From the moment the NBA’s salary cap started ballooning and supermax contracts became the norm, one question started popping up more and more – not whoโs getting paid, but how much higher can these numbers go?
And letโs just say: the numbers went.
In todayโs NBA, being great pays – but being timely? Thatโs where the money is. Whether itโs locking in the rookie max at just the right moment, cashing out with a loyalty deal, or jumping teams in search of the bag, the leagueโs top earners have all figured out their own version of the financial fastbreak.
Add in a new CBA, some deep-pocketed owners, and the relentless rise of TV rights deals, and youโve got a perfect storm for the biggest salaries the sport has ever seen. Being on this list isnโt just about talent – itโs about leverage, market timing, and sometimes a little bit of luck.
So whoโs banking the most? Whoโs turned a silky jumper, a ferocious block, or a championship run into generational wealth?
Weโre glad you asked.
Here it is – the definitive countdown of the 25 highest-paid NBA players of all time (as of 2025), ranked from #25 all the way to the top. Weโll break down their numbers, their resumes, and the moments that made them worth every dollar.
25. Jamal Murray – $218,880,009
It feels fitting that Jamal Murray kicks off this list – a player whoโs never been an All-Star (yet), but somehow always plays like one when it matters most. The Denver Nuggetsโ lead guard has turned playoff series into highlight reels and bubble games into legend. His 50-point duel with Donovan Mitchell in 2020? Still chills.
Heโs not the flashiest name here, but Murrayโs consistency – and a five-year, $158 million extension in 2019 – solidified his spot in this elite financial club. Add in a title run with Nikola Jokiฤ in 2023 and his value only keeps climbing.
24. Brandon Ingram โ $219,817,830
Brandon Ingram isnโt loud. His game isnโt flashy. But when heโs cooking? Itโs poetry. The wiry Pelicans forward took a leap in 2020, grabbing Most Improved Player and his first All-Star nod. Since then, he’s been a model of smooth efficiency and mid-range artistry in New Orleans.
Ingram’s five-year, $158 million max deal gave him a ticket to this club. And with Zion sometimes healthy, the Pels may finally let him play postseason hero.
23. Brook Lopez โ $220,664,643
If you told someone in 2014 that Brook Lopez would one day be an elite 3-and-D big on a championship team, theyโd have laughed you out of the room. But here we are. โSplash Mountainโ rebranded his game and became a cornerstone of Milwaukeeโs 2021 title.
Heโs also the last player on this list who cashed in during the old NBA era – before salaries got supercharged. Steady, adaptable, and still swatting shots at age 36, Lopez quietly stacked nine-figure earnings across multiple teams.
22. Pau Gasol โ $220,990,766
Pau may have said goodbye to the NBA hardwood, but the two-time champโs presence is still felt in every crafty big man Euro-stepping their way to the rim. The Spaniard brought a level of finesse to the Lakersโ frontcourt that helped Kobe go back-to-back in โ09 and โ10.
Gasol wasnโt just skilled – he was dependable. Over 1,200 games, six All-Star appearances, and a rรฉsumรฉ that helped him stack $220M in career earnings without ever being the leagueโs loudest voice.
21. Harrison Barnes โ $223,908,501
Wait… Harrison Barnes? Oh, heโs here – and for good reason. The 2015 NBA Champion may not be your first guess on a list like this, but Barnes has played the money game like a vet. From a big Dallas contract to a healthy extension in Sacramento, heโs proven that doing the little things right pays.
With a career full of quiet 16-point nights and no drama, Barnes is the reminder that consistency, not stardom, can net you nine digits in the modern NBA.
20. Draymond Green โ $227,935,110
The most vocal player on this list finally makes his entrance. Four rings, a DPOY trophy, and a broadcasting career already teed up for whenever he decides to stop yelling at referees – Draymond Green is a unicorn in his own chaotic way.
Never the top scorer, but always the engine behind the Warriors’ defensive identity and transition flow. His $100M+ extension in 2023 sealed his place as both an on-court general and off-court earner.
19. Pascal Siakam โ $230,890,579
From Cameroon to an NBA championship, Pascal Siakamโs journey reads like a Hollywood script – and the script paid well. After helping the Raptors win it all in 2019, โSpicy Pโ proved he wasnโt just a sidekick. He became a focal point.
Two All-Star nods, a Most Improved Player award, and a max contract later, Siakam now brings his spin moves and length to Indiana. His 2023 trade to the Pacers mightโve ended his Toronto chapter, but his bank account? Thatโs been thriving no matter the zip code.
18. Jaylen Brown โ $235,197,477
Jaylen Brown has always had that “somethingโs about to happen” vibe – and in 2023, it did. Thatโs when the Celtics handed him the richest deal in NBA history at the time (five years, $304M), putting the league on notice and his wallet on turbo mode.
