Part 7/9:
Conference commentators have suggested a return to performance-based contracts as a solution for addressing the apparent lack of effort seen in certain players. The logic is straightforward—when players are incentivized to perform at their best in order to reach financial benchmarks, they are more likely to exert maximum effort throughout the season.
With contracts heavily laden with guaranteed money, the risk of underperformance has diminished for many players, resulting in a culture where some may feel less urgency to meet expectations—an issue that the league cannot afford to overlook.