To that end, most Stacker stories are freely available to - Position: Shooting guard According to 201011 NBA season game performance, the league's best players were not its highest-paid players. The NBA announced in August that the salary cap has been set at $112.414 million for the 2021-22 season, an approximately three percent jump from the previous After missing the last two seasons because of leg injuries, Klay Thompson is nearing a return to the Golden State Warriors, with three years remaining on a contract he signed in 2019. But "King James" is a man as ageless and critical to a team's success as fellow "senior" Tom Brady in the NFL. For now, however, lets dive into the full money breakdown for 2021-22, a season in which 50 different players are making at least $20 million. Atlanta has several intriguing trade candidates (John Collins says hello), but after buying big on Murray, it might be looking to add instead of subtract. Beginning in the 198485 NBA season, the NBA's first salary cap was introduced. Sportico recently published the top 100 highest-paid athletes in 2022 and - lo and behold - LeBron James is the king ahead of the three soccer superstars Cristiano Contract: 5 years, $201,158,790 Kevin Durant is currently one of the five highest-paid basketball players in his league, with a salary of US$42 million annually, per Celebrity Net Worth. The Forbes ranking of the NBAs highest-paid players reflects on-court earnings for the 2021-22 season, including base salaries and bonuses. The NBA announced in August that the salary cap has been set at $112.414 million for the 2021-22 season, an approximately three percent jump from the previous campaign. Because of injuries and a trade request, he played just 40 games on it. - 2022-23 Salary: $48,070,014. LeBron James $387.3 million. That contract should make him one of the game's few superstars to play for only one team since he'll be 34 by the time the gig is up. Might this be his last season in Cleveland? If Brown hits the trade block, Atlanta should offer the sun, moon and stars to Boston. 6 overall, but he owns the title ofhighest earner in NBA history. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. He signed an extension this past summerthat will kick in at the start of the 2022-23 season and is worth a total of $215 million over four years. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. 3. LeBron James: Current figure is $387.3 million Chris Paul: Current figure is $330.7 million Kevin Durant: Current figure is $306.1 million Russel Westbrook: Current figure is $288 million James Harden: Current figure is $268.8 million. Patrick Ewing became the first player to earn $15 million or more in the 95-96 season with a salary of $18,724,000. You may also like: Best sports documentaries of all time, - Team: Milwaukee Bucks Before joining the team, he was an editor and multimedia talent for several sports and culture verticals at Minute Media and an editor, reporter, and site manager at SB Nation. Sources: The NBA has set salary cap for 2021-22 season, effective for August free agency: $112,414,000 cap, $136,606,000 tax line. His four-year, $224 million contract extension in June 2022 ensures that Minnesota fans can keep watching him throughout his prime years. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. He is also the subject of a biopic from Walt Disney currently in production, and he recently bought a small stake in baseballs Milwaukee Brewers. With the 115th pick, the Chicago Bears selected Texas running back Roschon Johnson, a player who at Texas might've been "the star'' had Bijan Robinson (who went No. His scoring and rebounding have fallen off compared to his seven years with the Pelicans, but he got off to a solid start in the first 12 games of 2022-23 by averaging 24.3 points and 11.2 rebounds, both better than his career averages. In his return to the court from an Achilles injury last season, Kevin Durant was as dominant as ever, falling just a toes length short of an Eastern Conference finals appearance, and he was rewarded with a four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets in August. He is set to score big on his stakes in investing apps Robinhood and Acorns, online bank Mercury, fitness-tracker maker WHOOP and fantasy sports startup Sleeper, and he recently partnered with cannabis tech company Weedmaps and NBA Top Shot creator Dapper Labs through his firms. You may also like: High school sports that cause the most concussions, - Team: Philadelphia 76ers The highest amount that can be paid is $19,500 and the NBA matches 140% of it. Adidas, Gatorade and Modelo are among his brand partners, with Oakley eyewear and Tissot watches two recent additions to the stable. Each year has been a stepping stone to greatness for Slovenian Luka Doncic: Rookie of the Year in 2018-19, first All-Star appearance (at age 20), first playoffs appearances in 2020, and first West Conference Finals appearance in 2022. Stacker believes in making the worlds data more accessible through - Position: Small forward You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. - Team: Los Angeles Lakers - Team: Los Angeles Lakers One thing to know: James signed a two-year, $97 million extension with the Lakers this week, which will help push his career earnings over the half billion mark. - Team: Atlanta Hawks James and his business partner Maverick Carter will retain a controlling interest in the company, which has a TV deal with ABC Studios and a first-look film agreement with Universal Pictures. The salary cap is determined during the offseason, but as stated earlier, it is liable to change.[2]. Michael Jordan was the first NBA player to sign a contract worth over $20 million and in fact it exceeded $30 million as well in a season (1996-97) and (1997-98) where he earned $33,140,000; this was a record he had held for 20 years. - Team: Minnesota Timberwolves - Position: Center Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. Three franchises will pay their top-earning player less than $200,000 for the upcoming campaign. The Warriors star once again finds himself on top of the list of the NBA's highest-paid players. 