List of highest-paid NBA players by season

The highest-paid NBA players by season has recently eclipsed $40 million. Wilt Chamberlain has the most seasons leading the league with 8. Michael Jordan holds the largest 1-year contract in NBA history, LeBron James is the highest career earner, and Stephen Curry is the highest season earner as well as the largest multi-year contract holder in NBA history.

During the 1946–47 season Joe Fulks was the highest paid player ($8,000) in the Basketball Association of America and Bob Davies was the highest paid player ($12,500) of the National Basketball League.

George Mikan became the first player to earn $15,000 per season in the 1948–49 season.

Wilt Chamberlain was the first player to receive $100,000 in the 1965–66 season. That same season, Bill Russell became just the second player to receive over $100,000.

Moses Malone & Bill Walton were the first players to earn $1 million in a season, they were paid exactly $1,000,000 in the 1979–80 season.

Larry Bird became the first player to earn $5 million or more with a salary of $7,070,000 in the 1991–92 season.

Magic Johnson became the first player to earn $10 million or more in the 94–95 season with a salary of $14,660,000.

Patrick Ewing became the first player to earn $15 million or more in the 95–96 season with a salary of $18,724,000.

Michael Jordan became the first NBA player to sign a contract worth over $20 million and $30 million in a season (1996–97) and earned $33,140,000 in the 1997–98 season, setting the record for the largest 1-year contract in NBA history, and held the overall record for over 20 years. Kobe Bryant became just the second player to eclipse $30 million when the 2013–14 season began.[1] LeBron James became the third in the 2016–17 season.

Stephen Curry signed a record 5-year contract worth $201 million in 2017 with a starting payout of $34,682,550 in the 2017–18 season, setting a new single-season record in earnings. He became the first player to eclipse $40 million in the 2019–20 season. After signing a 4-year contract extension worth $215 million in 2021, Curry went on to become the first player to eclipse $50 million in the 2023–24 season and is expected to be the first NBA player to eclipse $60 million in the 2026–27 season, having signed a contract worth $62,587,158.

Starting from the 1984–85 NBA season, the NBA's first salary cap was introduced. The NBA salary cap is the maximum dollar amount each NBA team can spend on its players for the season. However, the NBA uses a "soft" salary cap, which allow NBA teams to exceed their allotted amount in order to sign players through significant "salary exceptions". The salary cap is determined during the offseason, but is liable to change.[2]

An exception is necessary to sign a player for a contract that would exceed the salary cap threshold of the "soft cap". The Larry Bird exception, more commonly known as Bird Rights, allows teams to re-sign a current player only if he has played for that particular team for a minimum of three years.[3] Another exception, known as the mid-level exception, allows for teams that are over the salary cap to sign one or more players as long as they do not exceed the total amount of the average NBA salary.[4] Next, the bi-annual exception can be used by teams every other year to sign a free agent(s) for up to two years at an amount set by the NBA.[5] Finally, the rookie player exception allows any NBA team to sign their first-round draft pick to a contract based upon a scale previously set forth by the NBA. Another option for teams would be to assign players to a league-assigned minimum salary contract for a maximum of two years.

Highest-paid player by season

Year Player Team Salary
1946–47 Joe Fulks Philadelphia Warriors $8,000
1947–48 George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers $12,500
1948–49 George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers $15,000
1949–50 $15,000
1950–51 George Mikan

Harry Boykoff

Minneapolis Lakers

Tri-Cities Blackhawks

$15,000
1951–52 George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers $15,000
1952–53 George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers $20,000
1953–54 $20,000
1955–56 Bob Cousy Boston Celtics $25,000
1956–57 $25,000
1957–58 $25,000
1958–59 $25,000
1959–60 Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia 76ers $30,000
1960–61 Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia 76ers $65,000
1961–62 $65,000
1962–63 $65,000
1963–64 $65,000
1964–65 $65,000
1965–66* Bill Russell Boston Celtics $100,001
1966–67 $100,001
1967–68 Bill Bradley New York Knicks $125,000
1968–69 Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles Lakers $250,000
1969–70 Wilt Chamberlain

