The NBA never seems to want to stop reinventing itself. For years, there’s been talk of adding a new competition to the league, primarily aimed at making November and December games more exciting – a period when the initial thrill of the season has faded and the playoffs and trade deadline still feel far off. That’s why the In-Season Tournament was created, rebranded this year as the NBA Cup, which was won in its first edition by the LA Lakers and will see its second edition this season. It features unique courts, with the semifinals and final held at a common venue: Las Vegas.

Points and prizes for NBA Cup focus

One of the big questions surrounding the creation of a mid-season tournament was the intensity and seriousness with which players would approach it, with concerns it might turn into another All-Star Game. Counting these games toward the regular season standings helps prevent apathy, but the NBA has also incentivized teams with cash prizes, which will be offered again this year.

Each player on the championship team will earn a total of $500,000. For players with massive contracts, this might not seem like a huge incentive, but for many lower-paid players in the league, this amount serves as a substantial motivation – all within the context of the new collective bargaining agreement, now firmly in place in the American league.

How much for semi and quarterfinalists?

The other finalists will each receive $200,000, players on the semifinalist teams $100,000, and those eliminated in the quarterfinals will get a bonus of $50,000.

Additionally, the champion team will receive the tournament trophy unveiled at the event where the competition was officially announced, and this season, teams will have the chance to be the second in history to lift it.

On top of that, the tournament will also feature an MVP award (LeBron James won it in the first edition) and an all-tournament team – individual achievements that always add allure in the world’s best league.