Utah Jazz Summer League and the Sacramento Summer League also include 4 NBA teams each.

Regardless, it is the Los Angeles Summer League that had its inaugural season in 2004 which is widely accepted as the NBA Summer League. This year, the competition will feature a total of 75 games scheduled to be held in ten days from August 8th. In this article, we look at the overall salary that players in the NBA Summer League are able to accrue.


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NBA Summer League salaries: How much do the players make?

As it stands, only the players who have already signed contracts with the NBA team are paid a salary for playing in the Summer League. The NBA Summer League is thought to be an opportunity for younger players to impress on teams and scalp contracts, and get participation from young players who play in the G League, are undrafted prospects or rookies looking to impress NBA teams and win a roster spot.

Memphis Grizzlies v Minnesota Timberwolves
Memphis Grizzlies v Minnesota Timberwolves

Regardless, while they might not be paid a proper NBA salary, these players get a “per diem” allowance along with various other perks while playing in the NBA Summer League. Firstly, they receive a payment of around $1500 per deim for the tournament that typically lasts 10-12 days.

While the cash allowance might not be huge when compared to NBA contracts, it is considerable and can be divided into multiple installments or one lump sum payment. Additionally, the tournament is held in Los Angeles which means that it is the NBA teams that pay for the round-trip. Finally, NBA teams pay for the rooms/accommodation arrangements along with providing two meals to their players on a daily basis.

Overall, apart from the $1500 allowance, NBA teams end up paying around $6500 to bring each player to the Summer League tournament. Of course, this is excluding all expenses with relation to the coaching staff and other members of the team, whose expenses are also paid by the teams. Finally, NBA teams also have to pay a registration fee of exactly $15,000 to participate in the tournament.

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Edited by Arnav Kholkar
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