22 The 18 highest-paid NBA players of all time 1. - Position: Shooting guard - 2022-23 Salary: $33,833,400. The Sixers desperately want to shed their habit of playing well in the regular season but faltering in the postseason. The 33-year-old sharpshooter also ties for second, with Kevin Durant, with his off-the-court earnings. The list of the highest-paid players ever is topped by LeBron James, who recently signed a 2-year, $97.1 million extension. Ben Simmons' career began with a cascade of superlatives: first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Rookie of the Year honors, and three All-Star nods. Draymond Green, PF. Sam Dunn is the Managing Editor of Boardroom. One thing to know: The bulk of John Wall's earnings came from a 4-year, $171 million contract he signed in 2017. Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website.. For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy.Read More. Awards: 2X MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, Career stats: 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists. - Team: Brooklyn Nets Awards: 7x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive, Most Improved Player, Career stats: 20.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists. The list of the 15 highest-paid players in NBA history features eight current players who are still adding to their totals, including Suns star Chris Paul, who will hit more than $300 million in career earnings this season. - 2022-23 Salary: $38,172,414. Damian Lillard has continued to dazzle for the Trail Blazers even though the team hasn't been able to surround him with enough talent to reach the NBA Finals yet. Last season, with the pandemic severely hampering attendance, the NBA made emergency financial adjustments that effectively cut player pay by up to 20%. This is a BETA experience. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Yet even now, at age 36 and entering his 19th season, King James is finding new jewels to add to his crown. An exception is necessary to sign a player for a contract that would exceed the salary cap threshold of the "soft cap". - 2022-23 Salary: $37,633,050. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. One thing to know: Lowry is unique in that he didn't make his first All-Star team until his ninth season, when he was 28. Both are solid on both offense and defense. His now $15 million in Uber stock, thanks to the ride-share apps November 2020 acquisition of Postmates. $26,500,000. Kobe Bryant became just the second player to reach $30 million when the 201314 season began. Over the life of the deal, Curry will earn an average of $53.84 million per year a new record and $215.35 million total. WebWho are the All-Time Top paid 6 NBA Players? - 2022-23 Salary: $37,096,500. Kevin Durant is third on the list with $65.2 million. Career stats: 19.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists. To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste into - 2022-23 Salary: $33,665,040. Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images. You may also like: Iconic moments in sports that defined the '70s. Kyrie Irving's controversial comments and refusal to get the COVID vaccine have driven coaches and fans a little crazy, but he remains one of the game's best shootersand remains with the Nets even with the recent departure of James Harden and rumors of a Kevin Durant trade. The Los Angeles-based company does everything from producing movies and documentaries (Space Jam: A New Legacy, Whats My Name: Muhammad Ali) to doing marketing work for the likes of J.P. Morgan. One thing to know: Aldridge wasn't the flashiest player, but at his peak, he owned one of the most skillful low-post games and a buttery jumper that allowed him to average 20-plus points per game in seven seasons. The 32-year-old also recently partnered with luxury watch brand Vanguart as an ambassador and shareholder. The Atlanta Hawks paid a small fortune to land Dejounte Murray during the 2022 NBA season. Partnered with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group|Powered by. LeBron James is ranked fourth on Forbes' list of the world's highest paid athletes from 2010-2019. But it also helped the Sixers built a formidable squad that should compete for a championship next spring. LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, making him the highest-paid player in NBA history, as first A four-year, $198 million contract extension in 2021 put the 12-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP (for the Warriors) fourth on this listwhile his averages of 30.6 points and 5.2 assists early in 2022-23 led the team. And when given the chance to publicly commit to the franchise long-term, he didn't exactly go that route. Kevin Durant was part of the Nets' grand but ultimately failed experiment in putting three superstars on the teamalong with Kyrie Irving and James Hardenbut he and Irving are still Nets despite grumblings about leaving. Kevin Durant is one of six players making over $40 million this season. 1. Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is the tenth-highest-paid player, projected to earn $39 million, mostly thanks to his $25 million salary. Klay Thompson, SG. The NBA salary cap is the maximum dollar amount each NBA team can spend on its players for the season. One thing to know: Durant's $194 million extension, which he signed last summer, kicks in this year, but he has requested a trade from the Nets. Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more. - 2022-23 Salary: $33,833,400. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards: [1] LeBron James became the third in the 201617 season. He is exactly what this team needs, simultaneously scratching itches for defense, shooting, secondary scoring (and distributing) and star power. Former Rockets teammates James Harden and John Wall aren't far behind Curry at $44.3 million, and Russell Westbrookand Kevin Durant round out the top five. https://t.co/i9jlOomG1g. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Larry Bird was the first player to earn $5 million or more with a salary of $7,070,000 in the 1991-92 season. Who are the highest-paid NBA players? (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images). Earlier this year, he became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status, according to Forbes. - Position: Power forward Career stats: 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists. The Atlanta Hawks paid a small fortune to land Dejounte Murray during the 2022 NBA season. Gobert may be best known as the first NBA player to contract COVID after making light of the virus in a press conference, for which he apologized. He had his best scoring season (29.9 per game) during that season and notched his 30th career triple-double (26 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) in his eighth game of the 2022-23 season. Follow him on Twitter @RealFakeSamDunn. Golden State Warriors forward (and CBD entrepreneur) Klay Thompson is the seventh-highest-paid NBA star, expected to earn $43.3 million this year. Not counted in KDs earnings? King James reigns supreme Thanks to his wide range of endorsements, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James was the highest-paid NBA player in 2022/23. 