It sure sounds like the NBA's plan to motivate players for the NBA Cup is working

The 2024 NBA Cup is here, and players around the association are embracing the added level of competition. One week into NBA Cup action, players across the league are stepping up their games in pursuit of winning the league's first-ever "NBA Cup" — last year's installment was simply called the "In-Season Tournament."

The league's annual in-season tournament has already delivered some thrilling moments and, more importantly, has given players an added incentive to perform in the now all-important regular-season games.  

Players from the winning team receive a massive financial bonus, bringing home $500,000, and that added fuel to the fire seems to be working by all measures.

Los Angeles Lakers wing Rui Hachimura said the quiet part out loud, telling L.A. Times reporter Dan Woike, "We just want the money," when it comes to the NBA Cup games.

That's pretty blunt phrasing, but it's also evidence the league's gamble may be paying off.

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The NBA Cup had added more meaning to the regular season

It may have taken some extra cash and another tournament to make players care about early winter games, but the NBA Cup had added more meaning to what can sometimes feel like a monotonous regular season.

Players throughout the league have bought in, and it's led to thrilling games during NBA Cup matchups.

Viewership has been down throughout the league to start the regular season, so these all-important tournament games might be the perfect recipe to increase engagement in the league.

Last season, we saw the Los Angeles Lakers win the inguinal season tournament, knocking off Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling game that drew 4,580,000 million viewers, a number the league would love to replicate this year.

With the high stakes and excellent play, theirs a strong chance we will see a new victor in the coming weeks when things are all said and done.