NBA Players Who Earned The Most By Team
On Friday, we listed the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2024/25 season. Although that list presented a clear picture of the highest earners for the current season, not every NBA team was represented. Four of the league’s 30 franchises – the Pistons, Magic, Spurs, and Wizards – didn’t have a single player in the top 50.
Our list of highest-paid players for 2024/25 also only provided a snapshot for this year. For example, Ben Simmons, who cracked the top 25, will certainly be well compensated for the coming season, but he’s on an expiring contract and will fall off that list next year after reaching free agency.
Today, we’re shifting our focus to the highest-paid players by team. This will allow us to check in on the clubs that weren’t represented on our initial list, as well as identifying some of the league’s most lucrative multiyear commitments — we’ve included each club’s highest-paid player for the current season (by 2024/25 base salary) and its highest-paid player in total (by total base salary, including player options but not team options).
Let’s dive in…
Atlanta Hawks
2024/25: Trae Young ($43,031,940)
Total: Trae Young (three years, $137,998,980)
Note: Young’s final year is a player option.
Boston Celtics
2024/25: Jaylen Brown ($49,205,800)
Total: Jayson Tatum (six years, $348,781,750)
Note: The projected value of Tatum’s super-max extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26; Tatum’s final year is a player option.
Brooklyn Nets
2024/25: Ben Simmons ($40,338,144)
Total: Nic Claxton (four years, $97,000,000)
Note: Claxton could earn another $3MM in incentives.
Charlotte Hornets
2024/25: LaMelo Ball ($35,147,000)
Total: LaMelo Ball (five years, $203,852,600)
Chicago Bulls
2024/25: Zach LaVine ($43,031,940)
Total: Zach LaVine (three years, $137,998,980)
Note: LaVine’s final year is a player option.
Cleveland Cavaliers
2024/25: Darius Garland ($36,725,670)
Total: Evan Mobley (six years, $235,465,807)
Note: The projected value of Mobley’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26. His projected six-year earnings could increase to as much as $280,313,437 if he meets certain Rose Rule performance criteria.
Dallas Mavericks
2024/25: Luka Doncic ($43,031,940)
Total: Luka Doncic (three years, $137,998,980)
Note: Doncic’s final year is a player option.
Denver Nuggets
2024/25: Nikola Jokic ($51,415,938)
Total: Nikola Jokic (four years, $228,515,280)
Note: Jokic’s final year is a player option.
Detroit Pistons
2024/25: Tobias Harris ($25,365,854)
Total: Cade Cunningham (six years, $238,178,959)
Note: The projected value of Cunningham’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26. His projected six-year earnings could increase to as much as $283,026,589 if he meets certain Rose Rule performance criteria.
Golden State Warriors
2024/25: Stephen Curry ($55,761,216)
Total: Stephen Curry (three years, $177,955,191)
Houston Rockets
2024/25: Fred VanVleet ($42,846,615)
Total: Dillon Brooks (three years, $63,372,330)
Note: Brooks could earn another $3MM in incentives.
Note: VanVleet would earn $87,733,545 over the next two years if his 2025/26 team option is exercised, but he’s currently only owed $42,846,6165 in guaranteed money.
Indiana Pacers
2024/25: Tyrese Haliburton / Pascal Siakam ($42,176,400)
Total: Tyrese Haliburton (five years, $244,623,120)
Los Angeles Clippers
2024/25: Kawhi Leonard ($49,205,800)
Total: Kawhi Leonard (three years, $149,505,800)
Los Angeles Lakers
2024/25: LeBron James ($48,728,845)
Total: Anthony Davis (four years, $229,859,295)
Note: Davis’ final year is a player option.
Memphis Grizzlies
2024/25: Ja Morant ($36,725,670)
Total: Desmond Bane (five years, $197,230,450)
Note: Bane could earn another $6,622,150 in incentives.
Miami Heat
2024/25: Jimmy Butler ($48,798,677)
Total: Bam Adebayo (five years, $240,215,227)
Note: Adebayo’s final year is a player option.
Milwaukee Bucks
2024/25: Damian Lillard / Giannis Antetokounmpo ($48,787,676)
Total: Giannis Antetokounmpo (four years, $224,157,374)
Note: The projected value of Antetokounmpo’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26; Antetokounmpo’s final year is a player option.
Minnesota Timberwolves
2024/25: Karl-Anthony Towns ($49,205,800)
Total: Anthony Edwards (five years, $244,623,120)
New Orleans Pelicans
2024/25: Zion Williamson ($36,725,670)
Total: Zion Williamson (four years, $163,225,200)
Note: The final three years of Williamson’s contract are reportedly no longer fully guaranteed. Dejounte Murray (four years, $122,865,517, plus incentives and a fourth-year player option) is the Pelicans’ second-highest paid player.
New York Knicks
2024/25: OG Anunoby ($36,637,932)
Total: OG Anunoby (five years, 212,500,000)
Note: Anunoby’s final year is a player option.
Oklahoma City Thunder
2024/25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($35,859,950)
Total: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (three years, $114,999,150)
Orlando Magic
2024/25: Jonathan Isaac ($25,000,000)
Total: Franz Wagner (six years, $231,245,242)
Note: The projected value of Wagner’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26. His projected six-year earnings could increase to as much as $276,092,872 if he meets certain Rose Rule performance criteria.
Philadelphia 76ers
2024/25: Joel Embiid ($51,415,938)
Total: Paul George (four years, $211,584,940)
Note: George’s final year is a player option.
Phoenix Suns
2024/25: Bradley Beal ($50,203,930)
Note: Kevin Durant has a lower base salary ($49,856,021) than Beal, but could exceed Beal’s salary in 2024/25 if he earns his likely incentives ($1,323,000).
Total: Devin Booker (four years, $220,441,984)
Portland Trail Blazers
2024/25: Deandre Ayton ($34,005,126)
Total: Jerami Grant (four years, $132,413,793)
Note: Grant’s final year is a player option.
Sacramento Kings
2024/25: Domantas Sabonis ($39,200,000)
Note: Sabonis could earn another $2.6MM in incentives.
Total: Domantas Sabonis (four years, $175,616,000)
Note: Sabonis could earn another $10.4MM in incentives.
San Antonio Spurs
2024/25: Devin Vassell ($29,347,826)
Note: Vassell could earn another $2,391,303 in incentives.
Total: Devin Vassell (five years, $135,000,000)
Note: Vassell could earn another $11MM in incentives.
Toronto Raptors
2024/25: Immanuel Quickley ($32,500,000)
Note: Quickley could earn another $2.5MM in incentives.
Total: Scottie Barnes (six years, $234,369,130)
Note: The projected value of Barnes’ maximum-salary extension is based on a $154,647,000 salary cap for 2025/26. His projected six-year earnings could increase to as much as $279,216,760 if he meets certain Rose Rule performance criteria.
Utah Jazz
2024/25: Lauri Markkanen ($42,176,400)
Total: Lauri Markkanen (five years, $238,044,544)
Washington Wizards
2024/25: Jordan Poole ($29,651,786)
Note: Poole could earn another $3.75MM in incentives.
Total: Jordan Poole (three years, $95,544,643)
Note: Poole could earn another $11.25MM in incentives.
