Phoenix Suns' Mat Ishbia Offers $1M For Dunk, Three Point

Merlin sees Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia offering $1 million in prize money for winners of the Slam Dunk and Three-Point Contests and pledging another $1 million to charity for each event. Ishbia said, "Let's get the best guys in," and "Let's make it awesome." The pitch is meant to lure bigger names to All-Star Weekend, but league and players union officials told Brian Windhorst a $1 million prize would not work with the NBA’s current bonus structure, and Windhorst noted Ishbia did not clear this with the league first. Merlin senses a tussle between goodwill and rulebooks. The Three-Point Contest already draws stars like Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry, while the Dunk Contest has lacked headline names for years. Expect creative workarounds, heavy negotiating, and maybe charity-style incentives rather than a straight cash prize.