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Los Angeles Lakers

Milwaukee Bucks

$250,000
1970–71 Pete Maravich Atlanta Hawks $380,000
1971–72 $380,000
1972–73 $380,000
1973–74 Ernie DiGregorio Buffalo Braves $500,000
1974–75 Ernie DiGregorio

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Buffalo Braves

Milwaukee Bucks

$500,000
1975–76 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers $650,000
1976–77 $650,000
1977–78 $650,000
1978–79 David Thompson Denver Nuggets $800,000
1979–80 Moses Malone

Bill Walton

Philadelphia 76ers

San Diego Clippers

$1,000,000
1980–81 Julius Erving

Moses Malone

Bill Walton

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

San Diego Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

$1,000,000
1981–82 Otis Birdsong

Julius Erving

Moses Malone

Bill Walton

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

New Jersey Nets

Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

San Diego Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

$1,000,000
1982–83 Moses Malone Philadelphia 76ers $2,200,000
1983–84 $2,200,000
1984–85 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers $2,500,000
1985–86 $2,500,000
1986–87 $2,500,000
1987–88 Patrick Ewing New York Knicks $2,750,000
1988–89 $3,250,000
1989–90 $3,750,000
1990–91 $4,250,000
1991–92 Larry Bird Boston Celtics $7,070,000
1992–93 David Robinson San Antonio Spurs $5,720,000
1993–94 $5,740,000
1994–95 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers $14,660,000
1995–96 Patrick Ewing New York Knicks $18,724,000
1996–97 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls $30,140,000
1997–98 $33,140,000
1998–99 Patrick Ewing New York Knicks $18,500,000
1999–00 Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers $17,142,000
2000–01 Kevin Garnett Minnesota Timberwolves $19,600,000
2001–02 $22,400,000
2002–03 $25,200,000
2003–04 $28,000,000
2004–05 Shaquille O'Neal Miami Heat $27,696,430
2005–06 $20,000,000
2006–07 Kevin Garnett Minnesota Timberwolves $21,000,000
2007–08 Boston Celtics $23,751,934
2008–09 $24,751,934
2009–10 Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers $23,034,375
2010–11 $24,806,250
2011–12 $25,244,493
2012–13 $30,453,805
2013–14 $30,453,805
2014–15 $23,500,000
2015–16 $25,000,000
2016–17 LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers $30,963,450
2017–18 Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors $34,682,550
2018–19 $37,457,154
2019–20 $40,231,758
2020–21 $43,006,362
2021–22 $45,780,966
2022–23 $48,070,014
2023–24 $51,915,615
2024–25 $55,761,216
Upcoming Seasons (including Player Options)
2025–26 Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors $59,606,817
2026–27 $62,587,158
2027–28 Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers $64,302,336
2028–29 $69,065,472
2029–30 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder $73,899,714
2030-31 $78,996,246

Highest career earners

Rank Player Start End Salary
1 LeBron James 2003–04 Present $528,695,302
2 Kevin Durant 2007–08 Present $447,853,045
3 Stephen Curry 2009−10 Present $410,534,690
4 Chris Paul 2005–06 Present $400,369,419
5 James Harden 2009–10 Present $372,223,981
6 Paul George 2010–11 Present $354,537,886
7 Russell Westbrook 2008–09 Present $345,897,096
8 Anthony Davis 2012–13 Present $335,911,755
9 Kevin Garnett 1995–96 2015–16 $334,304,240
10 Damian Lillard 2012–13 Present $328,751,088
Updated through 2024–25 NBA season
Rank Player Start End Salary
1 LeBron James 2003–04 Present $581,322,455
2 Stephen Curry 2009–10 Present $532,728,665
3 Paul George 2010–11 Present $516,917,026
4 Joel Embiid 2014–15 Present $513,976,859
5 Anthony Davis 2012–13 Present $511,281,226
6 Kevin Durant 2007–08 Present $501,135,653
7 Jayson Tatum 2017–18 Present $469,471,035
8 Giannis Antetokounmpo 2013–14 Present $459,249,563
9 Damian Lillard 2012–13 Present $441,333,958
10 Bradley Beal 2012–13 Present $428,924,362
Updated through end of All Current Contracts, as of 2024−25

