Do NBA Coaches Make Millions and Millions?
It takes a big man when it comes to respect and authority, not size, to coach NBA players. Respect doesn’t come from yelling and threats. You have to be a leader, therapist, and understand what makes each player on the roster tick. NBA coaches’ pay has grown over the years. However, it is nowhere near what players make. So, imagine trying to tell people with gigantic egos what to do and how to do it.
What Factors Influence an NBA Coach’s Salary?
Winning championships plays a big role in an NBA coach’s salary. Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors leads the way of highest paid NBA coaches at $17.5 million per season. That goes with winning four championships and leading a team into a dynasty.
The coach behind Kerr on the money chart is San Antonio Spurs legend Gregg Popovich. While he has been away from the team and will miss the rest of the season due to health issues, Popovich carries a salary of $17 million per season. Five championships will get you that and you deserve every penny for what you have brought to San Antonio and the game of basketball. Kerr has been NBA coach of the Year once while Popovich has won the award three times.
Across the board on all sports, Kerr and Popovich are only behind Andy Reid and Sean Payton when it comes to coaches’ salaries.
Tied for third in salary at $15 million per season are Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat and Ty Lue of the LA Clippers. Spoelstra has won a pair of NBA championships while Lue has won one.
Among those in the top 10 of NBA coach contracts, Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks is the only one who has not won a championship. One can attribute Thibodeau’s $11 million salary to being in the center of the basketball universe as New York likes to believe it is. Winning a championship usually is a prerequisite for getting a huge contract, but when you are in the Big Apple everything changes. Thibodeau has turned the Knicks around in his time at MSG but whether he earns a championship remains to be seen.
Do NBA Coaches Get Bonuses for Championships?
The details of coaching contracts are not as public as players’ deals. However, what is known is that Kerr does not receive a bonus if the Warriors win a championship.
However, NBA coaches are part of the money awarded for winning the in-season tournament. If a coach’s team wins the tourney, he receives a bonus of $500,000.
Do NBA Coaches Have Endorsement Deals Like Players?
NBA coaches are eligible to be signed to endorsement deals. However, the highway to such money does come with some restrictions given their position with teams. That said it is probable to see NBA coaches in commercials or advertisements acting as sponsors for products.
This also allows certain companies to pair a player on a team with a coach to create humorous commercials or memorable advertisements.
NBA Coaching Strategies
Coaches have their styles and beliefs. Phil Jackson was famous for his triangle-and-two strategy when he was with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
The best NBA coaches understand how their roster is composed and work game plans to feature players and their talents. There are some who are considered experts at defensive styles, while others are known for teams that run and score and run and score some more.
What is critical to any coach’s success is understanding how to best use players. If you have a team full of players who are mesmerized by 3-point shots and not working the 24-second clock, it is best to devise plans and a game plan to feature speed. If your team focuses better on a structured system, then the coach must play to that strength.
On the defensive end, a coach must know whether to use a strategy that features man-to-man or zone defense. For many years zones were not allowed in the NBA, but that went by the wayside. To stay updated on the latest coaching strategies, player performances, and in-depth analysis, tune into the NBA shows.
What you see in the long and short run of a coach’s tenure is they implement a game plan that players buy into while also understanding what their leader wants to accomplish. It is a critical component to a coach’s success, understanding and knowing how to get the best out of his players.
