TITLE: Ishbia Floats $1M All-Star Contest Prizes; Jontay Porter Heads to USBL; James Johnson Joins BIG3; 65-Game Rule Scrutinized
SLUG: ishbia-all-star-prize-porters-usbl-move-johnson-big3-65-game-rule
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Suns governor Mat Ishbia told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday that he is prepared to offer $1 million to the winners of both the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Contest, plus an additional $1 million for charity tied to each event. Ishbia said the proposal is aimed at luring marquee players back to All-Star Saturday’s individual competitions.
Prize money for those contests, however, is set by the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and would require approval from both NBA team owners and the National Basketball Players Association. Under the current CBA, the dunk champion receives $105,000 and the three-point winner earns $60,000. Ishbia acknowledged he had not cleared the idea with the league office but indicated he plans to explore it further.
Jontay Porter to Play in USBL
Former Raptors big man Jontay Porter, who was permanently banned from the NBA for his role in an illegal gambling scheme, intends to join the Seattle Superhawks of the United States Basketball League, The Athletic reported. Porter is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in 2024 to a federal felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A federal judge previously blocked his attempt to sign with Promitheas B.C. in Greece for the 2024/25 season. The USBL season begins March 6.
James Johnson Signs with BIG3’s DMV Trilogy
Sixteen-year NBA veteran James Johnson has agreed to play for DMV Trilogy in the upcoming BIG3 season, the 3-on-3 league announced Wednesday. Johnson appeared in 12 games for the Pacers during the 2024/25 campaign but has not been on an NBA roster this season.
65-Game Threshold Faces Criticism
With Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander edging closer to the 65-game minimum required for major NBA awards, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen contends the rule could skew this year’s MVP race. In a separate update, The Athletic’s Zach Harper listed Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama as his top three MVP candidates. They have missed 16, 11, and 14 games, respectively, and would become ineligible if absences reach 18.
The league adopted the 65-game threshold in the latest CBA to encourage regular-season participation, but critics argue unforeseen injuries could disqualify leading performers.
Source: Hoops Rumors
