In recent years, criticism of the new NBA generation has been constant from all directions, whether it is claims that players do not defend as before, are less aggressive, rest more, or are simply softer. There has generally been a common pattern behind those opinions, as they often come from former NBA stars. Orlando Magic legend Tracy McGrady explained the reasoning behind those criticisms.
Speaking on the Nightcap podcast, McGrady did not overcomplicate it. “It’s money, it’s money bro. Did you realize like in the 90s, Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan, they were only making $2-3 million? And they were the top guys, I don’t think anybody making $2-3 million dollars in the league right now. These guys making so much money.”
“It’s the money and how the league has really catered to the players. They made the league soft for these guys, trying to cut the 82 games now, trying to go from 82 to 72. I think it’s just all the other stuff of babying and coddling the players when they are making all this money. It has to be that the players got so much.” McGrady said.
Is McGrady’s point valid
The answer is yes. Salaries have increased significantly to the point where a role player can earn what Michael Jordan made during his era. However, this is also a result of the growth of both the NBA and the sport itself, although there is also an argument that the league has become overly commercial.
Michael Jordan during a Chicago Bulls match.
In 1991, the average NBA salary was roughly $870,000. The minimum salary during the 1990 to 1991 season ranged between $100,000 and $130,000. At the top end, Larry Bird led the league at around $7 million, which was considered massive at the time.
Today, the scale is completely different. The average NBA salary is now close to $11.9 million, and even the lowest entry point has increased significantly. The rookie minimum for the 2025 to 2026 season is projected at $1,272,870, already exceeding what many established players earned decades ago.
At the top level, Stephen Curry is making close to $59 million in a single season, nearly eight times what Bird earned as the highest-paid player in 1991. Several other stars are also making over $50 million, and that number is expected to continue rising every year.
