Many of the NBA’s highest-paid players are on contracts considered maximum-salary deals, but the 2025/26 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 $22MM more than LaMelo Ball in ’25/26 despite both players 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 2025/26 salary actually exceeds this year’s maximum, since the annual cap increases since he began earning the max haven’t kept pace with his annual 8% raises.
Listed below are the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2025/26 season. The players on this list don’t necessarily have the contracts with the largest overall value. This top 50 only considers the current league year, with the player’s ’25/26 base salary listed.
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 or Anthony Edwards, who have trade bonuses but are already earning their maximum — their salaries for this season can’t increase beyond their max.
Here are the NBA’s 50 highest-paid players for the 2025/26 season:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors: $59,606,817
- Joel Embiid, Sixers: $55,224,526
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $55,224,526 - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $54,126,450
Jimmy Butler, Warriors: $54,126,450
Anthony Davis, Mavericks: $54,126,450
Jayson Tatum, Celtics: $54,126,450 - Kevin Durant, Rockets: $53,282,608
- Durant can earn another $1,426,001 in likely incentives.
- Devin Booker, Suns: $53,142,264 (10% trade kicker)
Jaylen Brown, Celtics: $53,142,264
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: $53,142,264 - LeBron James, Lakers: $52,627,153 (15% trade kicker)
- Paul George, Sixers: $51,666,090 (15% trade kicker)
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: $50,000,000 (15% trade kicker)
- Zach LaVine, Kings: $47,499,660
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons: $46,394,100
Lauri Markkanen, Jazz: $46,394,100
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: $46,394,100
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers: $46,394,100
Jamal Murray, Nuggets: $46,394,100 - Luka Doncic, Lakers: $45,999,660
Trae Young, Hawks: $45,999,660 (15% trade kicker) - Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves: $45,550,512
Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers: $45,550,512
Pascal Siakam, Pacers: $45,550,512 - Domantas Sabonis, Kings: $42,336,000
- Sabonis can earn another $2,600,000 in unlikely incentives.
- OG Anunoby, Knicks: $39,568,966 (15% trade kicker)
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers: $39,446,090 (15% trade kicker)
Ja Morant, Grizzlies: $39,446,090 (15% trade kicker)
Zion Williamson, Pelicans: $39,446,090 - James Harden, Clippers: $39,182,693 (15% trade kicker)
- Scottie Barnes, Raptors: $38,661,750
Franz Wagner, Magic: $38,661,750 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: $38,333,050 (15% trade kicker)
Michael Porter Jr., Nets: $38,333,050 - Brandon Ingram, Raptors: $38,095,238
- LaMelo Ball, Hornets: $37,958,760 (15% trade kicker)
Tyrese Maxey, Sixers: $37,958,760 - Bam Adebayo, Heat: $37,096,620
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs: $37,096,620 - Desmond Bane, Magic: $36,725,670
- Bane can earn another $1,233,090 in unlikely incentives.
- Kyrie Irving, Mavericks: $36,566,002 (15% trade kicker)
- Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves: $35,000,000 (7.5% trade kicker)
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies: $35,000,000
Jalen Suggs, Magic: $35,000,000 - Jalen Brunson, Knicks: $34,944,001 (15% trade kicker)
- Alperen Sengun, Rockets: $33,944,954
- Jalen Green, Suns: $33,584,499
- Khris Middleton, Wizards: $33,296,296
- Middleton can earn another $3,222,221 in unlikely incentives.
- Immanuel Quickley, Raptors: $32,500,000
- Quickley can earn another $2,500,000 in unlikely incentives.
For the first time in NBA history, a base salary above $30MM is required to earn a spot on the league’s list of the top 50 highest-paid players, and even that isn’t quite enough for a few players. A pair of Trail Blazers veterans – Jrue Holiday at $32.4MM and Jerami Grant at $32MM – are the top two highest-paid players who didn’t make the cut.
It’s also worth noting that a small handful of players who just missed the top 50 have the ability to earn more than Quickley’s $32.5MM base salary if they achieve certain performance incentives during the coming season. Those players are as follows:
- Jordan Poole, Pelicans: $31,848,215
- Poole can earn another $3,750,000 in unlikely incentives.
- Tyler Herro, Heat: $31,000,000
- Herro can earn another $2,500,000 in unlikely incentives.
- Dejounte Murray, Pelicans: $26,783,568
- Murray earned an additional $4,017,535 for 2025/26 via a trade bonus on top of his base salary; he can also earn another $2,267,997 in unlikely incentives.
Jimmy and Giannis make the same money, you say?
And you all can’t see the upcoming GSW-MIL blockbuster trade that pairs Steph and Giannis, and call me names for pointing out how clean it is for both sides? GSW sends its youth + Jimmy, Bucks send their vets + Giannis = perfect match. Bucks even get Jimmy to flip into more young players or a young star or to get other players for Jimmy in a multi-teamer, it’s a perfect rebuild. You all are coping if you can’t see it. It won’t happen this offseason, but sometime after Dec 15.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
OMG, let it go already – Dubs fans feel they own Giannis and can’t understand why their entitlement hasn’t yet happened.
Here’s a dose of reality; if Steph had sacrificed such as Brunson has the W’s would be in a position to truly build out their roster (Butler gets a pass as because of baby mama/tax issues he’ll just about break even this year at $54m)…
Lite Years 😆😂🤣🤣
Davey represents the worst of Warriors fans.
@Enregistre I post rumor on a rumor site, about a player who makes the team I follow better = “worst fan”. Shut up
There are no rumors of Giannis being traded. You can not find them anyplace.
That is the dumbest take. Your ego and ignorance are on full display. Only one person has said the Warriors should trade for Giannis. He doesn’t even like the Warriors.
