Kyrie Irving has never been afraid to question the norms of professional sports and in a recent Twitch stream, the Dallas Mavericks star offered a bold new take: what if NBA salaries were no longer public? His comments ignited a fresh wave of debate, with fans, media, and players alike questioning the benefits and consequences of the NBA’s salary transparency.
“I find it very interesting that, of course, people will know how much the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies make.”
“They will know different avenues of nine to five, in terms of the contract structure, but when it comes to sports, it’s like, you know exactly the pay scale, the details of it and then it gets discussed as though there isn’t any real live consequences to that.”
“I wonder how much that puts a target on someone’s life, where you know what’s going on, you see it very causal, but it helps the overall growth of a sport, the sexiness of it, like, ‘Oh, guess what Kai, or so and so is making this,’ record breaking historic numbers.”
“But I look at it, is it too much information at some point though, when does it become comfortable for me? If you know exactly what I’m making, there’s an awkwardness to that where I’m existing in within our same society.”
Irving raised a key concern: privacy and safety. His words hint at the darker side of fame: targeted robberies, scams, and invasive attention. And in a time where social media has blurred the line between fan and stalker, Irving’s concern feels less paranoid and more practical.
Kyrie’s comments come in a climate where salaries aren’t just known, they’re dissected, debated, and often weaponized. Bradley Beal, once a franchise cornerstone, was ridiculed after being bought out by the Suns for a staggering $97 million, before landing with the Clippers.
When he signed his max contract, it was seen as justified. But over time, narratives shifted, his declining play and team struggles turned that salary into a lightning rod for criticism.
Ben Simmons might be the most extreme case. After signing a five-year, $170 million deal, the former No. 1 pick has barely played, missing major chunks of the last four seasons due to injury and personal reasons. The public response? Brutal. Shaquille O’Neal even suggested Simmons should “go to jail” for what he called “stealing” from the NBA.
Even LeBron James, an All-NBA player at 40, came under fire for picking up his $52.6 million player option. Critics cried foul over his age rather than acknowledging he remains one of the league’s top players. Contracts, in many cases, overshadow performance.
Then there’s the personal danger. NBA players like Luka Doncic, Mike Conley, DeMar DeRozan, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have faced home invasions. With their earnings public, they become targets, not just of criticism, but of crime.
Kyrie’s point is simple: does public access to salaries really help the game, or just create unnecessary tension and danger?
While it’s unlikely the NBA ever reverses its transparency, Irving’s perspective sheds light on a growing concern. In a league where “how much” someone makes often dictates “how much” they’re respected or hated, maybe it’s time the conversation shifts from the price tag, to the person.
