It’s common in the NBA for players to have performance-based incentives built into their contracts as a way for them to earn extra dollars.
It was even put into the latest iteration of the collective bargaining agreement, where players with at least four years of service are eligible for a higher maximum salary in their next deal if they have been named to an All-NBA team at least twice, been voted as a starter in the All-Star game at least twice (by the fans), or were named the league’s Most Valuable Player at least once.
Goran Dragic is past that point of his career, but he’s looking at a nice bonus if he can make the All-Star team as a reserve nonetheless.
From Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:“If they put me there, I’ll probably be the happiest guy in the whole world,” Dragic said. “For the first five seasons, I couldn’t even imagine or think about that I could be there. If that happens, I think I’m going to cry or something.” ...
Dragic’s confidence remained so high that he had an annual All-Star bonus negotiated into the contract that he signed to return to the Suns in 2012.
If he cashes in on that $1 million bonus this season, Dragic would have a check to match his smile.
Dragic has played well enough to earn the spot, but the problem is that there might be too many players ahead of him to actually make the squad.
His best chance would appear to be to get in as an injury replacement. Remember, Chris Paul is out at the moment, though he wants to be back in time to play in the All-Star game, and Kobe Bryant, despite being voted in as a starter, would just rather skip it.
That could open the door for Dragic to be named as an injury replacement by Adam Silver (who will have taken over for David Stern as league commissioner by then), allowing him to cash that million-dollar check.