Why Role Players are Getting So Expensive

Throughout the offseason, we've seen role players in the NBA receiving some head-scratchingly large contracts. Isaiah Hartenstein secured a $87M deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope nabbed a $66M deal with the Orlando Magic, and Nic Claxton got a $99M deal with the Brooklyn Nets.

Perhaps the largest contract for a role player we've seen is for OG Anunoby, who will be making upwards of $40M per year on average for the New York Knicks.

So why, all of a sudden, are we seeing role players getting so much money? Is this anything new? The truth is, as is the case with most things, that it's more complicated than just "overpaid or not". In this NBA video essay, we get to the bottom of it.

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Providing NBA analysis by making film digestible and using analytics thoughtfully to contextualize on-court production. I cover the NBA in various capacities as a writer and digital content creator. If you love basketball and the NBA, be sure to subscribe to my channel.

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#NBA

[AlexHoops]

Small typo at 7:41, the third line should say “year 3”. Sorry about that!

[Tre-Lee]

Another reason I believe that hinders this current argument of role players being overpaid is that the front offices are paying the right guys. In 2016, guys like Kent Bazemore and Allen Crabbe were getting the big bucks but now teams are paying/resigning players that will actually fix their issues
Really awesome video, hope this channel gets more recognition🔥

[bignoob]

I think high value role players deserve to get great money, because they're so important to winning games.

[RhinoGore]

Will you ever make a video about the decline of the "middle class" in the nba. It seems like these days players are either making $25 million+ or the league minimum

[rainofkhandaq]

Denver's motto should be "Join us and let Jokic carry you to 40+ million"

[youkittubekit]

The salary cap and strategic cap management are important parts of building a team and shooting for a championship.
I would enjoy a video about stockpiling draft picks (NY) keeping your own draft picks (Charlotte) and trading away your draft picks for veterans (LAL). and what types of situations fit all 3.

[ronaldmckoy]

Dope video, I really enjoyed how you broke the salary cap bumps over the last decade

[bornashamloo]

The 2nd Apron is definitely going to correct the market back to pre-2016 where you'll have 1-2, maybe 3 max contracts reserved for stars and the rest of the roster only getting 5-20% of the Cap accordingly.

[Kaleidoscope]

Finally someone who understands the sticker price shouldn't be judged in a vacuum. The amount players make is based on the salary cap and the CBA, we can't just look at the amount and contrast it to yesteryear.

[thuggwaffle]

Certain types of role players are extremely valuable. Guys that are going to fill their role perfectly while also making the right pass or the right rotation on defense are rare. They contribute to winning just as much as the superstar does in my opinion. Guys like Aaron Gordon, Deni Avdija, Bruce Brown.

[localneo-graphic]

10:46 If you're a Rockets GM, you don't have that choice, your poverty owner will make it for you. They are the ONLY team in the modern NBA to have NEVER gone into the luxury, even when they were contending. That's right, even in 2018, when the team won 65 games and were one game away from the Finals (and probably a ring), they were trading down rotation players to get under the luxury tax and let key pieces walk in free agency that offseason. Our owner even chose NOT TO USE A MLE because it would have put them into the luxury, absolute lunacy.

[muvzyhoops]

Love this vid bro away from the film breakdowns and I love it :)

[tommydesilva]

not that I don't like your film breakdown content but I find this style of video particularly good!

[marmeus]

I said the same thing yesterday for the "stars" looking at the highest salaries in the league, the good half is more than debatable...
The discussion is different for "roleplayers" I think, they are key to win it all. 22m/y is a bit high for KCP for example but nothing shocking imo
Now 50 to 57m/year for Bradley beal by comparison... that's scarry af (could have pick someone else)

[ramzeezthamightygod]

As a Celtics fan, it’s honestly been kind of a shame to see Denver lose supporting pieces in kcp, Bruce brown, and Jeff green. No doubt that team would’ve been tough competition for Boston to face this year, but I think that series could’ve genuinely been one of the most exciting/captivating finals we’ve had in a long time… just high quality basketball.

I want to take a second to appreciate the incredible chemistry and cohesion of that nuggets team. The way each man down the roster had their role and skillset, and thrived as a unit—even fairly limited guys did a lot within their role and shined by playing to their strengths. It was a perfect example of the total being greater than the sum of its parts.

I’m not saying Denver is going away at all with jokic and Murray etc… but the guys that left most definitely contributed to their success in massive ways.

The ‘24 Celtics are also a team that’s much greater as a collective.. different from Denver in many ways and I’m not comparing their build exactly… but it definitely would’ve been a treat to see them battle it out

[strahinja]

Great video, didnt really think about it this way, keep going

[galiojusticejustice]

They're not overpaid, teams are realizing it's better to pay a premium for quality players based on fit rather than overpaying a third star you don't need

[king_Charles]

Tobias is going down in history as the greatest bag chaser ever😂😂😂😂 Klay should have talked to Tobias agent if he really wanted a bag

[xconhot]

I really enjoyed this. I don't mind more of this type of videos.

[tuckermusic]

I think the biggest reason for this is with the new CBA teams have to use like 90% of their salary cap. They can’t just sit way under the salary cap until players become available. This causes teams to overpay for role players to fill the cap. Just like Dillon brooks last year. The rockets just needed to fill the salary cap