When the NBA stars fall, the teams receive help to pay their mega-salars

Kevin Pritchard, president of Indiana Pacers’ basketball operations, confirmed this week that Tyrese Haliburton, the pointed point guard, will miss the entire 2025-26 season after tearing Achille’s tendon during the NBA finals.

It is a serious blow on the pitch for the Eastern Conference champions, which must also adapt to the departure of the free center Myles Turner. A consolation: insurance will cover up to $ 18.2 million guaranteed by 45.6 million dollars in Haliburton for 2025-26.

The NBA supervises an insurance program for total temporary disability (TTD) for the benefit of the individual teams. Each club ensures a minimum of four of its most paid players, as defined by the salary of the current season or by the salary that remained total. The teams have the opportunity to ensure additional players.

Policy pays after players have lost 41 consecutive games of the regular season, which can embrace two seasons. The advantage is 50% or 80% of the player’s salary, depending on the “level” of the coverage selected by the team: the highest level requires a higher annual prize. Last season, the Max payment was around $ 492,000 per game. The potential benefit of $ 18.2 million for Pacers for Haliburton is based on the highest level, which pays 80%. The teams are responsible for the balance of the salary.

The previous versions of the NBA TTD program concerned five players in each club and the maximum payment was $ 175,000 per game, and then they increased to $ 275,000 per game while the salaries went up.

All-Nba star Jayson Tatum is likely to be put aside for the most part, if not for everyone, of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon during the loss of Boston Celtics against the New York Knicks in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference-The salary of $ 54.1 million for 2025-26 classified for the fourth in the NBA. The Celtics will collect just over $ 20 million based on maximum coverage.

Other high -level stars that will probably lose a piece of the next season that recover from injuries include Kyrie Irving ($ 36.6 million salary) and Dejourte Murray ($ 26.8 million salary). Irving missed the last 20 Maverks games of the 2024-25 season after torn his ACL, while Murray was put aside for the last 33 New Orleans Pelicans games after breaking his Achilles in January.

Damian Lillard, who suffered his Achille’s injury during the 2025 playoffs, was revoked by the Milwaukee Bucks, who “lengthened” the remaining $ 112.6 million left on his contract for five years. It is not clear whether the insurance will cover any of its business. A representative for the Bucks refused to comment on the matter.

The championship has a separate program for wounded players for salary limit purposes. The exception of the disabled player (DPE) allows a team to sign a replacement player after someone has undergone an injury or an end of season disease. The salary is limited to the minor of 50% of the salary of the injured player or to the average non-fiscal endurance, which is $ 14.1 million for the 2025-26 season. They can also acquire a player in an exchange according to the same salary rules, as well as $ 100,000.