“I was always on teams where everybody was trying to get paid” - Jeff Teague on how financial motives destroy lockerroom chemistry

As the saying goes, “money is the root of all evil.” However, in Jeff Teague‘s experience, it can also lead to remarkable success. When the core players of a team have all secured the bag, priorities shift from proving themselves for a lucrative contract to realizing the team’s ultimate goal: the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

According to Teague, he has experienced both ends of the spectrum: once during his time with the Atlanta Hawks and later during his stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team he said had the potential to be a powerhouse but was ultimately doomed by the players’ ulterior motives.

It’s all about the Benjamins

Don’t get it twisted the NBA is a multi-billion-dollar business that generates significant revenue for every team involved. Naturally, players try to get their piece of the pie. Everyone may say the right things about the pursuit of championships and the love of the game, but ultimately, money is the primary motivator behind everything the players do.

“When you find an All-Star or an unbelievable player who wants team success, like a Tim Duncan, that’s when you build dynasties. And Steph Curry and all them guys,” Teague said.

“Older veteran teams are always good. Once they get paid, now it’s time to win,” he added.

Teague’s assessment is spot-on. When a veteran crew leads a team, they tend to be more focused on winning titles than on getting more money. This is because their time in the league has already seen them secure the bag and accrue enough wealth to live comfortably, possibly for the rest of their lives.

However, that isn’t the case for young teams whose players are more focused on securing long-term contracts than on pursuing the team’s goals — something Teague experienced during his 12-year NBA career.

“I was always on teams where everybody was trying to get paid. And the one time everybody was paid, we were really good. Like, everybody had already got paid. We were really good,” the former Wake Forest star recalled.

“Yeah, we were really good. We weren’t playing for contracts. Nobody was out there fighting for a contract, but DeMarre Carroll, and we all understood, like, we want DeMarre to get his money because he’s playing well for us,” he added.

The 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks played beautiful basketball all season, sent four players to the All-Star Game and finished the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22. They made it all the way to the East finals but were upended by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The T-Wolves got derailed by money

Teague’s experience in Minnesota, though, was the complete opposite. With Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns all wanting to get paid, they just couldn’t get on the same page.

“When I went to Minnesota, the reason our team broke up is because of what? Money,” he declared. “KAT got paid. Then we got Jimmy saying, ‘S—t, it’s my turn!’ And we f—ked up our team because dudes didn’t get paid.”

“So after a while, you’re like, ‘S—t, if a dude tells you, ‘I’m not playing until y’all pay me,’ you know what’s up.”

Make no mistake, players love getting paid just as much as they love winning. And if a team’s core is composed of athletes who are financially stable and secure, they’re more likely to put the team’s goals ahead of their own.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“I was always on teams where everybody was trying to get paid” – Jeff Teague on how financial motives destroy lockerroom chemistry

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