NBA’s Top 50 Highest-Paid Players For 2020/21
While many of the NBA’s highest-paid players are on contracts considered maximum-salary deals, the 2020/21 salaries for those players vary significantly depending on when the player signed his contract and how much NBA experience he has. That’s why a player like Stephen Curry will earn nearly $16MM more than Brandon Ingram in ’20/21 despite both stars technically being on max deals.
When a player signs a maximum-salary contract, he doesn’t necessarily earn the NBA max for each season of that contract — he earns the max in year one, then gets a series of identical annual raises. In Curry’s case, his 2020/21 salary actually exceeds this year’s maximum, since his deal started in the summer of 2017 and includes 8% annual raises. The annual cap increases haven’t kept up with those 8% raises.
Listed below, with the help of salary data from Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, are the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2020/21 season. The players on this list don’t necessarily have the contracts with the largest overall value. The list below only considers salaries for ’20/21.
Additionally, we’ve noted players who could potentially increase their earnings via incentives or trade bonuses. We didn’t add those notes for players like Curry who have trade bonuses but are already earning the maximum — their salaries for this season can’t increase beyond their max.
The cutoff for a spot on this year’s top-50 list is a $21.25MM salary, so players like Pacers teammates Victor Oladipo ($21MM) and Malcolm Brogdon ($20.7MM) just missed out.
Here are the NBA’s 50 highest-paid players for the 2020/21 season:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors: $43,006,362
- Chris Paul, Suns: $41,358,814
Russell Westbrook, Wizards: $41,358,814 - James Harden, Rockets: $41,254,920
John Wall, Rockets: $41,254,920 - Kevin Durant, Nets: $40,108,950
- LeBron James, Lakers: $39,219,566
- Blake Griffin, Pistons: $36,810,996
- Paul George, Clippers: $35,450,412
- Klay Thompson, Warriors: $35,361,360
- Mike Conley, Jazz: $34,502,132
- Jimmy Butler, Heat: $34,379,100
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: $34,379,100
Kemba Walker, Celtics: $34,379,100 - Tobias Harris, Sixers: $34,358,850
- Kyrie Irving, Nets: $33,460,350 (plus incentives; 15% trade kicker)
- Khris Middleton, Bucks: $33,051,724
- Anthony Davis, Lakers: $32,742,000
- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers: $31,626,953
- Kevin Love, Cavaliers: $31,258,256
- Pascal Siakam, Raptors: $30,559,200
Ben Simmons, Sixers: $30,559,200 - Kyle Lowry, Raptors: $30,500,000
- Steven Adams, Pelicans: $29,592,695
- Joel Embiid, Sixers: $29,542,010
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $29,542,010
Andrew Wiggins, Warriors: $29,542,010 - Devin Booker, Suns: $29,467,800
Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks: $29,467,800
Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves: $29,467,800 - CJ McCollum, Trail Blazers: $29,354,152
- Bradley Beal, Wizards: $28,751,774
Andre Drummond, Cavaliers: $28,751,774 - D’Angelo Russell, Timberwolves: $28,649,250
- Gordon Hayward, Hornets: $28,500,000
- Otto Porter Jr., Bulls: $28,489,239
- DeMar DeRozan, Spurs: $27,739,975
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $27,528,088
- Rudy Gobert, Jazz: $27,525,281 (plus incentives)
- Al Horford, Thunder: $27,500,000
- Brandon Ingram, Pelicans: $27,285,000
Jamal Murray, Nuggets: $27,285,000 - Nikola Vucevic, Magic: $26,000,000
- Jrue Holiday, Pelicans: $25,876,111 (plus incentives)
- Buddy Hield, Kings: $24,701,834 (plus incentives)
- LaMarcus Aldridge, Spurs: $24,000,000 (15% trade kicker)
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics: $23,735,118 (plus incentives)
- Draymond Green, Warriors: $22,246,956 (15% trade kicker)
- Harrison Barnes, Kings: $22,215,909
- Fred VanVleet, Raptors: $21,250,000
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Southwest Notes: Spurs, Ingram, Rockets, Gabriel
The Spurs have started the season with a 2-3 record, but the franchise believes the best is still yet to come, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes.
