.jpg)
10 hours ago
2
LSU hired Matt McMahon in March 2022 and signed him to a long-term contract that runs through the end of the 2028–29 season. At the time, the deal made sense. LSU basketball was coming out of NCAA sanctions, the roster was thin, and the program needed stability more than anything else.
That stability came with a price tag, and now, as results continue to lag in SEC play, those contract details have become increasingly relevant.
According to the agreement, McMahon earns a base salary of $400,000 per year. The real money comes through supplemental compensation tied to media appearances, promotional obligations, and program duties. That supplemental income started at $2.2 million and increases every season, climbing to $2.8 million by the final year of the deal. By the end of the contract, McMahon’s total annual compensation comfortably clears $3 million.
Matt McMahon’s buyout terms
The buyout language is where the commitment becomes clear. If the LSU Tigers were to fire McMahon without cause before the contract expires, LSU would owe him 80 percent of both his remaining base salary and supplemental compensation.
That’s an important distinction. Many coaching buyouts are calculated using base salary alone. McMahon’s contract counts everything, which means the cost of making a change adds up fast.
Dismiss him with multiple years left, and the buyout could approach eight figures. The contract does include standard mitigation language, requiring McMahon to seek other employment and offset what LSU would owe, but the initial obligation remains substantial.
Matt McMahon’s bonuses
Like most Power Conference contracts, McMahon’s deal includes incentives tied to winning. SEC regular-season titles, tournament championships, NCAA Tournament appearances, and deeper March runs all trigger bonus payments.
Those incentives reflect the job LSU hired him to do, even if the results have yet to follow consistently.
McMahon didn’t arrive in Baton Rouge without a résumé. At Murray State Racers, he built one of the most reliable mid-major programs in the country. Over seven seasons, he went 153–67, won multiple conference championships, and capped his run with a 31–3 season in 2021–22 that included an undefeated conference slate.
LSU has been a different challenge altogether. Through his first three full seasons, McMahon’s Tigers combined for a 57-61 overall record and a 15-47 mark in SEC play. They finished near the bottom of the conference more than once, struggling to gain traction in a league that rarely offers grace during rebuilds.
This season followed a familiar arc. LSU opened 12-1 and looked like it might finally turn a corner. Since then, the Tigers have dropped seven of their last eight games heading into the back stretch of the SEC schedule, once again buried near the bottom of the standings.
That contrast, between McMahon’s sustained success at Murray State and the uneven results at LSU, explains why the buyout conversation exists at all. The contract was written to buy time and patience. It succeeded in that regard.
But it also means that if LSU ever decides patience has run out, the cost of moving on will be significant.
English (US)