NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently disclosed that he took a pay cut during his time with the Miami Heat to enhance the team’s financial flexibility.
In an interview on The OGs podcast, O’Neal shared details about his decision to reduce his salary.
He explained (h/t HoopsHype), “When I was with Miami, Pat Riley came to me and said, ‘I can give you the full $120 million you’re asking for, but we won’t be able to sign anybody else, or I can give you $100 million, and we’ll bring in Udonis Haslem, James Posey, and Gary Payton.’”
O’Neal continued, “I took the $100 million because I wanted to win. I had enough money. I had the biggest house. I didn’t need more.”
The former center added, “What I needed was to win another championship. That’s how we won in Miami. It wasn’t just about me. It was about the team.”
He emphasized, “I wanted to win, and that meant bringing in other players who could help us get there.”
O’Neal’s decision played a key role in the Heat’s success during his tenure, contributing to their championship win.