Although San Antonio finished with just a 32-39 record last season, the club is recognized as a world-class organization with a proven track record. Before the 2019/20 campaign, the Spurs had reached the playoffs 23 straight seasons.
“It’s about learning now and not later,” DeMar DeRozan said. “As long as you get the heartaches and the learning curve out of the way the first 10 games of the season, it can take a big turn in the next 60 games. We are leaning toward that.”
The Spurs competed with the defending champion Lakers on Friday, ultimately losing 109-103. The team has a healthy mix of veterans and young players that could propel it to the play-in tournament or possibly beyond, with four of those veterans (DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay) set to reach free agency next summer.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division tonight:
- Pelicans star Brandon Ingram continued to build on his impressive campaign last game, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez writes. Ingram has been the team’s leading scorer in four of six games so far, and had a season-best 31 points on Saturday. “Brandon has been playing great overall,” teammate Zion Williamson said of Ingram, who recently was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. “He always steps up for us. When we need him, he’s there for us.”
- The Rockets are still searching for answers when it comes to their rotation, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Houston has a talented roster led by former Most Valuable Player James Harden, but health issues and COVID-19 protocols have prevented Houston from establishing a consistent rotation so far.
- Pelicans big man Wenyen Gabriel (right knee/quadriceps tendinosis) recently participated in some three-on-three work and hopes to play in Monday’s game against Indiana, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). The team is currently listing his status as questionable.
Atlantic Notes: Robinson, Rivers, Siakam, Barrett
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau praised Mitchell Robinson and his confidence, expressing optimism that a rise will come for the 22-year-old center, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.
Robinson, who was drafted by the Knicks No. 36 overall in 2018, has started in all six of the team’s contests this season. Thibodeau was hesitant to name Robinson as a starter prior to the season, jumpstarting a competition between him and Nerlens Noel.
“Let’s talk about Mitch,” Thibodeau said. “He’s just, every day he’s growing and growing and growing. The way he’s working, studying, preparing for the games. you could see his confidence grow. He’s making multiple effort plays. He’s a hard guy to score over. And he’s really the anchor of the defense back there. And offensively there’s a lot of room for him to grow. He’s putting a lot of time in.”
As for when Robinson could take the next step in his improvement, the veteran coach gave a blunt response: “You guys haven’t seen it yet, but it’s coming.” Robinson has averaged 8.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game to start the season.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Sixers coach Doc Rivers has inspired others while reaching a new milestone in his career, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Rivers, a former head coach with Orlando, is now 10th on the all-time coaching regular-season wins list, though he remains focused on his current team and not on any career achievements. “I don’t look at what I’m doing, honestly. I’d love to say — I know it means something and I know it means a lot to people, but I just I don’t know,” Rivers said. “I’ve never been able to put myself in that place where I’m thinking about what I’m doing. I think I have fooled myself that I’m really young and I have a whole career to go, and maybe that’s why I don’t, but I do feel like I’ve got a lot to do and so I don’t think about it that often.”
- Raptors star Pascal Siakam continued his struggles in the team’s 120-116 loss to New Orleans on Saturday, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Siakam finished with just 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting, fouling out in less than 25 minutes. “He struggled, no doubt about it,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I thought he had a few decent plays and a few good drives in there, but he obviously struggled. Half-count off rhythm there at both ends a little bit, which is getting him in foul trouble and not letting him be able to finish some plays at the offensive end as well.”
- Knicks guard RJ Barrett vowed to continue shooting despite being in a slump last week, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Barrett turned his play around on Saturday, giving New York a 25-point performance on 8-of-15 shooting. He also finished with four threes, five rebounds and three assists in 42 minutes.
Tomas Satoransky Tests Positive For COVID-19
Bulls guard Tomas Satoransky has tested positive for the coronavirus, head coach Billy Donovan said today, as relayed by K.C Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).
This comes just two days after it was revealed that Bulls forward Chandler Hutchison tested positive, with one other support staff member also recently testing positive, Donovan said.
Lauri Markkanen and Ryan Arcidiacono (Health and Safety Protocols) also missed Sunday’s game against Dallas. It remains unlikely that either player will travel with the team initially for its upcoming four-game road trip, Johnson tweets.
