30 Highest-Paid Players in NBA History: From LeBron to Markkanen

Highest-Paid Players in NBA: The NBA has seen an incredible rise in player salaries, driven by the league’s expanding salary cap and inflation. Current stars dominate the list of the highest-paid players, leaving behind even the legendary figures of two decades ago like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.

WhatsApp Group Join Now
Telegram Group Join Now
Instagram Group Join Now

30 Highest-Paid Players in NBA History

LeBron James
LeBron James

Read also: LeBron and Bronny James: A Historic Father 39-Son 20 Best Duo in the NBA

Several players have achieved very handsome financial success throughout their careers. Here are some significant highlights:

  • LeBron James: With nearly $532 million in career earnings and an inflation-adjusted total of $658 million, James is the highest-paid player in NBA history.
  • Kevin Durant: His career earnings of $457 million translate to an impressive $549 million when adjusted for inflation, placing him among the all-time earnings elite.
  • Chris Paul: A veteran of 20 seasons, Paul has accumulated $400 million in career earnings, worth $501 million when adjusted for inflation.

The Legacy Earners

Two NBA legends deserve special mention for their historic earnings:

  • Kevin Garnett: With career earnings of $344 million over 21 seasons ($473 million adjusted for inflation), Garnett set early benchmarks for NBA salaries.
  • Kobe Bryant: The Lakers legend earned $328 million during his 20-season career ($425) million adjusted for inflation), including holding the highest salary in the 2013-14 season.
Kobe Bryant Lakers
Kobe Bryant Lakers

Read also: Kobe Bryant Lakers Locker Fetches Staggering $2.9M at Sotheby’s Auction

Current Salary Leaders (2024-25 Season)

The current season’s highest salaries showcase the modern NBA’s financial power:

  • Stephen Curry leads with $55.8 million
  • Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are tied for second at $51.4 million
  • Kevin Durant ranks fourth at $51.2 million
  • Bradley Beal rounds out the top five at $50.2 million

30 Highest-Paid Players in NBA History as Follows

RankPlayer NameGuaranteed EarningsCareer EarningsAdjusted EarningsHighest Salary
1LeBron James$583,949,426$531,322,273$657,937,927$48,728,845
2Stephen Curry$535,799,872$413,605,898$482,048,683$55,761,217
3Paul George$518,679,877$356,300,737$414,481,492$49,205,800
4Joel Embiid$514,845,898$266,714,364$300,131,925$51,415,938
5Kevin Durant$511,827,650$457,119,040$548,779,072$51,179,020
6Anthony Davis$498,161,003$311,521,148$361,331,029$43,219,440
7Giannis Antetokounmpo$471,520,147$284,880,292$321,879,509$48,787,676
8Jayson Tatum$469,910,004$155,977,000$170,356,742$34,848,340
9Damian Lillard$451,772,802$329,998,763$380,057,687$48,787,676
10Bradley Beal$430,567,673$319,772,793$367,431,694$50,203,930
11Kawhi Leonard$428,771,638$328,471,638$378,086,324$49,205,800
12Nikola Jokic$426,859,111$249,759,769$278,237,063$51,415,938
13Jaylen Brown$420,199,097$184,011,257$202,007,558$49,205,800
14James Harden$410,720,428$374,374,274$447,701,907$44,310,840
15Karl-Anthony Towns$404,415,019$233,178,835$261,169,209$49,205,800
16Chris Paul$400,637,385$400,637,385$501,436,796$41,358,814
17Jamal Murray$398,657,310$172,763,706$190,044,832$36,016,200
18Jrue Holiday$394,554,591$290,154,591$341,079,249$37,620,347
19Devin Booker$388,608,149$217,371,965$240,855,469$49,205,800
20Rudy Gobert$370,848,195$261,348,195$295,678,481$43,827,586
21Jimmy Butler$365,096,659$312,683,265$359,449,611$48,798,677
22Kyrie Irving$359,774,149$315,811,186$368,691,137$41,000,000
23Russell Westbrook$351,772,506$348,303,546$428,216,329$44,211,146
24Bam Adebayo$345,286,339$139,919,452$150,446,338$34,848,340
25Kevin Garnett$343,862,398$343,862,398$472,836,569$28,000,000
26Pascal Siakam$332,260,928$185,487,056$202,241,322$42,176,400
27Kobe Bryant$328,237,108$328,237,108$424,544,682$30,453,000
28Klay Thompson$319,552,761$285,425,777$333,688,364$43,219,440
29DeMar DeRozan$316,575,770$282,005,770$337,358,108$28,600,000
30Lauri Markkanen$307,860,574$111,992,430$120,824,139$42,176,400
Highest-Paid Players in NBA
Russell Westbrook

Disclaimer

The information presented in this blog is based on publicly available data, historical records, and credible sources at the time of writing. Salaries and earnings mentioned for NBA players are approximate and subject to changes based on contracts, endorsements, inflation adjustments, and other variables.

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the figures provided may not reflect real-time updates or undisclosed financial details. This content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or an official representation of NBA player earnings.

Additionally, this blog may contain affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support the maintenance and creation of content on this platform.

Author Profile

Khurshid Anwar
Khurshid Anwar
I am a computer science trainer, motivator, blogger, and sports enthusiast. Apart from academic activities, I'm a very passionate reader and writer on various subjects like technology, Sports, and finance.

Leave a Comment