Top 5 Highest-Paid NBA Players (2023-24)
Get ready to be blown away! Here are the five highest-paid NBA players who will be raking in the big bucks for the 2023-24 season!
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in America and it isn’t hard to see why. Outstanding athletes are pushing themselves to their limits for our entertainment. With teams trying to assemble a championship team, star players expect big paychecks from those contending clubs. It makes them some of the highest-earning individuals in sports. So who will be at the top of the list once 2023-24 rolls around? With estimates from Spotrac, let’s take a look into what could shape up as basketball’s top 5 highest-paid NBA players!
5. Joel Embiid (C – Philadelphia 76ers): $46,900,000
Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ center, takes the fifth spot on the list, with an estimated $46,900,000. Embiid enters his Designated Veteran Extension for 2023-24, a four-year contract worth $210 million. His player option is due in 2026-27, and his 2022-23 salary was $33,616,770. In the previous regular season, the Cameroonian averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, earning him the MVP award.
4. Nikola Jokic (C – Denver Nuggets): $46,900,000
Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets center, is fourth spot on this list, earning $46,900,000. Jokic signed a five-year, $264 million supermax extension in July 2022, and his player option for 2027-28 is due on June 29, 2027. His 2022-23 base salary was $32,478,838. In the past regular season, the Serbian averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game, showcasing his all-around skills on the court.
3. LeBron James (SF – Los Angeles Lakers): $46,900,000
If LeBron James doesn’t retire in the offseason, he’ll enter 2023-24 sitting in third in the list of highest-paid NBA players, earning $46,900,000. The league’s all-time leading scorer signed a 2-year, $97.1 million extension with the Lakers in August 2022. It includes a player option for 2024-25, which is due on June 29, 2024. His 2022-23 base salary was $44,474,988. In the last regular season, James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game, proving that he’s one of the league’s top talents – even at the age of 38!
2. Kevin Durant (PF – Phoenix Suns): $47,649,433
Kevin Durant will enter his first full season with the Phoenix Suns as the second highest-paid NBA player, earning $47,649,433. Durant was traded to Phoenix from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a 4-team trade in February 2023. His contract is valid until 2026, and his 2022-23 base salary is $44,119,845. In the previous season, the four-time scoring champion averaged 29.1 points for the Nets and Suns. He added 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, showcasing his versatility on the court.
1. Stephen Curry (PG – Golden State Warriors): $51,915,615
Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors‘ star point guard, takes the top spot, earning a whopping $51,915,615. Curry signed a 4-year, $215 million contract with Golden State in August 2021, making him the highest-paid NBA player. His deal is valid until 2026. In 2022-23, the two-time MVP earned a base salary of $48,070,014. He averaged 29.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game for the Warriors, cementing his status as one of the league’s most dominant players.
“Stephen Curry (33140701266)” by Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.