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. - 2022-23 Salary: $42,492,492. The highest-paid NBA players by season has recently eclipsed $40 million. 4. The Atlanta Hawks paid a small fortune to land Dejounte Murray during the 2022 NBA season. NBA's highest-paid players for 2021-22 season: Stephen Curry remains league's top earner. Gobert spent nine years using his 7-foot-1 height to snag rebounds for the Jazz and led the league in 2021-22 with a 14.7-rebound averageand he hasn't missed a beat (or many rebounds) since debuting for the Timberwolves. One thing to know: Conley may not have made many All-Star teams, but he's always been among the steadiest, two-way guards in the NBA and a fit on any team. 1 again, expected to earn $95.4 millionmore than any other American athlete, ever. Off the court, the 33-year-old has been just as impressive, with a thriving media business in Boardroom and investments in more than 80 companies through his firm Thirty Five Ventures. He's also golden when it matters most, with five 40-point games in the postseason. James is not expected to pocket much cash from the deal, instead reinvesting the bulk of the proceeds into the business, a source close to the transaction tells Forbes. - 2022-23 Salary: $33,833,400. Larry Bird was 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. Harden, who has leaned toward equity deals in recent years, took a stake in massage-device maker Therabody in February through his firm 13 Endeavors and joined Saks, the e-commerce offshoot of luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue, as an investor and board member in June. republish under a Creative Commons License, and we encourage you to Curry is set to make nearly $46 million in the final year of his current deal, but the money train will just keep on rolling. - 2022-23 Salary: $40,600,080. Whether his synergy with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook will turn the season around after the Lakers' dismal 3-10 start remains to be seen. 49. He then earned every penny by leading the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years, the 2020-21 NBA Finals MVP title. The Greek Freak is just beginning the five-year, $228 million super-max contract he signed in December, and he counts Nike, JBL and TCLplus Greeces Sarantisamong his sponsors. - Position: Small forward WebBelow are the 23 richest NBA players of all time: 23. Fans continue to be rapt. Curry also has his own production company, Unanimous Media, which is behind the ABC reality competition series Holey Moley. Limited by injuries, he has played few games for them so far. - 2022-23 Salary: $44,474,988. At 34, the two-time NBA MVP continues to justify his four-year, $215-million contract, signed in 2021. - 2022-23 Salary: $42,492,492. One thing to know: Some NBA analysts mocked the Bulls for giving DeRozan an $82 million contract last summer, but he made it look like a good deal by averaging a career-high 27.9 points per game. - Position: Shooting guard Click here to read Boardrooms rundown of the NBAs highest-paid players in 2022-23. 2. The Hawks learned this season that the addition of Murray didn't do enough to fix their defense. Stephen Curry isn't just known for cashing out from well beyondthe 3-point line. - 2022-23 Salary: $44,124,845. He's consistently drained more three-pointers in attempts from far beyond the arc than Stephen Curry and had three 60-point games in 2020. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers: $44,474,988. The "Greek Freak" was the NBA's MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, meriting a five-year, $228 million contract extensionthe heftiest in NBA history. Thanks for signing up. Atlanta, an Eastern Conference finalist just two seasons back, fell in the first round to the Boston Celtics. First, teams can simply pay their best players more. He can become a free agent after this season by declining his $47 million player option for 2022-23. Bradley Beal ranked in the top 10 in both points (21.9) and assists (5.7) per game early in the 2022-23 season, justifying the Wizards' five-year, $251 million gamble on him in July 2022. Paul George of the LA Clippers starts off this list of the top 10 highest-paid players in the NBA, raking in over $35 million per year through the end of the 2021-22 share our stories with your audience. One thing to know: Anthony is just 307 points away from passing Shaquille O'Neal for 10th all time in points. - Position: Point guard Golden State Warriors. 22 There are 18 players whose earnings have topped $200 million and they are all still active. "Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. Whatever they envisioned for the 2022-23 campaign could not have been this. For 2021-22, the highest-paid NBA player by both total contract value and average annual value is two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the man with the Out of those ten players chosen that year, Kobe Bryant was the only player that was also among the game's ten highest-paid during the 201011 NBA season.[6]. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. James, for instance, is credited with receiving $41.2 million on the court, up from the $31.4 million Forbes assigned him for 2020-21. Create or join a NBA league and manage your team with live scoring, stats, scouting reports, news, and expert advice. Hell earn $48.07 next season, and his salary number only increasing from there. Awards: 4x MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 18x All-Star, 18x All-NBA, Career stats: 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists. 1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (highest paid NBA player) Back in August of 2021, Curry became the first player in Association history to sign two NBA contracts worth north of $200 million. In doing so, the four-time champion set the bar in a big way. Russell Westbrook is playing for his hometown team after an off-season trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.