What the NBA Cup Final is actually worth
The 2025 NBA Cup Final between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks tips off Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with substantial prize money on the line. Each player and staff member on the winning team will pocket $530,933 (approximately €450,000), while the runners-up receive $212,373 (around €180,000) each. Those figures represent significant increases from the 2024 edition, when the Milwaukee Bucks earned roughly €437,000 per person for beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, with finalists receiving about €175,000.
The prize breakdown for the entire tournament shows escalating rewards at each stage: quarterfinalists earn $53,093 (€45,000), semifinalists get $106,187 (€90,000), finalists receive $212,373 (€180,000), and champions take home $530,933 (€450,000). For context, that's real money for role players and coaching staff, though it barely registers as meaningful income for max-contract stars. Victor Wembanyama's annual salary dwarfs what he'll earn from winning this tournament, but for a rookie or two-way player, half a million dollars changes their financial reality immediately.
How the Spurs reached the final
San Antonio punched their ticket to Las Vegas by defeating Oklahoma City 111-109 in the semifinals, ending the Thunder's 16-game winning streak in dramatic fashion. Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence due to a left calf strain and delivered 22 points and nine rebounds despite limited minutes. His impact was most evident in the fourth quarter, where his defensive presence and timely scoring helped San Antonio close out a game they had no business winning based on recent form and Oklahoma City's momentum.
Wembanyama's return timing couldn't have been better for the Spurs. Missing 12 games cost San Antonio dearly in the standings, but having him healthy for the NBA Cup's final stages gives them legitimate upset potential against the Knicks. The question is whether he's actually ready for heavy minutes or if San Antonio will manage his workload cautiously to avoid re-injury. Playing him extended minutes in a tournament final for prize money seems risky when the franchise's long-term success depends entirely on his health.
The Knicks' path and Brunson's explosion
New York dominated Orlando 132-120 in their semifinal behind Jalen Brunson's season-high 40 points and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns provided crucial offensive support, allowing the Knicks to pull away when Orlando threatened to make it competitive. Brunson's performance was vintage point guard excellence—controlling tempo, making difficult shots in traffic, and setting up teammates when defenses overcommitted to stopping him. That's the version of Brunson the Knicks need if they're going to win this tournament and stay competitive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Knicks enter this final as favorites based on recent form, roster depth, and the fact that Wembanyama is coming off a significant injury layoff. But favorites don't always win in single-elimination formats, especially when the opponent has a generational talent capable of dominating both ends of the floor. If Wembanyama plays close to his best and San Antonio gets secondary scoring from players like Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson, this game becomes far more competitive than the seeding suggests.
Why this prize money matters more than people think
Half a million dollars per player sounds insignificant when discussing NBA stars earning $40-50 million annually, but it's substantial for everyone else involved. Assistant coaches, trainers, video coordinators, and end-of-bench players aren't making max contracts. For them, $530,933 represents life-changing money—paying off student loans, buying a house, securing their family's financial stability. That's why teams actually care about winning this tournament despite some fans dismissing it as a mid-season gimmick.
The NBA structured the prize money specifically to create genuine incentive beyond just trophy prestige. If only starters and stars got paid, role players and staff wouldn't care. By distributing winnings evenly across the entire roster and coaching staff, the league ensures everyone has skin in the game. That's smart design—it turns a marketing concept into a competition people actually want to win rather than just another obligation on an 82-game schedule.
The tournament's growing legitimacy
The NBA Cup is in its second year, and the increased prize money signals the league's commitment to making this competition meaningful. Raising payouts by roughly 20% from last year's edition shows the NBA wants teams and players to prioritize this tournament. Critics initially dismissed it as a cash grab or unnecessary complication to the schedule, but the competitive games and genuine effort from contending teams have gradually shifted perception.
Will it ever match the prestige of a championship? Obviously not. But does it need to? The NBA Cup creates high-stakes basketball in December, generates national television interest, and rewards teams for winning games that would otherwise feel routine. That's valuable for fans, broadcasters, and the league's overall product. The fact that San Antonio and New York are playing an elimination game with real financial stakes in mid-December proves the concept works, even if purists still complain about tampering with tradition.
What winning actually means beyond money
For San Antonio, winning the NBA Cup would validate their rebuild and announce Wembanyama's arrival as a legitimate franchise cornerstone capable of leading deep playoff runs. For New York, it would reinforce their status as Eastern Conference contenders and give Brunson another signature moment in his Knicks tenure. The prize money is nice, but the competitive validation matters more for both franchises' long-term trajectories.
Wembanyama playing in his first major final as a professional in the United States creates a symbolic moment regardless of outcome. He's already proven he's special, but winning a tournament final in Las Vegas—even if it's "just" the NBA Cup—adds another layer to his growing legend. For the Knicks, this is a chance to win something tangible after years of playoff disappointments and rebuild frustrations. Both teams have legitimate motivations beyond just the $530,933 payday, which is exactly what the NBA wanted when they created this competition.