Satoransky, 29, averaged 9.9 points, 5.4 assists and 28.9 minutes per game last season. He was acquired by the Bulls in a sign-and-trade back in 2019.
And-Ones: Westphal, Weber, Free Agency, Extensions
NBA commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement on the passing of Paul Westphal, who played 12 NBA seasons from 1972-1984 and lost his life on Saturday after a bout with brain cancer at age 70:
“Paul Westphal was a Hall of Famer and one of the great all-around players of his era. His toughness, skill and intellect made him a key contributor on the Boston Celtics’ 1974 championship team and a perennial All-Star with the Phoenix Suns. … He will be remembered for his generosity, leadership and love for the game, which defined his many years in the NBA. We extend our deepest condolences to Paul’s wife, Cindy, and their family.”
Westphal, a five-time NBA All-Star, played for Boston, Phoenix, Seattle and New York during his career. He later transitioned into coaching for over 30 years, most recently serving as an assistant with the Nets from 2014-16.
In honor of Westphal’s legacy, NBA teams observed a moment of silence before each of the scheduled games on Saturday.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Free agent guard Briante Weber has signed in France with BCM Gravelines, the team announced (Twitter link). Weber spent part of last season in France with Metropolitans 92, holding per-game averages of 12.2 points and 4.6 assists. He has made past NBA stops with the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors, Hornets and Rockets.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic examines the free agent class of 2021, listing Kawhi Leonard as the consensus best player to potentially reach the open market. Leonard could decline a player option worth $36MM to test free agency next summer.
- Danny Leroux of The Athletic explores the chances of any remaining contract extensions being finalized in 2020/21. Several veteran players are eligible to sign extensions with their teams, including Victor Oladipo (Pacers), Dennis Schroder (Lakers) and Mike Conley (Jazz).
Heat Notes: Iguodala, Spoelstra, Herro, Robinson
The Heat could benefit from testing Andre Iguodala at starting power forward for the foreseeable future, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel opined in his recent “Ask Ira” mailbag.
Iguodala, who was acquired by the Heat last February, has started two straight games after coming off the bench in his first three contests. Miami has started five different lineups in five games, seeking to finalize its group while juggling injuries.
The Heat started Jae Crowder alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in their run to the Finals last season, though the team opted not to re-sign Crowder with intentions of maintaining salary-cap flexibility for this season and next summer. The club has also tried Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless in that position thus far.
Should the Iguodala experiment not pan out (he’s a former Finals MVP, but he’s also turning 37 this month), Miami could test Jimmy Butler alongside Adebayo and start a player such as Avery Bradley instead. The team could also examine the trade market and pursue players such as P.J. Tucker, LaMarcus Aldridge or Blake Griffin ahead of the March 25 deadline if it so chooses.
There’s more out of Miami tonight:
- Erik Spoelstra isn’t making any excuses for the team’s poor offensive start to the season, Khobi Price of the Sun Sentinel writes. Miami currently owns the third-worst offensive rating in the league at 101.8, according to Price, though the campaign is still young. “It is so early,” Spoelstra said. “You know what we did today? We worked on it. It’s going to get better. We know it will. But there’s no point in me talking about all the little details.”
- Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald examines how Tyler Herro has adjusted to his new role as the team’s starting point guard. Goran Dragic unquestionably remains the best point guard on the roster, but Miami has tested Herro with hopes of finding a long-term fit at the position.
- Ira Winderman ponders in a separate “Ask Ira” mailbag whether another level of play is needed from Duncan Robinson, who’s likely been at the top of opposing teams’ scouting reports this season. Robinson established himself as one of the league’s top three-point shooters last season, with rival teams working to slow him down after a productive campaign. He remains an underrated passer, though his game inside-the-arc is a work in progress.
Southeast Notes: Beal, Hornets, Borrego, Avdija
Now that Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is no longer going to be a 2021 free agent candidate for the Heat, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel wonders if Miami might pivot to eventually adding Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, who holds a $37.26MM player option for the 2022/23 season. After swapping out point guard John Wall for All-Star Russell Westbrook in the offseason, the Wizards are off to a 1-5 start.
