DALLAS — In the hands of Knicks backup and budding Wall Street hedgie Matt Ryan, a half-million dollars can grow into something much bigger in his startup investment company.a year ago, Adam Silver desperately needed players to care about his beloved tournament. So the commish commissioned flat cash prizes per player on the championship team.Because salaries are often an indicator of playing time and production, the prize is disproportionately valuable to players contributing less.
The $515,000 cash prize to every member of the NBA Cup-winning team would be a significant bonus for the Knicks' bench squad.Matt Ryan, who earned an MBA while attending and playing for Vanderbilt, started a hedge fund with a college friend the same week he signed with the Knicks.The Knicks' 2-0 NBA Cup start has helped make them one of the betting favorites to win the second edition of the in-season tournament.