45 Highest Paid NBA Players – 2024-25
July 22, 2024
The highest-paid NBA players are some of the most well-rewarded athletes on the planet. Star players routinely command contracts with average annual values worth upwards of $50 million. But it鈥檚 not just the stars that land insanely lucrative mega deals. The average NBA salary in the 2023-24 season was $9.7 million. That makes the NBA the highest-paying professional sports league in the world. Check out a list of the highest-paid* NBA players below, including the highest-paid NBA player.
*I鈥檒l use the amount of money a player makes in a given year to determine where they fall in the overall rankings.
If you are an aspiring basketball player yourself, you may also wish to check out our list of all NCAA Men’s Basketball Schools at the Division I, Division II, and Division III levels.
Highest paid NBA players
45) Jordan Poole, Washington Wizards – $32 million
44) Jerami Grant, Portland Trailblazers – $32 million
43) Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat – $32.6 million
42) De鈥橝aron Fox, Sacramento Kings – $32.6 million
41) Deandre Ayton, Portland Trailblazers – $33.2 million
Highest Paid NBA Player (Continued)
40) Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics – $33.6 million
39) James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers – $35 million
James Harden will likely go down as one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen. He was the NBA鈥檚 Most Valuable Player in 2018, he won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2012, and he鈥檚 a ten-time NBA All-Star.
Despite all the accolades, Harden has never won an NBA championship. He came close in 2012, as he helped the Oklahoma City Thunder reach the finals, where they were ultimately beaten in five games by the LeBron James-led Miami Heat.
Harden was drafted out of Arizona State as the 3rd overall pick by OKC in 2009.
38) Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors – $35 million
37) Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets – $35.4 million
36) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder – $35.8 million
Basketball Salaries (Continued)
35) Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets – $35.8 million
34) Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, $37.9 million
Anthony Davis is one of those first-round draft picks (he played a year at Kentucky) that have absolutely lived up to the hype. The center/power forward is defensive beast and a prolific scorer. In 2020, he helped the Los Angeles Lakers win their 17th NBA title as they defeated the Miami Heat in six games.
Davis鈥� current contract鈥攁 5-year, $189 million deal鈥攏ets him an average of almost $38 million a year. Next year, his base salary will go up considerably: he signed a 3-year contract extension with the Lakers worth $186 million. He鈥檚 already one of the highest paid NBA players, but this deal is even richer than his current contract: over the next three years, Davis will take home an average of $62 million a season. Lastly, that鈥檚 the in the history of the NBA.
33) Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, $39.4 million
32) Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies – $39.4 million
31) Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies – $39.4 million
Highest Paid NBA Player (Continued)
30) Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers – $39.4 million
29) Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks – $40 million
When Kyrie Irving burst onto the scene in 2011, joining the Cavaliers out of Duke as the first overall draft pick, he quickly became my favorite player in the NBA. His handles were otherworldly鈥攈e could do things with a basketball that I didn鈥檛 think were possible. His skill was鈥攁nd is鈥攎esmerizing. And even though I鈥檓 not a Cavs fan, when he and LeBron led Cleveland to the franchise鈥檚 first ever NBA championship, I couldn鈥檛 have been happier.
Unfortunately, in recent years he鈥檚 been in the news more for than for his on-the-court play.
28) Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers – $40.7 million
27) LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets – $40.7 million
26) Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves – $41 million
Highest Paid NBA Player (Continued)
25) OG Anunoby, New York Knicks – $42.5 million
24) Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets – $42.8 million
23) Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls – $43 million
22) Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks – $43 million
21) Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks – $43 million
20) Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks – $44 million
Highest Paid NBA Players 2024 (Continued)
19) Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks – $45.6 million
18) Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings – $46.5 million
17) Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers – $47.4 million
16) Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns – $48.5 million
Highest Paid NBA Player (Continued)
15) Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat – $48.8 million
14) Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers – $48.9 million
13) Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves – $48.9 million
12) Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers – $49.8 million
11) Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers – $50 million
Earlier this month, it was reported that the All-Star guard and the Cavaliers had agreed to a 3-year, $150.3 million extension. That鈥檚 an average annual value of more than $50 million.
Donovan Mitchell was drafted out of Louisville as the 13th overall pick in 2017.
10) Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns – $50.2 million
Bradley Beal has been in the league since he was drafted by the Washington Wizards in 2012. Beal has always been a solid player, but in recent years he鈥檚 emerged as one of the premiere talents in the sport. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
Beal played for the University of Florida for a year before being selected by the Wizards in the 2012 NBA draft.
Highest Paid NBA Players 2024 (Continued)
9) LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers – $50.7 million
Of course LeBron is one of the highest paid NBA players. He鈥檚 one of the best鈥攊f not the best鈥攑layers in NBA history (don鈥檛 worry, I won鈥檛 engage in any of that trite Jordan vs. LeBron punditry). Whenever he decides to call it quits, the twenty plus years of his career will undoubtedly be known as the 鈥淟eBron era.鈥�
8) Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers – $52.9 million
In early July 2024, Paul George, who鈥檇 been with the LA Clippers since 2019, officially left the team to pursue free agency. Shortly after that announcement, George reported that he鈥檇 be joining the Philadelphia 76ers. The star forward signed a 4-year deal worth $212 million that makes him a 76er until 2027. The average annual value of the deal? $52,896,235.