The 6’3″ Beal, 27, is a two-time All-Star and could be a great fit on the Heat as both a secondary ball-handler and an off-ball cutter. He is currently averaging a career-best 31.2 PPG on 47.8% shooting from the field and 87.7% shooting from the charity stripe. Though his three-point shooting through the first six games of the season is a low 27.3%, he is a career 37.9% three-point shooter, averaging 6.0 triples per contest over the course of his career.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- The Hornets have had to adjust their rotation given the absence of starting center Cody Zeller, and their transition to a faster small-ball lineup has proven effective thus far, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
- In a separate piece, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wonders how long Hornets head coach James Borrego will ride his current starting lineup. Starting point guard Devonte’ Graham is struggling mighty with his offense, shooting 25% from the floor, while rookie draft selection LaMelo Ball could be a candidate for a promotion.
- Wizards rookie wing Deni Avdija showcased his offensive skill set in his best game of the young season, a 130-109 Washington victory over the Timberwolves on Friday, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Avdija, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 draft, scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, and recorded seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Hughes contends that it Avdija appears to have made progress in his ability to read the floor. “I love playmaking,” Avidja said. “I like making my teammates involved. I’m looking for them at every opportunity.”
Clippers Staffers Quarantining After Positive COVID-19 Test
Following a positive COVID-19 test in Salt Lake City for a Clippers staffer, support staff members are quarantining in Los Angeles, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Contact tracing sourced the exposure to a shared New Year’s Eve meal, with only occasional mask-wearing, at a presidential suite in the club’s Utah hotel. Seven Clippers staff members were impacted, per Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). League health and safety protocols generally require the exposed to isolate themselves for seven days.
So that they could quarantine in their home market, the affected Clippers staff members were transported back to L.A. from Salt Lake City in sprinter vans. Woj adds that no Clippers players, management or coaches have needed to quarantine at this juncture.
The 4-2 Clippers are set to play the 5-1 Suns in Phoenix tonight. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets that, despite these coronavirus-related absences, L.A. will have enough available support staff to partake in tonight’s contest.
Northwest Notes: Russell, Jerome, Hartenstein, Pokuševski
With Timberwolves star center Karl-Anthony Towns still out of commission due to a dislocated wrist, starting guard D’Angelo Russell has struggled as the new focus of the club’s offense, writes The Athletic’s Jon Krawcyznski. The Wolves have lost three straight games in which they have been down by at least 30 points.
Russell has recently been moved by Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders to the shooting guard position to play in tandem with distributor Ricky Rubio at the point. “It can’t be different every night. It’s going to be something we’re running with and we’re sticking with and we build from it,” Russell said.
There’s more out of the NBA’s Northwest Division:
- Second-year Thunder guard Ty Jerome continues to recover from an ankle injury he incurred in training camp this season, Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman tweets. “I think [it happened] in the first practice,” head coach Mark Daigneault. said. “He’s back in OKC on a return-to-play, getting his work in.”
- Mike Singer of the Denver Post details how the Nuggets signed Isaiah Hartenstein to a two-year, veteran’s minimum deal in free agency this offseason. Hartenstein discusses his frustration with a lack of consistent chances on his prior squad in Houston. “With the Rockets, every time they gave me an opportunity I performed,” Hartenstein said.
- Rookie Thunder power forward Aleksej Pokuševski has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol after suffering a concussion in a team practice today, according to a team press release. He has appeared in all five of the Thunder’s outings so far, and is averaging 16.0 MPG.
Avery Bradley Misses Practice Due To COVID-19 Protocols
Avery Bradley missed a team practice with the Heat due to the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets.
Chiang adds that Bradley’s official status for Miami’s upcoming game against the Thunder tomorrow has yet to be determined.
The Heat and NBA haven’t supplied details on what transpired, but given the fact that Bradley may play tomorrow (as of this writing), it appears probable that he had a positive or inconclusive COVID-19 test result, as opposed to being put in the league’s seven-day contact tracing quarantine.
The newly-added Heat guard has been a bright spot in a generally disappointing 2-3 start for the defending East champs. In just 25.0 MPG, Bradley is averaging 14.3 PPG (on .571/.476/.778 shooting), 1.8 RPG, 1.5 APG and 1.0 SPG.