Legacy
Can The Toronto Raptors Do The Impossible And Win Back-To-Back Championships?
Last season was mesmeric for the Toronto Raptors, as they were finally able to get their hands on a prize that they never believed in their wildest dreams that they would. A Kawhi Leonard-inspired Raptors clinched their first NBA Championship win success over the Golden State Warriors, and there was already a sense that it was never going to get better than this.
However, the almost inconceivable back-to-back dream could be on the Raptors’ agenda this season, and teams should underestimate them at their peril. The Milwaukee Bucks have been getting all the attention, with Giannis Antetokounmpo being the standout star, but there is an argument to be made that the best team in the Eastern Conference is actually the Toronto Raptors.
Defensively Sound Unit
Defense is the name of the game when it comes to winning championships, and there are very few better than the Raptors. The team bases itself on the core defensive principles. The players’ determination to win another championship can be seen in the effort they put in when protecting their basket. The stats also point to the Raptors defense being an asset, as they have allowed the fewest opposition points per game, and rank as the third-best team in terms of steals.
Fred VanVleet has been a revelation this season, and he has made an average of 1.9 steals per game. The averages of the players when it comes to blocks per game are further evidence of their team defensive unit, with Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka, OG Anunoby, and Marc Gasol averaging over 0.5 blocks per game.
Nick Nurse
The Toronto Raptors arguably have the best coach in the NBA, with Nick Nurse revolutionizing not only the Raptors as a team but also the way that Canada sees basketball. Nurse very rarely gets his tactics wrong, especially when the pressure is really on. The series against the Golden State Warriors in last year’s final is evidence of that.
Many coaches may have panicked with the departure of Leonard, but Nurse has reinstalled trust in the remainder of the team that won the championship, and they have delivered in their spades in this season. Siakam, VanVleet, and Kyle Lowry are all averaging over 17 points per game. It is also important to remember that the Raptors have a record of 52-19 to this point, which is better than the record that they had last season.
Previous Experience
When it comes to winning the NBA Championship, experience is one of the most crucial factors according to the experts at USsportsbonus.com. That is one of the biggest factors why the best sides that have been able to build a dynasty have remained dominant. The Raptors have that experience, and that will mean that their confidence going into the post-season will be sky-high. The run to finals last season also wasn’t easy for the Raptors, as they had to overcome Jimmy Butler’s Philadelphia 76ers and Antetokounmpo’sBucks.
The playoffs are completely unlike the regular season, and Toronto’s experience last season will leave them in a great position to repeat that feat. It also plays to their advantage that they have been overlooked throughout the majority of the season, with some experts even predicting that the Boston Celtics are really the team to watch from the east despite having a worse record. Teams underestimated the Raptors last season and paid the price, and that will certainly be the case again next season if they fail to respect the reigning NBA champions.
The Famous Pepsi Center Changes its Name
Everybody knew that the Denver Nuggets played at the Pepsi Center. They played here in front of crowds for 20 years. However, it is now the end of an era and the team are going to have to get used to its new name. This is all part of the Ball Corporation and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) and the Global Partnership that has been formed, calling it the Ball Arena.
The KSE is a Unique Global Partnership
This Global Partnership is the first of its kind, connecting venues across the world. In particular, this is London, Denver and Los Angeles, three places where sport is a big thing. The purpose of this agreement is to innovate and encourage sustainability in sports, as well as making the fan experience more environmentally friendly. As part of this agreement the Denver Nuggets, as well as the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Mammoth are going to play under its new name. This time it is called the Ball Arena.
Interesting to note that Pepsi will still be the official beverage sponsor at the stadium. One of the biggest deals is that they want to change aluminum beverage packaging and increase recycling. They also want to help the local community and make sure that live sport can be responsible when it comes to the environment. Indeed, previous studies have found that sports teams were generating 35,000 metric tons of CO2 every year thanks to the waste created by the fans. Thus, this new approach by the Ball Arena may persuade other sports teams and arenas to follow suit.
About the Ball Arena
The facilities at the Ball Arena remain unchanged; it is still a fantastic multipurpose stadium that is located in Denver, Colorado. The NBA 2020-21 season looks like it is going to be returning in December 2020 and this is when the Denver Nuggets and their fans should return to the Ball Arena.
