The 18 highest-paid NBA players of all time
Luis M. Alvarez/AP Images
- NBA contracts keep getting bigger and bigger.
- There are 18 players whose earnings have topped $200 million and they are all still active.
- The list of the highest-paid players ever is topped by LeBron James, who recently signed a 2-year, $97.1 million extension.
David Zalubowski/AP Images
Age: 33
Team: Chicago Bulls
Awards: 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA
Career stats: 20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists
Current contract: 3 years, $82 million
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.
Chris Szagola/AP Images
Age: 32
Team: Charlotte Hornets
Awards: 1x All-Star
Career stats: 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $120 million
One thing to know: Hayward is an impactful player when he plays, but staying healthy has been a problem — he's played more than 70 games just once in the last five seasons.
Steven Senne/AP Images
Age: 37
Team: Free agent
Awards: 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA
Career stats: 19.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Current contract: n/a
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.
Matt Slocum/AP Images
Age: 36
Team: Miami Heat
Awards: 6x All-Star, 1x All-NBA
Career stats: 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists
Current contract: 3 years, $85 million
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. He's been one of the NBA's best guards since.
Matt Slocum/AP Images
Age: 32
Team: LA Clippers
Awards: 7x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive, Most Improved Player
Career stats: 20.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $176 million
One thing to know: George has long been one of the NBA's best two-way players but has struggled to stay healthy. He's played in just 58% of games the last three seasons.
Charles Krupa/AP Images
Age: 34
Team: Utah Jazz
Awards: 1x All-Star, 1x All-Defensive
Career stats: 14.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists
Current contract: 3 years, $68 million
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.
Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
Age: 31
Team: LA Clippers
Awards: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive
Career stats: 19.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.1 assists
Current contract: 2 years, $13 million
One thing to know: The bulk of John Wall's earnings came from a 4-year, $171 million contract he signed in 2017. Because of injuries and a trade request, he played just 40 games on it.
Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images
Age: 33
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Awards: 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, Most Improved Player
Career stats: 17.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $120 million
One thing to know: Love is entering the final year of his contract. Might this be his last season in Cleveland?
Jed Jacobsohn/AP Images
Age: 36
Team: Boston Celtics
Awards: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive
Career stats: 13.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $109 million
One thing to know: According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Horford has only $14.5 million of his $26.5 million salary guaranteed, but it becomes fully guaranteed if he wins the Finals. The Celtics are currently the betting favorites to win the championship.
Rick Scuteri/AP Images
Age: 36
Team: Free agent
Awards: 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 5x All-Defensive
Career stats: 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Current contract: n/a
One thing to know: Howard ranks ninth in all-time earnings, but he has never signed a deal worth over $100 million, a sign of his longevity in the league.
Steven Senne/AP Images
Age: 34
Team: Golden State Warriors
Awards: 2X MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA
Career stats: 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $215 million
One thing to know: Curry was once underpaid, becoming MVP on a four-year, $44 million contract. Last summer, he became the first player to ever sign a second $200 million deal.
John Minchillo/AP Images
Age: 33
Team: Free agent
Awards: 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA
Career stats: 19.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Current contract: n/a
One thing to know: Griffin is only three years removed from an All-NBA season. He has certainly lost a step since, and he fell out of favor with the Nets last year, but he might still have more to offer a contender in a limited role.
Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images
Age: 38
Team: Free agent
Awards: 10x All-Star, 8x All-NBA
Career stats: 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Current contract: n/a
One thing to know: Anthony is just 307 points away from passing Shaquille O'Neal for 10th all time in points.
Carlos Osorio/AP Images
Age: 32
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Awards: 1x MVP, 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, Sixth Man of the Year
Career stats: 24.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists
Current contract: 2 years, $68 million
One thing to know: Harden took a significant discount with the 76ers this off-season, perhaps the result of a down year in 2021-22. But it also helped the Sixers built a formidable squad that should compete for a championship next spring.
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Images
Age: 33
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Awards: 1x MVP, 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA
Career stats: 22.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists
Current contract: 5 years, $206 million
One thing to know: Westbrook is in the final year of his contract, set to make $44 million this season. His play has declined, however, making his contract an albatross and all but impossible to trade.
John Minchillo/AP Images
Age: 33
Team: Brooklyn Nets
Awards: 1x MVP, 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA
Career stats: 27.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $194 million
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.
Tony Gutierrez/AP Images
Age: 37
Team: Phoenix Suns
Awards: 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA
Career stats: 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists
Current contract: 4 years, $120 million
One thing to know: Paul, who took less than the maximum last summer to stay with Phoenix, hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, as he led the NBA in assists last year — his 17th in the league.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Age: 37
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Awards: 4x MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 18x All-Star, 18x All-NBA
Career stats: 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists
Current contract: 2 years, $85 million
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. And with the way James is still playing, it's not out of the question he signs another big deal after that.