How Much Do the NBA’s Highest-Paid Players Earn This Season?
With Stephen Curry nearing $60 million and contracts breaking records, NBA salaries in 2025-26 showcase basketball’s booming financial power.
Stephen Curry remains atop the NBA’s financial mountain in 2025-26, pocketing a staggering $59.6 million from the Golden State Warriors.
The two-time MVP and four-time champion signed a lucrative extension that keeps him as basketball’s richest player per season. At 37, he remains both a business icon and an on-court marvel, earning nearly $5 million more than any other player.
His deal underscores how elite shooting and global marketability still translate into unmatched value across the league.
The $50 Million Club Expands
Just below Curry, a cluster of MVPs defines modern superstardom’s price tag. Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić each earn $55.2 million, anchoring Philadelphia and Denver respectively.
Their figures showcase how dominant frontcourt talent drives today’s salary ceiling. Close behind are Kevin Durant ($54.7 million with the Houston Rockets) and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Davis, each hovering around $54.1 million.
LeBron James, meanwhile, continues to defy time earning roughly $52.6 millionin his age-40 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The future Hall of Famer remains both a player and brand powerhouse, showing that 22 years into his career, he’s still one of the league’s most bankable names.
A New Era of Contract Inflation
Beyond the elite tier, younger stars are cashing in on a rapidly expanding salary cap and global broadcast deals. Players such as Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Donovan Mitchell now command annual paydays in the $45–46 million range.
And though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earns “only” $38 million this year, his just-signed supermax extension, worth $285 million across four years, will see his annual salary surpass $70 million by 2028, breaking all previous records.
This explosion of salaries mirrors the NBA’s surging profitability, fueled by new media rights and international growth. As superstars command nearly $60 million per year, the next wave of extensions promises to push that number even higher. The NBA’s financial future, much like its players, is soaring above the rim.
