The final games of an NBA season can decide a team’s playoff fortune or draft fate. It can also be an opportunity for players to reach incentives to unlock their contract bonuses. This was no more evident than in Jrue Holiday on Sunday.
Holiday calculated what he needed to unlock his hefty bonus and only remained in the game for an additional seven seconds past the bare minimum.
In the Bucks’ 133-115 loss to the Cavaliers, Holiday made $255,000 after playing less than a minute when he triggered his final incentive for the year, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. To receive his big pay-day, Holiday had to play in at least 67 games for the season.
Jrue Holiday triggered a massive bonus by playing just eight seconds on Sunday. Getty ImagesHoliday fouled Cleveland’s Darius Garland after eight seconds and was subbed out for rookie Lindell Wigginton. As the guard walked to the bench, he was all smiles with his work for the evening complete.
Coach Mike Budenholzer knew what was at stake for Holiday, so he was put in for enough time to cash in for game No. 67, while not risking his health for the postseason.
The Bucks loss dropped them down to the coveted No. 3 seed and a matchup with the fading and injury-riddled Bulls. The Celtics moved past them for the No. 2 seed and a potential matchup with the Nets in the first round.
