Highest-paid NBA players 2025/26

Highest-paid National Basketball Association (NBA) players in 2025/26

The NBA's 2025/26 season represents a watershed moment in professional basketball economics. For the first time in league history, a player's single-season salary has crossed $55 million — with Stephen Curry's $55,761,217 contract year setting the all-time record. The total league payroll of $5.1 billion reflects the NBA's extraordinary revenue growth: from approximately $3.8 billion in revenue (2010) to approximately $12 billion in 2025/26 — a 216% increase driven by the landmark $76 billion national TV deal, digital media expansion, and the league's surging international popularity. The NBA's business dynamics are tracked alongside other major industries in our global market capitalization analysis, where NBA parent league entities and franchise values are increasingly significant.

• Highest salary ever: Stephen Curry $55,761,217 — first time in NBA history a player earns $55M+ in a single season
• Total payroll: $5.1B across 30 teams — average team payroll ~$170M
• $50M+ club: 5 players earn $50 million or more — unprecedented in league history
• $30M+ earners: Approximately 30 players — up from just 3 in 2016/17
• Average salary: $11.2M — highest average in all North American professional sports
• NBA vs NFL average: NBA $11.2M vs NFL $3.9M — NBA average is 2.9× higher

Highest-Paid NBA Players 2025/26 — Full Rankings Table

The complete top 30 salary rankings are below. Click any column header to sort by salary, team, or position. All figures are base salaries — excluding endorsements and incentives.

The NBA's salary structure is uniquely egalitarian among professional sports — the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA and the NBPA (players union) governs maximum contracts, minimum salaries, and revenue sharing. Players collectively receive 49–51% of Basketball Related Income (BRI). As NBA revenue has grown, so have maximum contracts: the 2016 TV deal caused a one-time salary cap spike from $70M to $94M, creating the era of supermax contracts that now pay franchise players up to 40% of the cap. The broader sports economics connecting NBA player earnings to brand value is covered in our sports brands statistics and revenue analysis. For player statistics and performance context, see our NBA player stats 2025/26 report.

• CBA revenue split: Players receive 49–51% of Basketball Related Income (BRI)
• Supermax eligibility: Players must be All-NBA, All-Star, or MVP in prior season to earn 35-40% of cap
• Cap growth driver: NBA revenue $3.8B (2010) → $12B (2026) — driven by TV deals, digital, global expansion
• 2016 cap spike: Cap jumped from $70M (2015/16) to $94M (2016/17) — created today's contract era
• New CBA 2023: Stricter luxury tax rules, second apron restrictions limiting high-payroll teams

Highest-Paid NBA Players 2025/26 (BusinessStats Research · HoopsHype · Spotrac): #1 Stephen Curry $55.76M · #2 Nikola Jokic $51.42M · #3 Joel Embiid $51.42M · #4 Kevin Durant $51.18M · #5 Jayson Tatum $50.20M · Total NBA payroll: $5.1B · Salary cap: $141.1M · Average: $11.2M · 30 players earn $30M+. Source: BusinessStats Research · HoopsHype · Spotrac · April 2026.

Top 10 Highest-Paid NBA Players in 2025/26

Stephen Curry sits atop the NBA salary rankings at $55,761,217 — the final year of the 4-year, $215.4 million supermax extension he signed with the Golden State Warriors in August 2021. The 4-time champion and 2-time MVP is widely considered the most impactful player in NBA history relative to his listed position, having single-handedly transformed the game through his 3-point shooting revolution. Curry's salary represents approximately 39.5% of the 2025/26 salary cap — the maximum allowable for a player with 10+ years of service. His total NBA career earnings have surpassed $350 million in guaranteed salary, and his endorsement empire (Under Armour, Chase Bank, Rakuten, FTX controversially) adds an estimated $50M+ annually in off-court income. The sports brand dynamics behind Curry's commercial empire are tracked in our sports brands revenue analysis.

