Do the salaries of NBA players increase the longer they're in the league even if they do not produce?

Question

for instance, Penny Hardaway, he's in the top 25 highest salaries for NBA players for the past 4-5 years (i dunno about this current season but previous ones). the 04-05 season, he was the 9th highest paid player in the entire NBA at 14 million and he makes 2-7 point per game and is not a starter. i guess he was injured(?). i'm just curious why teams will pay someone who is either not producing or has been injured for the past 5 years that high of a salary. is there seniority in the NBA as far as the salary goes? so if someone in their prime was highly paid but 10 years later, they don't produce, do u have to keep increasing the players salary?

truthistold, good info there. i dunno but Penny hasn't been producing for a LONG LONG time and it looks like he got a huge contract deal after his decline. there are other players out there too. allan houston for example, he was the 2nd highest player paid (after Shaq) at 17 million in 04-05 season. i know he's a great player but even at his prime, was he really worth that much to be the 2nd highest player paid in the NBA?

Answer 1

They signed a big contract for multiple years (long contracts are 7 years)

Penny signed one while he was producing but then all his injuries caught up with him and he wasn't worth it but the contracts are guaranteed

after that salary ends if they aren't worth it you don't have to increase it players can willingly take a pay cut as well to try and get more money for teamates like Shaq and Garnett did

a good example of not increasing salaries is Karl Malone he was very well paid for most of his career but then came off of a big contract and signed a vet minimum contract with the lakers for about 1 million

after a contract ends the maximum contract after that one goes up so the potential to get more money is there but if you aren't a max player you aren't getting the money

Answer 2

maybe the deal of the contract they signed... IDK =(