The 76ers will be the 4th team George has played on. He started his career with the Indiana Pacers, who took him as the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. After seven years with the Pacers, he did a brief stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder before linking up with the LA Clippers in 2019. George is also a defensive genie who can put up prolific offensive numbers as well; he鈥檚 a nine-time NBA All-Star, and he led the league in steals in 2019.
George played his two-year college basketball career at Fresno State, from 2008-20100.
Basketball Salaries (Continued)
7) Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers – $53.3 million
Joel Embiid is one of the best centers in the game. He can score in the low post, handle the basketball, shoot threes, and he鈥檚 an elite defender. Embiid also won league MVP honors for his play in the 2022-23 season; twice, he鈥檚 led the league in scoring. The only blemish on Embiid鈥檚 record鈥攊f you can call it a blemish鈥攊s his failure to lead the Sixers to an NBA championship. But with the addition of Paul George, Philadelphia will boast one of the strongest starting rosters in basketball, anchored by the big three of Embiid, George, and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (who鈥檚 also featured on this list).
In 2023, Embiid signed a 4-year contract extension with the Sixers worth $213 million. He was drafted out of Kansas as the third overall pick in 2014.
Highest Paid NBA Players (Continued)
6) Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors – $53.8 million
Earlier I stated that when LeBron retires, his tenure in the NBA will be known as the LeBron Era. I stand by that. But whenever Steph Curry retires (he鈥檚 36 years old and has been in the league since 2009), the basketball epoch that comes after him will be known as the Post-Curry Era. That鈥檚 because Steph Curry鈥攐ne of the all-time greats, a no-doubt Hall of Famer鈥攈as changed the way basketball is played. Curry made the three-point shot the centerpiece of NBA offenses. Teams now emphasize spacing, and players at all positions have developed their long-range accuracy.
Defenses have been forced to adapt, extending further out to defend against the threat of the three. And downstream of the NBA, Curry鈥檚 style has influenced how young players develop. There鈥檚 even a name for the phenomenon鈥攖he 鈥淐urry effect.鈥� Young players increasingly aim to emulate Steph鈥檚 style of place. And why wouldn鈥檛 they? The way he plays the game is intoxicating, and it鈥檚 made him one of the highest paid NBA players of all time.
Curry played all four years of his college basketball career at Davidson before being drafted into the NBA.
Highest Paid NBA Players 2024 (Continued)
5) Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves – $55.1 million
Karl-Anthony Towns was drafted out of Kentucky by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. Since then he鈥檚 become a franchise player for Minnesota and one of the premiere big men in the game. He was NBA Rookie of the Year in 2016, and in 2018, he made the All-Star team for the first time (he鈥檚 earned three more All-Star selections since). Towns is only 28 years old; chances are, he鈥檒l keep getting better.
Towns鈥� current contract, a 4-year, $220 extension with the Timberwolves, makes him one of the highest paid NBA players, earning an average annual salary of a little more than $55 million.
4) Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns – $55.1 million
Devin Booker, another ex-Kentucky Wildcat turned pro鈥攕tarted making waves in the NBA early in his career. In 2017鈥攁t 20 years old, just two years after he was drafted into the league鈥攈e became the youngest player to score more than 60 points in a game. Additionally, Booker鈥檚 2021 NBA playoff debut turned into quite a magical run, as he led the Suns to an appearance in the finals, where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games.
Basketball Salaries (Continued)
3) Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets – $55.2 million
The Joker, who was drafted by the Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft as the 41st overall pick, is widely regarded as one of the greatest centers in basketball history. He鈥檚 a six-time All-Star, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player; in 2023 he led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship in franchise history, and in so doing took home Finals MVP honors. So yes鈥攈e鈥檚 one of the highest paid NBA players, earning more than $55 million annually as a part of his 5-year, $276 million contract extension with the Nuggets.
2) Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics – $57 million
Since Jaylen Brown was drafted from UC Berkeley as the third overall pick in 2016 NBA draft, he鈥檚 been a Boston Celtic. In that time, he鈥檚 led the Celtics to six appearances in the Eastern Conference finals, and in 2024, he became an NBA champion and Finals MVP. Lastly, the Celtics locked Brown up long term, signing him to a 5-year, $285 million contract extension with an AAV of $57 million.
Highest Paid NBA Player (Continued)
1) Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics – $62.7 million
If it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it: after the Celtics won their 18th NBA championship in 2024, they signed their two marquee players鈥擩aylen Brown and Jayson Tatum鈥攖o long term deals. According to reports, Tatum鈥檚 extension, which鈥檒l begin in 2025, is worth $313 million, the richest overall in NBA history.
Jayson Tatum was drafted by the Celtics out of Duke as the third overall pick in 2017.
Basketball Salaries – Additional Resources
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