When Jordan came back, wearing the 4-5.

[JSD]

When Jordan returned for 96 97 and 98 what was he paid?

Didn't he take a massive pay cut to make sure the Bulls were stacked for another run? Am I remembering this correctly?

It makes me think of Kobe's situation and what the Lakers could do If he signed for the vet min next season.

[Fafnir]

He was paid $30 million per year his last two years. He played his first full year back under his old contract.

[jay]

Yeah he didnt take a pay cut.  Thats probably why Kobe is unwilling to take one.  He is still modeling everything he does after MJ. 

[D.o.s.]

It never happened. Jordan went off to play baseball, saved the Earth from the Monstars, and disappeared in a puff of cigar smoke and emotional handicaps.

[LarBrd33]

It never happened. Jordan went off to play baseball, saved the Earth from the Monstars, and disappeared in a puff of cigar smoke and emotional handicaps.

Jordan vs Monstars 30 for 30: http://screen.yahoo.com/popular/30-30-space-jam-game-155008766.html

[bdm860]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

[BballTim]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

[bdm860]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

The Knicks were going after Jordan hard, and some thought he was going to jump ship:

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_081201.html

It was the time Michael Jordan was a free agent and almost signed with the New York Knicks.

Well, perhaps not almost, and Jordan's agent, David Falk, still denies it ever was serious or under discussion. But it's part of NBA lore, and Knicks and Bulls insiders at the time remember it as what was portrayed then by Falk as a strong possibility.

The Bulls, because of the Bird exception, could pay Jordan more than any team, just like the Cavs with James. But the word was Jordan could make up the money in New York easily in other sources. Falk initially told the Bulls it would take a salary starting in the mid to high $20s of millions of dollars to sign Jordan, so there apparently was some hesitation as no one in the NBA made anywhere near that.

In the end, the Bulls topped that figure at $30 million, and maybe the New York threat was the reason. Falk, to this day, insists there never was one, though that's not what you hear around the NBA offices in New York. Perhaps Jordan is telling James now what really went on and what to do.

I mean come on now, Jordan's agent was David Falk, the guy that got Juwan Howard, the largest contract ever just the year before. 

There was little "thanks for services rendered" going on, (though I will agree that happens a lot still).

[D.o.s.]

It never happened. Jordan went off to play baseball, saved the Earth from the Monstars, and disappeared in a puff of cigar smoke and emotional handicaps.

Jordan vs Monstars 30 for 30: http://screen.yahoo.com/popular/30-30-space-jam-game-155008766.html

TP for the link--that's fantastic.

[BballTim]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

  I'm pretty sure NBA players used to renegotiate their contracts. MJ didn't. He signed a market contract and then played it out even though it was well below market. I think Magic also had a below market value contract, and was going to get a piece of the Lakers in return.

[Donoghus]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

  I'm pretty sure NBA players used to renegotiate their contracts. MJ didn't. He signed a market contract and then played it out even though it was well below market. I think Magic also had a below market value contract, and was going to get a piece of the Lakers in return.

Magic had that ridiculous 25 year $25 million contract.  Talk about being undervalued almost off the bat. 

[D.o.s.]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

  I'm pretty sure NBA players used to renegotiate their contracts. MJ didn't. He signed a market contract and then played it out even though it was well below market. I think Magic also had a below market value contract, and was going to get a piece of the Lakers in return.

Magic had that ridiculous 25 year $25 million contract.  Talk about being undervalued almost off the bat.

That reminds me of those absurd contracts you hear about in the NHL nowadays.

[BballTim]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

  I'm pretty sure NBA players used to renegotiate their contracts. MJ didn't. He signed a market contract and then played it out even though it was well below market. I think Magic also had a below market value contract, and was going to get a piece of the Lakers in return.

Magic had that ridiculous 25 year $25 million contract.  Talk about being undervalued almost off the bat.

  While I don't recall the specifics off of the top of my head, the Lakers killed the Celts in terms of working contracts and the cap right when it was implemented (although the Reggie nonsense was just as bad).

[Donoghus]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

  The salary was a reward for past services rendered. Up until that contract he'd never made more than $4M a year. I'm not sure what the point was, though. His entire career's salaries combined probably wouldn't have been a year's worth of endorsement money.

I disagree.  It was fair market value for Jordan.  He signed an 8 year deal in '88 for $25 which paid him comparable to other superstars.  Jordan's contract just expired at the right time, in like that 2 year window where salaries were exploding and before the CBA was changed in '99.

  I'm pretty sure NBA players used to renegotiate their contracts. MJ didn't. He signed a market contract and then played it out even though it was well below market. I think Magic also had a below market value contract, and was going to get a piece of the Lakers in return.

Magic had that ridiculous 25 year $25 million contract.  Talk about being undervalued almost off the bat.

  While I don't recall the specifics off of the top of my head, the Lakers killed the Celts in terms of working contracts and the cap right when it was implemented (although the Reggie nonsense was just as bad).

You gotta hand it to Jerry Buss.  As much as I hate the Lakers, the guy was one of the all-time best owners in the history of professional sports.

[Moranis]

He took a pay cut after his 2nd retirement, not his first.

Not that Jordan didn't deserve it, but that salary is crazy.  He made $30m in '97, and $33m in '98.  It took until 2013 for another player, Kobe Bryant, to finally break the $30m mark again.

Look at everybody else in '98.  Shaq made $13m, Mourning made $11m, Hakeem made $11m, Karl Malone made $5m, Barkley made $2m, Gary Payton made $11m,  Penny Hardaway made $8m, Patrick Ewing made $20m, Juwan Howard made $11m, etc.  Kevin Garnett signed a contract during the '98 season that would pay him $14m in '99.

The average salary then was $2.37m, the average salary now is $5.15m.

I think the NBA's revenue has basically doubled in that time frame.  From about $2.5B to like $5B.  That would be like the equivalent of Kobe or LeBron making $66m last year.

Crazy, but he was worth every penny, if not more.

The reality is if there was not individual salary limits some team would have offered Lebron in excess of 50 million and he would have been worth every penny of it.