From $500,000 to $1.8 Million: Spencer Dinwiddie Explains How Stephen Curry, LeBron James Changed the NBA for Everyone

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Spencer Dinwiddie (L), LeBron James and Stephen Curry (R). Credits: Imagn Images

At its very core, the NBA is a business, and most of the league’s decisions are made depending on how much profit can be made. The league actively markets and pushes players and policies that turn the business profitable and in the last decade LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry have been largely the boats the league has ridden.  This fact is not lost on Spender Dinwiddie. Having played with LeBron and having played against Steph and KD, he clearly knows their impact on the sport. But he also understands how being the face of the sport comes with a responsibility but it also ensures a certain backing from the league.

The Mavericks guard, while in a conversation with Theo Pinson on the ‘Run Your Race’ podcast, credited the popularity of a player having a major role in their team, and the league, getting more air time nationally.

Taking the example of Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, Pinson and Dinwiddie claimed that the league needs their teams to make the playoffs every season, because of the amount of profit that the three of them generate:

“LeBron, Steph, KD. They done put in so much money in everybody else’s pockets. They pray Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry make the playoffs. Every single year. They need it, that’s must-see TV. And that’s the thing, in a lot of ways, we owe those three. Because they’re so great they put money in everybody’s pockets.”

Dinwiddie further added, that even among the trio, Curry’s monetary impact on the league over the last decade is likely the most substantial.

“Like I said, minimum when I got in the league, and this probably a bigger credit to Steph than even LeBron. Minimum when I got in the league was 500k. This was 2014. minimum now, somewhere around 2 million. What coincided with that timespan? That was Steph’s run. Steph started becoming the guy what 2015? And they loved it.”

The trio of Bron, Steph, and KD are very easily the three best players of the last decade, and their presence and impact in drawing in viewers is a large reason for the NBA seeing record-breaking contracts and salaries given out every year. Without the economic impact that the trio had, as Dinwiddie said, the vet minimum would’ve been closer to $500k and $2m.

Despite dropping ratings, Stephen Curry reigns supreme

When Steph and the Warriors took on the Celtics last month, the NBA was going through a bit of a ratings drop. Viewership was down almost 19% compared to the same time last year, but the Warriors-Celtics game, which was the Dubs’ first nationally televised game this season, drew in a whopping 2.14 million viewers on ESPN.

According to Sports Media Watch, it marked the most viewed game since the opening week of fixtures and saw a 30% rise in viewership compared to the same game last year. While this proves that the demand for Steph is still as high as it was during the Warriors’ peak years, it also effectively shuts down the loudest critics of the new NBA.

Analysts and fans have blamed the increase in the 3-point-friendly offense as the main reason for the league’s declining viewership, but when a Warriors-Celtics game that saw 88 threes attempted drew in 2 million+ viewers, the errors in this argument became clearly visible. Ratings have plummeted, yes, but the 3-pointers are NOT the cause, and Stephen Curry’s rising viewership numbers attest to that.

VIDEO: Concerned Fans Think Something Is Seriously Wrong With Travis Kelce Because Of His Strange Actions After Chiefs Win vs. Raiders

Travis Kelce (Photo via @MarleahKCTV5 X)

On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs and Travis Kelce won a nailbiter against the Las Vegas Raiders, surrounded by much controversy.

The score was 19-17, and it was far from a pretty win for the now 11-1 and defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

Kelce might not have been happy with how Kansas City walked away with the win.

After the final whistle, he was filled walking back to the locker room, and he was not his usual cheerful self after a big win.

Many social media users do not think there might have been more at work than being upset about the game’s outcome. “Maybe yes he’s a little annoyed by the people in front of the camera,” said one comment.

“When you date someone like Taylor swift you will always get pissed with everyone….he mad maybe someone said something bad,” said another.

“That side-eye says it all,” wrote a third.

“I wouldn’t be a happy camper either if I almost lost to the 2-10 raiders,” a fourth said.

“It looks like Travis is in some kind of uncomfortable situation. Maybe he’s upset for no particular reason and is in a hurry,” another stated.

“He missed a block on the 3 and 2 play at the end of the game that would have essentially ended the game. Worthy scores or is tackled around the two yard line. This is almost certainly what he is frustrated about,” someone pointed out.

Travis Kelce Had A Solid Game Against The Raiders

There’s no doubt that Kelce is having a down year, which makes sense, considering he’s now 35.

However, he had a very productive game against the Raiders, reeling in seven receptions for 68 yards. Unfortunately, though, he ran a wrong route in the endzone, which, if done correctly, could have ended in a touchdown.

Kelce heating up is exactly what Kansas City needs now that the playoffs are approaching.