![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-12-10T045852Z_337971940_MT1USATODAY22075861_RTRMADP_3_NBA-IN-SEASON-TOURNAMENT-INDIANA-PACERS-AT-LOS-ANGELES-LAKERS.jpg?width=600)
USA Today via Reuters
Dec 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers pose on the podium after defeating the Indiana Pacers in the in season tournament championship final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-12-10T045852Z_337971940_MT1USATODAY22075861_RTRMADP_3_NBA-IN-SEASON-TOURNAMENT-INDIANA-PACERS-AT-LOS-ANGELES-LAKERS.jpg?width=600)
USA Today via Reuters
Dec 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers pose on the podium after defeating the Indiana Pacers in the in season tournament championship final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers became the first team to win the NBA Cup. The team took down the Indiana Pacers in the In-season Tournament Finals to be crowned the first ones to uphold the Cup and go down in the history books. Easily, the win must’ve been satisfying enough for most players. With the trophy came celebrations, and more importantly, the $500k in prize money.
That prize money that came along with it surely helped three of the players on the Lakers’ squad, doubling their NBA salaries.
LA players turning millionaires overnight
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The NBA’s first In-season Tournament ended up being a huge success for the league. Not only did the league generate a lot of revenue, but even the fans got an early taste of the playoff excitement and atmosphere. The world saw the Lakers become the first NBA Cup champions. And with the win came a $500,000 reward for each of the players on the Los Angeles Lakers’ squad. While it may not affect the star players, three players surely would be more than grateful.
The Lakers had three players on their roster listed as ‘two-way players.’ These types of players are under a contract that lets the team add three additional players to the team’s roster after having a squad of 15 players.
The salary offered to these two-way players is $559,782. But after the Lakers won the NBA Cup, their salaries got bumped up to $1.09 million. Making all three players millionaires overnight.
Three Lakers players just practically DOUBLED their salaries 💰🤯 pic.twitter.com/amfo57ugD6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 10, 2023
The three players here are Colin Castleton, Alex Fudge, and D’Moi Hodge. While their contract allows these three players to be sent back and forth from the G-League to the NBA, they also cannot be traded.
But after the win tonight, one can be sure that would not want to go anywhere else either.
Read More – VIDEO: LeBron James Coaches Anthony Davis on How to Deal With Myles Turner From Sidelines
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The Los Angeles Lakers go on to make history
The Los Angeles Lakers put on a show for the fans in the arena and around the world as well. The team took the game, defeating the Indiana Pacers with a final score of 123-109 for the NBA Cup. Other than the three players above, three other players shined the brightest in the Lakers’ win tonight. Anthony Davis had a blockbuster night, finishing the game with 41 points, 20 rebounds and 5 assists.
Then came the Lakers’ spark plug off the bench, Austin Reaves. Reaves played a total of 28 minutes and may as well have scored a point for every minute he was in the game. He had 28 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds for the game. And finally, 38-year-old LeBron James, who just refuses to acknowledge ‘Father Time’. James had 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists after sustaining an injury scare and brushing it away within minutes.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
This NBA Cup win is surely going to be a huge confidence and momentum boost for the Lakers in the upcoming months. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Los Angeles slowly making its way to the upper tier of the Western Conference soon.
Watch This Story: NBA players trauma bonding over prime LeBron James is pure comedy