NBA salaries sure aren’t what they used to be.
Ahead of the 1997-98 season, Michael Jordan signed a one-year, $33.1 million contract with the Bulls, which set the record for the highest single-season salary in NBA history. It wasn’t until 2017-18 that Jordan’s record was broken by Stephen Curry.
Salaries have only skyrocketed since. While it took two decades for someone to best Jordan’s salary, a total of 27 players will earn more than $33.1 million in the 2022-23 season according to Spotrac. That list includes future Hall of Famers like Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as a couple of players who haven’t yet made an All-Star team in Tobias Harris and CJ McCollum.
Curry has been the NBA’s highest-paid player every season since surpassing Jordan in 2017-18. He will reach another milestone in 2023-24 when he becomes the first player ever to make over $50 million in a single season.
MORE: LeBron James passes Kevin Durant to become NBA’s top all-time earner
Who are the highest paid NBA players in the 2022-23 season?
Warriors star Stephen Curry is on the books for $48.1 million in the 2022-23 season, making him the league’s highest earner for the sixth straight season.
Rounding out the top five are the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook ($47.1 million) and LeBron James ($44.5 million), Wizards guard Bradley Beal ($43.3 million) and Nets star Kevin Durant ($43.0 million).
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic ranks 30th but signed a historic five-year, $264 million extension during the 2022 offseason. Curry, Beal and James are the only players estimated to make more than the Nuggets star in the 2023-24 season.
| Rank | Player | Salary |
| 1 | Stephen Curry | $48,070,014 |
| 2 | Russell Westbrook | $47,063,478 |
| 3 | LeBron James | $44,474,988 |
| 4 | Bradley Beal | $43,279,250 |
| 5 | Kevin Durant | $42,969,845 |
| 6 | Paul George | $42,492,568 |
| 7 | Kawhi Leonard | $42,492,492 |
| Damian Lillard | $42,492,492 | |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | $42,492,492 | |
| 10 | Klay Thompson | $40,600,080 |
| 11 | Rudy Gobert | $38,172,414 |
| 12 | Anthony Davis | $37,980,720 |
| 13 | Chris Middleton | $37,948,276 |
| 14 | Jimmy Butler | $37,653,300 |
| 15 | Tobias Harris | $37,633,050 |
| 16 | Luka Doncic | $37,096,500 |
| Trae Young | $37,096,500 | |
| Zach LaVine | $37,096,500 | |
| 19 | Kyrie Irving | $36,503,300 |
| 20 | Pascal Siakam | $35,448,672 |
| Ben Simmons | $35,448,672 | |
| 22 | Karl-Anthony Towns | $33,833,400 |
| Devin Booker | $33,833,400 | |
| Kristaps Porzingis | $33,833,400 | |
| 25 | Andrew Wiggins | $33,616,770 |
| Joel Embiid | $33,616,770 | |
| 27 | CJ McCollum | $33,333,333 |
| 28 | James Harden | $33,000,000 |
| 29 | Jrue Holiday | $32,544,000 |
| 30 | Nikola Jokic | $32,478,838 |
Curry is projected to be the NBA’s highest-paid player each season until his contract expires following the 2025-26 season. Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is currently set to take over the top spot with a salary of $63.2 million in 2026-27.