Curry’s rookie extension was a huge discount for the Warriors. It allowed them to sign Kevin Durant. This is common knowledge. How many Finals did they because of it?
Sounds like you are lite years behind.
@Giants74 are you saying I don’t like the Warriors? Nope. Wrong.
You said you didn’t like the Warriors until Curry came along. Someday Curry will retire. What then?
@giants74 I said the Warriors were miserable to follow until Curry came along, that implies I am a long-suffering fan (since latrel sprewell era).
We just saw what happened when no-Curry (last playoffs) 0-3. Nonstop losses. We will likely go back there UNLESS we can get Giannis, who has at least 10 years left.
let me fix that for you Tony. ONLY 1 fan been claimng Giannis is coming to warriors for the last 5 years. So don’t claim all Dub fans are saying that when its only 1. Every team has that 1 fan that thinks all the big name stars are coming to their team.
@arc89 I implore you to go to any post about GSW on instagram or twitter and see all the millions of fans saying “Giannis now” or “get Giannis” – it’s not “1 person” its millions. You are one of the few who is apparently against it, which I still cannot believe is true, this is more about you being mad at me saying it, if anyone else said it, you’d be all about it, right?
can you post those sites because I do not see them
@warriors on instagram and x – go into comments and replies. also on ig @warriorstalk and @gsw.network and @gsw.all.day
You still use Twatter/? It became crap a decade ago. Way to many trolls.
Yes, but still, plenty of real Dub Nation members on there. All who want Giannis by any means necessary. Being GSW has a newish player who makes identical money, the trade becomes so clean. Also add in that Jimmy never wanted to be on GSW to begin with, he wanted to be on the Suns.
Simply because a lot of Warriors fans post their wishful thinking about trading for Giannis doesn’t mean there are currently any rumors about him asking to leave the Bucks.
There’s no question that the Bucks could do better than Butler if that changes.
How exactly has Brunson sacrificed?
What exactly has Brunson won?
@tonyinsingapore
You are too busy being triggered like a snowflake to make a lick of sense here. Sorry but Jimmy and Giannis make the same money, that is a fact. If you cant see the dominos lining up from there, I can’t help you. Cope more.
Davey, why is Steph Curry being so evil and demonic? I mean didn’t you say players really only need 5 mil over their career to be happy? He’s taking so much money!!! He could be helping your team ring chase (like he says he wants to do) but he REFUSES!!! AHHHHHHH
Curry is married so he is not taking a pay cut. I say that because I know people that have dealt with his wife and she is cheap.
Steph’s wife is “cheap”?
How ridiculous you sound.
SMH!
I can give you stories how she treat others. Steph is the opposite he is very generous with his money.
Go ahead
A cartering company catered one of her events instead of paying the servers a tip she told the catering company she will post a positive yelp review which is worth more than a tip as she claimed. On the other hand I know somebody’s relative who delivered a big screen TV to their house. Steph gave each of the guys a $100 tip for bringing it inside.
Curry is ring chasing? I don’t understand that. Don’t all athletes want to win championships? Why would a team sign a player who only wants a paycheck?
That is the reason why there is no money for Kuminga. With 2 of the top 5 paid NBA players on the same team there is no money for anyone else.
Or maybe teams are not that interested in him. A beat writer for the Lakers, a rumor mill destination for Kuminga, thought a trade wouldn’t happen. He thought Kuminga’s demands were a bit delusional.
There is plenty of money for Kuminga. $45M over two years. If the Suns really wanted him they’d put a real trade package on the table, but his value is not that great so teams don’t want to overpay for his potential.
Yeah, I think Dray and Jimmy are overpaid but that’s how the NBA works, veterans get the $$$. The Warriors have two years to make it work with this crew or trade out of this lineup.
Why kuminga should have taken the package offered in 2024 when the warriors could offer more. Now they hands are tied.
> With 2 of the top 5 paid NBA players on the same
> team there is no money for anyone else.
100%. We pay 3 players (all will be > 35 years old) a combined $145M.
Top-heavy rosters have been the Warriors’ way since KD arrived 9 years ago. It works when your top players are in their prime and injury-free (as the Championships prove). The trade-off is that you don’t have the money for a bench or to retain young players. Every off-season is a scramble to fill the roster with veteran minimums, and you get little contribution from young players.
My point is before Butler signed they had money for Kuminga in 2024 which he turned down but now regrets not taking the offer around $25 million a year.
Wild how in 2019 the Raptors had the deepest roster and they won the title vs a top heavy team. Almost like GSW should have traded Wiggins for 2-3 good rotation players instead of a superstar who handicaps them financially. Or at least get a superstar who doesn’t play the same position as Kuminga, like, yknow, Giannis.
You are right, arc89.
The 2 year Butler extension as a bit of a “deal with the devil”. Trading for his services last season was a no-brainer: we needed another star desperately, and we had the assets to exchange for his $49M/yr salary…and he definitely earned it.
But now GSW has to live with the extension, paying Jimmy $110M over the next two seasons. For a 36-37 year old that has averaged 55 games per season lately, that’s dicey. If Jimmy misses 30 games and if we have no depth, we’re not a playoff team in the ultra-competitive West.
@daveyj, that’s an interesting insight about the Raptors’ depth winning out over ours.
Still, we got unlucky with our elite “top” being hurt…
If KD doesn’t go down, I argue we win easily.
Or, if Klay doesn’t go down, we prolly win Game 6.
And don’t forget Boogie was playing on 1 leg.
Is Kawhi’s “endorsement” fee included in his Clippers’ salary? ;)
How about Brunson making 2.5 million more than Quickley. Nice trade by Knicks trading him along with Barrett for Anunoby.