A Per Diem In The NBA?

You bet. These guys are great.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Since when?

When the Knicks go on the road, hungry players take full advantage of a complimentary spread after the morning shootaround. There are plenty of choices along the buffet, enough to satisfy a wide range of appetites — from Nate Robinson's to Jerome James'.

After the game ends, there are more culinary delights.

Not long after the wheels go up on the charter flight, soups and salads are served. A choice of entrees is next. Then it's time for a little pie or maybe some cookies. It's all four-star quality, at least.

Here's the kicker:

The players get a $102 per diem every day a team spends away from home. It's been part of the collective bargaining agreement for decades. And some of them actually use the money to purchase food.

"How great is that?" Knicks guard Jamal Crawford said. "I want all of it, every dollar. If they're going to pay for your food, I'll take it. I need it. I want it. I don't have any complaints."

It's a seemingly ridiculous perk in a league where the average salary is more than $4 million.

Of course, for those who are making the NBA minimum of $398,760, it comes in pretty handy.

"When you have a long road trip, the best part about it is right at the beginning when you get that envelope with like $500 in it," Philadelphia forward Kyle Korver said. "It's great. When I was a rookie it was a huge deal. That's all I used; I lived off my per diem. I tried not to spend my paycheck."

Creative financial planning can make that money go a long way.

"Yep," said Robinson, a rookie guard with the Knicks. "What I try to do is go to some of the veterans' rooms, and when they order something I try to add something to the list."

It's a clever scheme.

"He's not kidding," said teammate Quentin Richardson, who usually picks up the newcomer's bill without complaint.

Anyone who has been around the league for a while knows how fast money goes early on. In most cases, rookies have a lot of people at home to pay back. The penny-wise avoid extravagance until a second contract is signed and job security is assured.

"I try to find a cheap little place around the corner, like a gas station, where I can get some chips or snacks," Robinson said. "That way I don't spend it all. To me it's a big deal. I don't consider myself rich. I'm still working to get where I want to be financially so I can take care of my whole family."

And they need to eat, too. Just ask Latrell Sprewell, who's now infamous for turning down a three-year, $21 million contract extension, implying that wasn't enough to feed his family.

It's probably worth mentioning that he actually paid to cater lunch for his Minnesota teammates after most practices last season.

Many of the other players who've cashed in are equally generous with their per diems. They use the money for tips. Hotel maids and restaurant staff are frequently on the receiving end. Locker-room attendants are known to walk off with a little extra change, as well.

A trip upstairs to fetch a box of popcorn before the game is normally worth $20.

"I usually give it to a trainer, or a massage therapist, or a coach and tell them to go out and get something good to eat," Knicks veteran Antonio Davis said. "It's just a way of saying thank you. I appreciate the per diem, I think it's something that's good. But when you make this kind of money, it's nice to give it to the people who don't make as much so they can go out and get something nice to eat."

Massage therapist? What a way to live.

Some of the league's high-maintenance coaches also negotiate a hefty per diem into their contracts. It's not unusual for marquee names to get upward of $200 daily.

Dry cleaning isn't cheap, apparently.

Most players while on the road usually pass the pregame hours close to the hotel, which makes room service a necessity. Snacks don't come to the door cheaply at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles or the Four Seasons in Atlanta or the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C.

"I end up using all of the money," Crawford said. "I'm usually in my room the whole time, so room service is a big deal. I know some guys walk around looking for a place to eat that's cheaper than the hotel.

"They're all pretty expensive. Nice hotels, but everything's expensive. Sometimes salads are $25 dollars if you add shrimp or chicken. No way I would pay for that with my own money."