The highest-paid players in the NBA

The NBA is the pinnacle of the basketball world. The biggest stars gather in the 30-team league, but who earns the most in the National Basketball Association? Flashscore finds out.

NBA contracts come in many shapes and forms. The most expensive of all is the supermax extension, given only after a veteran player meets certain conditions, such as winning the NBA MVP Award, the Defensive Player of the Year Award, or being named to an All-NBA team in their most recent season.

The evolution of the biggest contracts in the NBA has gone fast. The Boston Celtics handed out the first-ever contract worth a total of $300 million to Jayson Tatum, shortly after giving Jaylen Brown a contract worth $285 million, while Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed the most lucrative contract in league history in 2025.

However, you won't see SGA's name on this list just yet. This list of the highest-paid NBA players is based on actual base salaries, per Spotrac's numbers. So without further ado, here are the ten best-paid players in the NBA.

1: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) - $59,606,817

Leading the race is the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry. The three-point magician signed a 4-year, $215,353,664 contract in August 2021, making his base salary in the 2025-26 season a whopping $59,606,817 through the maximum veteran extension that ups his annual contract value by 105%.

To put Stephen Curry's 2025-26 salary in perspective, $59,606,817 per season comes to $726,912 per game,$181,728 per quarter, $22,027 per minute of playing time, and $367 per second of playing time on an 82-game regular-season basis. Next season, Curry will pass the illustrious $60-million single-season mark as the first player in NBA history after signing a one-year extension worth $62.6 million with the Warriors.

The best-paid NBA player has struggled with injuries this season, but has nonetheless put up All-NBA numbers, averaging 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 4.4 three-pointers in 43 games.

Image: Stephen Curry has won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award twice

ČTK / AP / Leah Millis

T-2: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) - $55,224,526

The first of two players to follow Stephen Curry at a good distance is former NBA MVP Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cameroon-born center signed a 4-year, $213,280,928 supermax extensionwith the Sixers in 2021.

The seven-time NBA All-Star has been with the 76ers his whole career, but has never reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite the lack of playoff success, Embiid will join Curry in the 60-million club in the 2027-28 season after signing a 3-year, $187,873,836 supermax extension in September 2024.

Like Curry, Embiid has struggled with injury issues, which have severely hampered him since signing the extension. In the two seasons under his current deal, Embiid has averaged 25.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 57 total regular-season games.

T-2: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) - $55,224,526

Along with Joel Embiid, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic earns a base salary of $55,224,526 with the Denver Nuggets during the 2025-26 season after signing a 5-year, $276,122,630 supermax extension in July 2022.

Under the Bird Rights, an NBA salary cap exception that allows teams to re-sign their own free agents by exceeding the salary cap to retain them, Jokic's base salary will rise 8% next year, nearly matching Stephen Curry by earning $59,033,114 in 2026-27. The Serbian superstar is set to pass the 60-million-dollar mark in 2027-28, but is eligible for a 4-year, $290 million extension in the 2026 offseason.

Nikola Jokic is playing at an MVP level yet again, noting career-highs in rebounds (12.9) and assists (10.7) while scoring 27.7 points per game on a 57% FG percentage.

T-4: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) - $54,126,450

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, another European superstar hitting the money charts, follows shortly behind Jokic by earning $54,126,450from his 3-year, $175,369,698 contract signed in October 2023.

Antetokounmpo is under contract until 2027-28 and will earn $58,456,566 in 2026-27, before entering the 60-million club in the final year of his current deal.

The Greek Freak has finished in the top 4 of MVP voting every year since 2019, but is going to dip under 29 PPG for the first time since 2020. Injuries have burdened the former NBA champion during the 2025-26 season, with Antetokounmpo averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds (both his lowest averages since 2018), and 5.4 assists over 36 games.

T-4: Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors) - $54,126,450

Perhaps a surprising entry, 36-year-old Jimmy Butlerearns the joint-fourth-highest base salary in the NBA in 2025-26 at $54,126,450. The veteran signed a 2-year, $110,959,223 contract with the Warriors in February 2025, on the day of his trade from the Miami Heat.

Disaster struck for Butler when he tore his ACL in a game against the Miami Heat on January 19th, 2026. Heading into the last year of his contract and his age-37 season, Butler was averaging 20 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists before the injury.

