ESPN Set to Break the Bank for Stephen A. Smith

Smith appears poised to become the richest talent in the network's history.

Stephen A. Smith  is photographed during the ESPN post-show after the game between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Stephen A. Smith is photographed during the ESPN post-show after the game between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE/Getty Images

Stephen A. Smith is about to get paid on par with some of the players he talks about on a daily basis on ESPN.

Sources with knowledge of his upcoming negotiations with ESPN tell The New York Post that the First Take host is on the verge of jacking up his salary to $10 million per year.

If he does knock it out of the park like that at the negotiating table, Smith would become the highest-paid on-air talent at The Worldwide Leader.

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