How Chris Mack's contract at Louisville accounts for a potential end to his time as coach

In 25 pages of legalese, Chris Mack's contract with the University of Louisville lays out how he could be compensated if his time as the school's men's basketball coach were to come to an end.

The seven-year deal came with a $4 million annual salary through March 2025, with a $250,000-per-year increase effective in April 2021 and the potential for yearly bonuses for hitting incentives such as winning an Atlantic Coast Conference title or leading the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.

It also, though, accounted for less-than-ideal outcomes, such as a midseason firing for cause or a coach-initiated resignation.

More coverage: What to know about Chris Mack and his future with Louisville

If Louisville were to fire Mack without cause, the coach would be owed in monthly installments "a severance benefit equal to the Coach’s Base Salary and Additional Compensation" — basically, the school would pay him the same rate to go away. That sum would reach about $12 million if he were to be fired without cause in 2022, with three years of the deal remaining.

If Mack were to resign before April 2022, meanwhile, he would owe the school $4.5 million.

Mack's contract also includes a clause in the event he were to be fired for cause, which would allow the school to void the deal without additional payments. The program being hit with Level I or II NCAA violations is one of the conditions that would allow Louisville to fire Mack for cause. A Notice of Allegations sent to the school last year following the firing of former assistant coach Dino Gaudio included three Level II violation charges, which could give Louisville a way out of the contract.

Those Level II charges have not been confirmed by the NCAA's Independent Accountability Resolution Process yet, though, and a ruling from that board is not expected for several months.

Courier Journal columnist Tim Sullivan wrote earlier this month that a settlement between the two sides could make the most sense. That would allow Mack to be paid a portion of the buyout included in his contract and would let Louisville move forward more quickly.

We could have more answers soon. The two sides reportedly came to the table to talk about a deal Tuesday, with more developments expected Wednesday. The university's board of trustees is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. to discuss "personnel matters."

This story may be updated.

Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbach.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Chris Mack's Louisville basketball contract includes severance payment