Therefore, there are still going to be 19,099 seats available for basketball games, as well as 18,007 seats for hockey. For a game you will not forget, there are 89 luxury suites available over two levels and 1,900 club seats. There is Wi-Fi available for all fans, which allows you to browse the web at any time or check out online gambling promos for example during games. There is also a JBL Vertec sound system for the ultimate game experience. There is even a projector system that allows a 4K resolution screen during events. After every five basketball games, the net is replaced. There are 233 pieces that make up the basketball floor. When a game is on, it will take over 1,000 staff members to make the day great for everyone.
Fans might not be aware that the Ball Arena has practical facilities for the team inside. This is one of the few stadiums to have this in the country. For instance, there is a full-size basketball court especially for the Denver Nuggets. The stadium is built over 45 acres of land and took 21 months to build. The Ball Arena cost $180 million and first opened in October 1999.
Legacy
Looking For A Few Great Voices!
From time to time we have open chairs at Basketball Insiders for writers looking to gain experience, grow their brand and to be part of an aggressive up-tempo content team.
From time to time we have open chairs at Basketball Insiders for writers looking to gain experience, grow their brand and to be part of an aggressive up-tempo content team.
We are considering adding new voices for the 2020-21 NBA Season, and what we are looking for is very specific.
Here are the criteria:
– A body of professional work that reflects an understanding of the NBA and basketball.
– Must live within 30 minutes of an NBA team.
– Must be willing to write two to three times per week on various topics as assigned.
– Must write in AP style and meet assigned deadlines.
– Be willing to appear in Podcasts and Video projects as needed and scheduled.
– Have a strong understanding of social media and its role in audience development.
– Be willing to work in a demanding virtual team environment.
Some things to know and consider:
– We are not hiring full-time people. If you are seeking a full-time gig, this is not that.
– This will be a low or non-compensation role initially. We need to understand your value and fit.
– We have a long track record of creating opportunities for those that excel in our program.
– This will be a lengthy interview and evaluation process. We take this very seriously, so should you.
– If you are not committed to being great, this is not the right situation for you.
If you are interested, please follow these specific instructions, Drop us an e-mail with:
Your Name:
The NBA Market You Live Near:
And Why We Should Consider You:
We do not need your resume, but a few links to work you have done under the above information would be helpful.
Please send all of this to: openings2021@basketballinsiders.com
On-court NBA salaries are based on a player’s number of years in the league and accolades earned, such as awards like MVP which entitle players to a larger percentage of a team’s salary cap. Now let’s get down to it.
28. CJ McCollum
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Salary: $27,556,959
27. DeMar DeRozan
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Salary: $27,739,975
26. Al Horford
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Salary: $28,000,000
25. Nikola Vucevic
Team: Orlando Magic
Salary: $28,000,000
24. Kevin Love
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Salary: $28,942,830
23. Paul Millsap
Team: Denver Nuggets
Salary: $30,350,000
22. Khris Middleton
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Salary: $30,603,448
21. Kyrie Irving
Team: Brooklyn Nets
Salary: $31,742,000
20. Mike Conley
Team: Utah Jazz
Salary: $32,511,624
19.Gordon Hayward
Team: Boston Celtics
Salary: $32,700,690
18. Tobias Harris
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Salary: $32,742,000
17. Kahwi Leonard
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Salary: $32,742,000
16. Kemba Walker
Team: Boston Celtics
Salary: $32,742,000
15. Jimmy Butler
Team: Miami Heat
Salary: $32,742,000
14. Paul George
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Salary: $33,005,556
13. Black Griffin
Team: Detroit Pistons
Salary: $34,449,964
12. Kyle Lowry
Team: Toronto Raptors
Salary: $34,996,296
11. John Wall
Team: Washington Wizards
Salary: $38,199,000
The Top
Rankings for NBA stars salary are largely determined by their off-court income – with sneaker contracts making up the majority of those earnings. We’ve included endorsements in the Top 10 according to Forbes to give a clear picture of the kind of money these NBA stars are earning.
10. Damian Lillard
Salary: $29,802,321
Endorsements: $14 million
Oregan-based Damian Lillard signed a 5 year contract with Portland Trail Blazers and has endorsement deals with Adidas, Powerade, Spalding, Panini, Foot Locker, JBL, Biofreeze, Moda Health, and Hulu. Lilliard would not have made our top 10 based on salary alone, in 2014 he negotiated a 10 year deal with Adidas worth up to $100 million, seeing him come in at number 10 for the 2019/20 highest paid NBA players with an estimated total of $43.8 million.
9. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Salary: $25,842,697
Endorsements: $20 million
Greek-born Giannis Antetokounmpo who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks on a 4 year contract makes our number 9, at an estimated total of $45.8 million, where without endorsements he would only have been the 41st highest paid player. Giannis has endorsement deals with Nike, Hulu, T-Mobile, JBL and 2K Sports. Signing a deal with Nike in 2017 reported to pay an estimated $9 million in the first year. Nike released his first signature shoe in 2019. His second edition dropped just a few weeks ago.
8. Chris Paul
Salary: $38,506,482
Endorsements: $8 million
Oklahoma City Thunder’s point guard Chris Paul’s salary of $38,506,482 is the second highest NBA salary in the 2019/20 season. Paul has endorsement deals with Nike, Spalding and Walt Disney, as well as being a regular in commercials for insurance giant State Farm. We estimate his 2019/20 salary at a total of $46.5 million.
7. Klay Thompson
Salary: $32,742,000
Endorsements: $15 million
Known as one of the best shooters in NBA history, Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson finds his place at number 7 on our list. Making 72.42 percent more than in 2018/19, and with endorsements from Panini, BodyArmor, Anta Sports Products, Electronic Arts, and Gillette, we estimate this NBA star at a total salary of $47.7 million for 2019/20 season.
6. Kyrie Irving
Salary: $31,742,000
Endorsements: $20 million
Kyrie Irving signed a 4 year contract with the Brooklyn Nets, seeing his on-court salary come in at $31,742,000 this season. Irving endorses major brands including Nike and Pepsi, seeing his total estimated income at $51.7 million. His Nike shoe is among the NBA’s top sellers, and Irving donated $1.5 million to help cover the salaries of WNBA players sitting out this season.
5. James Harden
Salary: $37,800,000
Endorsements: $17 million
One of the NBA’s most prolific scorers, James Harden cements the top 5 on our list. Three times league MVP runner up in 2015, 2017,and 2019, and 2018 ‘s MVP, Harden has partnered with Amazon to share his go-to workout products, and has endorsement deals with Adidas and BodyArmor. This season his estimated salary comes in at $54.8 million.
4. Russell Westbrook
Salary: $38,178,000
Endorsements: $18 million
Nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell Westbrook, signed a 5 year Super Max contract with Oklahoma City Thunder and was traded to the Houston Rockets. A year after signing the largest contract in Jordan Brand history in 2017, Westbrook got his own signature shoe. Apart from Nike, Russell endorses global brands like Samsung and PepsiCo, giving him an estimated total income of $56 million for the 2019/20 NBA season.
3. Kevin Durant
Salary: $37,199,000
Endorsements: $35 million
Power Forward Kevin Durant plays on a 4 year contract for the Brooklyn Nets. This ten-time All-Star earns an estimated $35 million from endorsement deals with Nike, Google and Alaska air group. Durant is also an avid investor with stakes in more than a 100 emerging companies. We see him at number 3 with a total of $72 million this 2019/2020 season.
2. Stephen Curry
Salary: $40,231,758
Endorsements: $45 million
Golden State Warriors’ point guard Stephen Curry, is the highest-paid NBA player of the season. Analysts and players alike have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. Since 2014, Stephen has had a shoe deal with Under Armour, which contributes to his endorsement income (which has tripled in the last year), among other partnerships with JP Morgan Chase, Vivo and Brita. His total income this season comes in at an estimated total of $85 million.
1. LeBron James
Salary: $37,436,858
Endorsements: $55 million
Based on salary alone, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers would otherwise have ranked in at #4 on the list, however, with Nike as his biggest backer, LeBron lands the number 1 spot for highest paid NBA player for the sixth year straight, coming in at an estimated $92 million for the 2019/2020 NBA season. James holds equity in a number of companies, including his own film and TV brand the SpringHill Company, which co-produced the upcoming sequel to Space Jam.
Have your part
While you may not be an NBA All-Star yourself, you can still join in on the fun! Sportsbook casinos allow you to get in on the action of your favourite sports stars. Not into sports betting? Why not try something more up your alley like online bingo.
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