NBA insider Chris Haynes recently disclosed that multiple players contacted him near the end of past seasons to inquire about his votes for major league awards.
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Haynes said he no longer holds an official vote, a change he’s relieved about due to the uncomfortable pressure from players with incentive-laden contracts.
“I don’t have a vote this season, which I’m glad,” Haynes said, via HoopsHype. “Because around this time, players that have those clauses in their contract, they start to call me… ‘Hey, you know my situation. Who you voting for?’”
Haynes explained that although no one directly attempted to buy his vote, some stars tried to subtly curry favor by offering incentives such as potential appearances on his show.
He added, “They do try to propose an appearance. The way they say it, like: ‘Hey, you know what? You have a nice show. I could think about coming on if…’”
While he declined to name specific athletes, Haynes emphasized the frequency of these calls during the final stretch of the season, describing it as a persistent pattern.
Such lobbying highlights the high stakes for players whose contracts include bonuses tied to making All-NBA teams or winning awards like MVP or Defensive Player of the Year.
The NBA does not publicly reveal which players have these clauses, but bonus triggers have become increasingly common in contract negotiations.