T-4: Anthony Davis (Washington Wizards) - $54,126,450

Center Anthony Davis joined Antetokounmpo and Butler with a base salary of $54,126,450 during the 2025-26 season, which he earns from the 3-year, $175,369,698 contract he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers a year-and-a-half before the infamous Luka Doncic trade.

Now with the Washington Wizards, Davis is in the first year of the extension and set to earn $58,456,566 in 2026-27 and $62,786,682 in 2027-28.

Davis has been unable to repay the Wizards during his stay in Washington after getting ruled out of the season two days after being traded to the lowly franchise. Prior to the injury and trade, Davis averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in his 20 games for the Mavericks.

T-4: Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) - $54,126,450

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is the fourth and last NBA player to earn $54,126,450 during the 2025-26 season, stemming from his 5-year, $313,933,410 supermax extension signed in July 2024 - the largest in NBA history.

Tatum, who returned from a torn Achilles in record pace in 2026, is set to earn up to $71.4 million in the 2029-30 season.

In his 16 games during the 2025-26 season, Tatum averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

8: Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets) - $53,282,608

One of only two players on our list to be in their own tier, modern NBA great Kevin Durant is the eighth-highest-paid player in the NBA with a base salary of $53,282,608 from his 4-year, $194,219,320 contract signed with the Brooklyn Nets in August 2021.

KD is in the last year of his current deal. A new 2-year, $90,000,000 contract with the Houston Rockets will kick in next season and will earn the 16-time All-Star $43,902,439 in 2026.

Kevin Durant is showing no signs of slowing down, playing 78 regular-season games in 2025-26 and averaging 20.0 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds.

T-9: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) - $53,142,264

A former team-mate of Kevin Durant is up next: Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns' all-time leading scorer, is joint-ninth in the list of highest-paid NBA players, with a base salary of $53,142,264.

Booker signed a 4-year, $220,441,984 supermax extension with the Suns - the only team he's played for in his 10-year career - in 2022 and signed another 2-year, $132,432,664 contract extension in 2025 that'll earn him at least $60 million in 2028-29.

The 5-time All-Star averaged 26.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 64 games as he took the Suns to a seventh seed and the play-in, where they lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.

T-9: Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) - $53,142,264

Another player at an MVP level, the Celtics' Jaylen Brown has been on fire during the 2025-26 season, earning a base salary of $53,142,264 from his supermax extension worth $285,393,640 over five years.

2025-26 is the second season of Brown's supermax extension, which will earn him a maximum of $64,951,656 in 2028-29.

Brown is certainly living up to the level of his contract, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 71 games - all career-highs.

T-9: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks) - $53,142,264

Rounding out the list is New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, who earned a base salary of $53,142,264 from his 4-year, $220,441,984 supermax extension signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2022.

As funny as the NBA works, Towns never played a game for the Timberwolves on his supermax deal, joining the New York Knicks less than three weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season. In two years, Towns will surpass the $60 million mark, too.

In 75 games, Towns averaged 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists for the third-seed Knicks.

Notable omissions

There are some very notable players who just missed the list of the highest-paid NBA players. LeBron James($52,627,153) is the first name off the list, while Luka Doncic is in 20th with a base salary of $45,999,660. He will earn up to $57 million with a new extension that kicks in in the 2026-27 season.

Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is even further down the list, coming in at number 34 with a base salary of $38,333,050. SGA's supermax extension, signed in 2025, will kick in in 2027, with an estimated base salary of $60,637,500 and go up to an estimated $75,190,500 in 2030-31.

FAQ

Who is the highest-paid NBA player for the 2025-26 season?

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry is the highest-paid NBA player with a base salary of $59,606,817.

How much does LeBron James make during the 2025-26 season?

LeBron James made $52,627,153 with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 season.

What is the biggest contract in NBA history as of 2026?

The largest active contract is Jayson Tatum's supermax deal with the Boston Celtics, worth $313,933,410.

How many NBA players will earn over $50 million in 2026?

14 NBA players earn over $50 million in the 2025-26 season, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard starting the list at exactly $50 million.

Which NBA team has the highest total payroll in 2026?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have spent the most on player salaries in the 2025-26 season, paying out a total $212.1M in core payouts.