While NBA fans sit and stew about basketball games being cancelled and having nothing to watch, players not only have to find stuff to do to keep busy, but they also have to figure out ways to manage their finances. For someone like LeBron James, missing out on paychecks isn’t even among the top 10 reasons why the lockout is a nuisance. For players like Knicks guard Andy Rautins who are supposed to be entering the second year of a two-year, $1.39 million deal, the money is considerably more important.
According to an article on ESPNNewYork.com, Rautins has been staying at his parents’ house right outside Syracuse during the lockout and sleeping in the bedroom he grew up in. While it gives him an opportunity to catch up with his family, it also beats paying bills at an expensive apartment in New York City.
“It’s nice to get some home cooked meals up here,” Rautins said. “It’s nice because it’s a rare opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Normally, you’d been in a busy season by this time. But I’ve been trying to see the positives in [staying home] and there’s a bunch so far. It’s saving me a lot of money right now and I think that’s a big concern for a lot of players.”
We tend to think of all professional athletes as set for life financially, but that is not the case at all for many players across the league. Rautins made $600,000 playing for the Knicks last season, which is a salary any 24-year-old would kill for. However, he isn’t exactly a superstar who is destined to be given a major payday over the next couple years. If Rautins never emerges as a viable NBA player, the $1.39 million he made will mean very little for a person who is only in their mid-20s.
Rautins probably isn’t lying to get out of paying child support like this millionaire. A career in the NBA offers a tremendous salary, but as we’ve seen with players who apply for jobs at the Home Depot it can be lacking in the job security category.
Chest bump to Ball Don’t Lie for passing along the story.