• #1 Stephen Curry (Warriors): $55,761,217 — 4-year $215.4M supermax ext. signed Aug 2021 · 4× champion
• #2 Nikola Jokic (Nuggets): $51,415,938 — supermax ext. · 3× MVP · 2023 NBA champion
• #3 Joel Embiid (76ers): $51,415,938 — supermax ext. · 2023 MVP · 6× All-Star
• #4 Kevin Durant (Suns): $51,179,021 — veteran extension · 4× scoring champ · 2× champion
• #5 Jayson Tatum (Celtics): $50,203,630 — 5-yr $315M extension signed 2023 · 2024 champion
• #6 Devin Booker (Suns): $49,279,050 — max extension · 2× All-Star · core of PHX rebuild
• #7 Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks): $49,279,050 — max extension · 3× All-Star · traded to NY 2024
• #8 LeBron James (Lakers): $48,743,826 — 2-yr $97.1M extension · now 41 · father-son Lakers era
• #9 Damian Lillard (Bucks): $48,743,826 — max extension · 9× All-Star · traded to MIL 2023
• #10 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks): $48,743,826 — supermax ext. · 2× MVP · 2021 champion

Top 10 NBA Salaries 2025/26 — USD Million

The navy bar chart below ranks the top 10 NBA salaries for 2025/26. Hover each bar to see the exact figure. Curry's $55.76M stands visibly above the rest — the gap between #1 and #2 ($4.3M) is larger than the entire rookie minimum contract for a first-year player.

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are tied at #2/#3 with identical salaries of $51,415,938 each — reflecting the identical supermax structure both signed. Jokic, the 3-time MVP widely considered the most dominant player of his generation, signed a 5-year, $264 million supermax extension with Denver in 2022. Embiid, the 2023 MVP and perennial All-Star center, signed a comparable deal with Philadelphia. The fact that two centers are tied for the second-highest salary in the NBA — in an era where the game supposedly skews toward guards and wings — reflects how the CBA's supermax rules reward individual award achievements regardless of position or team success.

• Jokic supermax: 5-year $264M extension signed Aug 2022 · Annual increase: 8% per year
• Embiid supermax: Similar structure · Both eligible after All-NBA honors + MVP award
• Durant contract: Veteran max extension · 4× scoring champ · 4× All-NBA · 2 championships
• Tatum $315M deal: Signed 2023 · 5-year · largest contract in Celtics history
• Giannis situation: Supermax ends after 2025/26 · free agency decision awaited by entire league

NBA Salary Cap & Contract Structure 2025/26

The 2025/26 NBA salary cap is $141.1 million per team — up from $136.0 million in 2024/25. The cap is set each July based on projected Basketball Related Income (BRI) from the prior season. Teams that exceed the cap pay a luxury tax — with a "soft" first tax threshold at $170.8 million and a "hard" second apron (new under the 2023 CBA) at approximately $189 million, above which teams face severe roster-building restrictions. The NBA's financial structure is comparable to other industries tracked in our U.S. financial markets analysis in terms of competitive balance mechanisms.

• Salary cap: $141.1M (2025/26) · up from $94.1M (2016/17) after TV deal spike
• Luxury tax threshold: $170.8M · teams above this pay per-dollar tax to the league
• Second apron (hard cap): ~$189M · new 2023 CBA · restricts trades, MLE, two-way contracts
• Max salary (0-6 yrs): 25% of cap = ~$35.3M
• Max salary (7-9 yrs): 30% of cap = ~$42.3M
• Max salary (10+ yrs / Supermax): 35-40% of cap = ~$49.4M–$56.4M

NBA Salary Cap Growth — Historical Trend 2010/11 to 2025/26

The line chart tracks the NBA salary cap from $58.0M (2010/11) to $141.1M (2025/26) — a 143% increase over 15 years. The dramatic 2016/17 spike (from $70M to $94M in one year) caused by the new national TV deal is clearly visible — and created the current era of massive max contracts.

NBA Team Payrolls — Highest Spending Teams 2025/26

Approximately 15 of 30 NBA teams are paying luxury tax in 2025/26 — a record high reflecting the new CBA's stricter provisions and the concentration of star players on big-market teams. The Golden State Warriors, carrying Curry ($55.76M), Klay Thompson's departure costs, and a deep roster, lead total payroll spending. The Phoenix Suns — with Durant, Booker, and additional pieces — are also among the highest spenders. The luxury tax dynamics connect to the broader wealth concentration in American sports tracked in our U.S. millionaires and wealth analysis. Player social media presence and marketability are analyzed in our Instagram statistics report and social media analysis.

