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"As the saying goes, ""You get what you pay for,"" in the context of NBA player performance and contracts, there usually isn't much difference. However, when a player is on a minimum salary contract, it's challenging to achieve star-level performance. Are there any cases of players who were on minimum salary contracts and made it to the All-Star Game? Indeed, there are three players who accomplished this, but such situations are unlikely to happen frequently in the future.
First, Michael Jordan: Jordan announced his retirement after leading the Chicago Bulls to a championship in 1998. On September 25, 2001, Jordan announced his comeback and signed a two-year contract with the Washington Wizards, which was a veteran's minimum salary contract. His first-year salary was $1 million, and his second-year salary was $1.03 million. Given Jordan's influence, he deserved a more lucrative contract, but at the time, the Wizards' owner promised him a stake in the team, and Jordan was willing to accept a minimum salary contract for his comeback. During his two seasons with the Wizards, Jordan was 38 and 39 years old. Although he still averaged 20 points per game, his shooting percentage didn't exceed 45%, and he couldn't lead the Wizards to the playoffs. It was difficult to be selected as an All-Star, but he was Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he didn't receive the All-Star MVP trophy created by the league.
Second, Allen Iverson: Iverson's life took a downturn after leaving the Philadelphia 76ers. He played two consecutive postseason first-round games with the Denver Nuggets and was then traded to the Detroit Pistons. By the end of the season, he had been demoted to a bench role. Iverson parted ways with the team, and the Pistons' management used injuries as an excuse to exclude him from the playoff roster. After the season, Iverson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. In three games with the Grizzlies, Iverson had a field goal percentage of 57.7%, but his playing style didn't fit with the team. Iverson was also concerned that he would be competing with Mike Conley for playing time. The Grizzlies' management decided to terminate Iverson's one-year contract, making him a free agent again.
A dejected Iverson announced his retirement, but one day later, he withdrew his retirement decision. On December 3, 2009, Iverson returned to the 76ers after four years. He averaged 13.9 points, 3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game with a shooting percentage of 41.7%. His performance may not have been remarkable, but he received a lot of fan support and was eventually selected as an All-Star reserve. Unfortunately, due to his daughter's illness with a persistent fever, Iverson missed the All-Star Game and further games. To take care of his daughter, Iverson terminated the remainder of his contract with the 76ers for the 2010 season.
Third, Dwyane Wade: In the 2019 All-Star Game, there were two veterans, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade. In that season, they didn't make the All-Star team, but they both received additional roster spots at the All-Star Game. At the time, Nowitzki didn't have a veteran minimum salary contract, so he's not in this list. Wade met the criteria. He earned $1.47 million in veteran's minimum salary for the previous season and $2.39 million in the veteran's minimum salary contract for the 2018-2019 season. That season was Wade's last in the NBA. He averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game with a shooting percentage of 43.3%." |
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Post time 6-11-2023 15:29:22