2020s

2025–2026

Player[6] Salary Team
Stephen Curry $59,606,817 Golden State Warriors
Nikola Jokic $55,224,526 Denver Nuggets
Joel Embiid $55,224,526 Philadelphia 76ers
Jayson Tatum $54,126,450 Boston Celtics
Jimmy Butler $54,126,450 Golden State Warriors
Anthony Davis $54,126,450 Dallas Mavericks
Giannis Antetokounmpo $54,126,450 Milwaukee Bucks
Bradley Beal $53,666,270 Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant $53,282,608 Houston Rockets
Devin Booker $53,142,264 Phoenix Suns
Jaylen Brown $53,142,264 Boston Celtics
Karl-Anthony Towns $53,142,264 New York Knicks

2010s

2016–2017

Player[15] Salary Team
LeBron James $30,963,450 Cleveland Cavaliers
Al Horford $26,540,100 Boston Celtics
DeMar DeRozan $26,540,100 Toronto Raptors
James Harden $26,540,100 Houston Rockets
Kevin Durant $26,540,100 Golden State Warriors
Russell Westbrook $26,540,100 Oklahoma City Thunder
Mike Conley Jr. $26,540,100 Memphis Grizzlies
Dirk Nowitzki $25,000,000 Dallas Mavericks
Carmelo Anthony $24,559,380 New York Knicks
Damian Lillard $24,328,425 Portland Trail Blazers

2015–2016

Player[16] Salary Team
Kobe Bryant $25,000,000 Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James $22,970,500 Cleveland Cavaliers
Carmelo Anthony $22,875,000 New York Knicks
Dwight Howard $22,359,364 Houston Rockets
Chris Bosh $22,192,730 Miami Heat
Chris Paul $21,468,695 Los Angeles Clippers
Kevin Durant $20,158,622 Oklahoma City Thunder
Derrick Rose $20,093,064 Chicago Bulls
Dwyane Wade $20,000,000 Miami Heat
LaMarcus Aldridge $19,689,000 San Antonio Spurs

2000s

2008–2009

Player[23] Salary Team
Kevin Garnett $24,751,934 Boston Celtics
Jason Kidd $21,372,000 Dallas Mavericks
Jermaine O'Neal $21,372,000 Toronto Raptors
Kobe Bryant $21,262,500 Los Angeles Lakers
Shaquille O'Neal $21,000,000 Phoenix Suns
Allen Iverson $20,840,625 Detroit Pistons
Stephon Marbury $20,840,625 Boston Celtics
Tim Duncan $20,598,704 San Antonio Spurs
Tracy McGrady $20,370,437 Houston Rockets
Ray Allen $18,388,430 Boston Celtics

2007–2008

Player[25] Salary Team
Kevin Garnett $23,751,934 Boston Celtics
Shaquille O'Neal $21,000,000 Phoenix Suns
Jason Kidd $19,728,000 New Jersey Nets
Jermaine O'Neal $19,728,000 Indiana Pacers
Kobe Bryant $19,490,625 Los Angeles Lakers
Tim Duncan $19,014,188 San Antonio Spurs
Allen Iverson $19,012,500 Denver Nuggets
Stephon Marbury $19,012,500 New York Knicks
Tracy McGrady $18,257,750 Houston Rockets
Baron Davis $16,440,000 Golden State Warriors

1990s

1998–1999

See also

References

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  5. ^ "Bi-annual Exception". sportscity.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-05. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
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