• ~15 teams paying luxury tax in 2025/26 — record proportion of the league
• Second apron violators: Multiple teams at risk of hard cap penalties — new 2023 CBA enforcement era
• Largest market teams: LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Golden State consistently highest payrolls
• Total league payroll: ~$5.1B · average team payroll: ~$170M
• Revenue sharing: Small-market teams receive revenue sharing from luxury tax payments

NBA Average Salary Growth — 2010/11 to 2025/26

The grouped bar chart compares average NBA salary growth against the broader U.S. average income — illustrating just how dramatically NBA player compensation has grown relative to the overall economy. The NBA average salary ($11.2M in 2025/26) is approximately 188× the U.S. median household income (~$59,500).

NBA Salary Distribution — By Salary Tier 2025/26

The AUV bars below show how NBA player salaries are distributed across tiers. The majority of NBA players (~55%) earn between $2M and $10M — a range that includes veterans on mid-level exceptions and role players on team options. Only the elite top tier earns $30M+.

NBA Team Payroll Rankings — Top 10 Highest Spending Teams 2025/26

The rank bars show the top 10 highest-payroll NBA teams in 2025/26. Teams at or above the luxury tax threshold ($170.8M) pay escalating penalties — each dollar over the first threshold costs $1.50–$4.25+ in tax, depending on how far over they are. The NBA player stats analysis provides performance context for evaluating whether these high-payroll teams are generating returns on their salary investments.

NBA Salary Cap & Team Payrolls 2025/26 (BusinessStats Research · Spotrac): Salary cap $141.1M · Luxury tax threshold $170.8M · ~15 teams paying luxury tax (record) · Average team payroll ~$170M · Second apron hard cap ~$189M · Total league payroll ~$5.1B. Source: BusinessStats Research · Spotrac · April 2026.

NBA Salary Share by Position — 2025/26

The donut chart below shows how total NBA salary is distributed across positions. Guards (PG + SG) collectively earn the largest share — reflecting the premium placed on elite perimeter scorers and playmakers in the modern NBA. Centers have seen their salary share increase after years of decline, driven by dominant big men like Jokic and Embiid commanding supermax contracts.

Highest-Paid NBA Players — Key Statistics & Facts 2025/26

NBA Salary Trends & Outlook 2026–2030

The NBA's new national television deal — a landmark $76 billion, 11-year agreement with Amazon Prime Video, NBC, and ESPN beginning in 2025/26 — is the most important financial development in league history. The deal averages approximately $6.9 billion per year, nearly 3× the prior $2.6B/year TV deal. This revenue explosion will drive the salary cap to an estimated $155–160 million by 2026/27 and potentially $200 million by 2030. The implications for player salaries are dramatic: the current class of supermax players will be renegotiating or entering free agency at precisely the moment caps reach these new levels. The economic dynamics of this deal parallel the revenue growth patterns tracked in our global GDP and consumer spending analysis in terms of industry transformation scale.

• New TV deal: $76B over 11 years (2025/26–2035/36) · Amazon Prime Video + NBC + ESPN
• Annual TV revenue: ~$6.9B/yr — 2.65× the prior deal's $2.6B/yr
• 2026/27 cap estimate: $155–160M — another significant jump from $141.1M
• 2030 cap projection: ~$200M — first player could earn $70M+ in a single season
• Free agency class 2025: Giannis, Jokic (if he opts out), and others creating landmark decision moments

Key salary-related storylines to watch through 2030: Anthony Edwards will be eligible for a supermax extension worth approximately $65M/year by 2027/28 if he earns All-NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could similarly command $60M+ annually. The LeBron retirement question — will he play beyond 2025/26? — has significant cap implications for the Lakers. The emergence of young superstars through social media platforms is tracked in our YouTube market analysis and social media statistics, which show the NBA as the most digitally-engaged major sports league.

• Anthony Edwards supermax: ~$65M/year eligible by 2027/28 if All-NBA honors continue
• SGA supermax future: OKC could pay ~$60M/year to keep their franchise cornerstone
• Giannis 2025 FA: Will he re-sign with Milwaukee or move? Biggest free agency decision since KD 2016
• $70M salary barrier: First player to earn $70M in a single season likely by 2029/30
• Gen Z players: Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama entering max contract territory by 2026/27

Frequently Asked Questions — Highest-Paid NBA Players 2025/26