Leaks from Derrick Rose's Adidas contract showcase bizarre salaries to brother & friend
What's the story?
Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim reported on Tuesday that the publication received a copy of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Derrick Rose's contract with Adidas.
Even though Rose has not been anywhere near the level of play from his 2011 MVP campaign, he is still making superstar money on the contract, and it was also revealed how much the shoe company is paying his brother and friends.
In case you didn't know...
This season, Rose has played in only 14 of the Cavs' 51 games. He's averaged 11.0 PPG and 1.5 APG.
The heart of the matter...
During the NBA All-Star weekend in 2012, Rose renegotiated a deal with Adidas reportedly worth $185 million over 14 years. Rose is set to make $11 million this season, along with annual royalties over $6 million, up to $4.8 million for appearance fees, and the use of a private plane.
The report also uncovered Rose's brother, Reggie, makes between $250k and $300k annually as a consultant. Rose's best friend, Randal Hampton, also makes between $50k and $75k for "consultant services."
It was a big bet on Rose at a time where Kobe Bryant was aging and LeBron James angered many fans by The Decision. Just weeks after signing the deal, Rose tore his ACL and has never been the same since.
The odd part about Rose's contract, there are deductions for things such as being an NBA All-Star, but those deductions are nullified if he makes certain promotional appearances.
A sports agent would say the following about the deal (h/t to Bleacher Report):
"I've never seen anything like this," a sports agent said when discussing Rose's contract, per Wertheim. "The shoe companies are rigorous enforcers [of contracts]. There's a saying: There's always another player and never enough money."
What's next?
Rose and the struggling Cavs (30-22) will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22) in a battle of two top Eastern Conference teams on ESPN.
Author's take...
I'm going to guess that the person that agreed to that contract on the corporate side is no longer with Adidas. The Sports Illustrated article mentioned that the same company is only paying John Wall $4 million a year. Wall is averaging double the points in nearly triple the games this season.
I don't find it odd that Rose is still being paid like a superstar, it's just a terrible gamble and deal that at least benefits a few people.