Heโs a lockdown defender, a 25 PPG scorer, and maybe the most athletic guy in Boston since Paul Pierce hit the wheelchair. His earnings already stack up with legends, and heโs not even 30. Buckle up.
17. Kristaps Porziลฤฃis โ $235,247,782
Ah yes, the Unicorn – a 7-foot-3 Latvian who can block your shot and drill a logo three. Kristaps Porziลฤฃisโ road has been bumpy – injuries, team changes, a few โis he still elite?โ debates – but the bank has always believed.
After rookie stardom in New York and big contracts in Dallas and Washington, Porziลฤฃis landed in Boston in 2023. Heโs healthy again, swatting shots, and quietly collecting checks like heโs collecting vintage watches.
16. Devin Booker โ $268,930,917
Devin Booker doesnโt just score – he makes it look unfair. Dropping 70 in a game before he could legally rent a car? Iconic. Leading the Suns to the Finals in 2021 while barely breaking a sweat? Legendary.
Bookโs scoring touch, deep-bag offense, and cool demeanor have made him the face of Phoenix. Add a massive supermax extension and a partnership with Kevin Durant, and itโs no surprise heโs creeping toward the top 10. And heโs only 28.
15. Carmelo Anthony โ $262,523,093
Melo might be out of the league, but the bag lives on. A 10-time All-Star, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and certified midrange killer, Anthony had one of the smoothest scoring games of his generation.
He never quite got the ring – though he got close with Denver and later tried with Portland – but few matched his ability to fill it up. His nearly $263M in career earnings reflect how valued his skill set was, year after year, team after team.
14. Jimmy Butler โ $277,223,385
Playoff Jimmy. Himmy Buckets. Whatever you call him, Jimmy Butler is the guy you do not want to see in a Game 6 with your season on the line. From the Bulls to the Heat, heโs brought grit, defense, and meme-worthy intensity.
Heโs also brought value. Butler signed multiple max deals and carried Miami to the Finals twice (2020, 2023). With another extension under his belt and the Heat still very much in the mix, Jimmyโs career arc is a masterclass in betting on yourself.
13. Jrue Holiday โ $282,604,437
One of the most respected players in the league, Jrue Holiday is that rare guard who can lock you up and still drop 20. His 2021 NBA title with the Bucks was proof of his two-way brilliance – and his $135M extension was Milwaukeeโs way of saying, โThank you, please never leave.โ
Now in Boston, Holiday is hunting another title while quietly becoming one of the top-earning guards of his era. No flash, no noise – just defense, leadership, and direct deposits.
12. Rudy Gobert โ $287,160,893
Say what you want about screen assists and spacing – Rudy Gobert gets paid. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has turned rim protection into a goldmine, anchoring playoff defenses in Utah and now Minnesota.
When the Timberwolves gave up the farm (and a few planets) for him in 2022, it raised eyebrows – but also raised his earnings. Gobert may never hit 30 PPG, but if you come into the paint, heโll send your shot into 2027.
11. Kyrie Irving โ $289,248,771
Kyrie Irvingโs career has had more plot twists than a Christopher Nolan film, but one thingโs never wavered – the man gets buckets and gets paid. From Cleveland to Boston to Brooklyn and now Dallas, Kyrieโs mix of creativity, footwork, and flat-Earth confidence has made him one of the most talented point guards ever.
He hit the biggest shot of the 2010s (Game 7, 2016 Finals – you know the one), and even with the off-court drama, teams havenโt hesitated to open the vault. Spoiler: heโs still climbing.
10. Bradley Beal โ $428,924,362
Bradley Beal has been a walking bucket since day one โ but it was the loyalty to Washington that truly paid off. While most stars bolt when rebuilds begin, Beal stuck aroundโฆand the Wizards rewarded him with a five-year, $251 million supermax in 2022, the largest contract in franchise history.
Though he was eventually traded to Phoenix to join a superteam with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Bealโs status as one of the gameโs smoothest scorers (career avg: 22.1 PPG) helped him build one of the NBAโs most quietly massive fortunes. Silent assassin – and silent earner.
9. Damian Lillard โ $441,333,958
You knew Dame would show up here. The man raps about loyalty and buries defenders from the logo, but what really makes his financial rรฉsumรฉ special is the combo of prime years in Portland and a timely trade to Milwaukee.
Lillardโs four-year, $176M extension in 2021, followed by a two-year, $122M extension in 2022 – yes, thatโs $61M a year – shot him up the earnings charts. Despite limited playoff success in Portland, heโs revered for staying loyalโฆ and for showing up when the moment is loudest. See: โDame Time.โ
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo โ $459,249,563
Once upon a time, he was a skinny kid from Greece with long arms and raw talent. Fast forward a decade and Giannis is a two-time MVP, an NBA champion (2021), and one of the most unstoppable forces in basketball history.
Heโs earned every cent of his nearly half-billion-dollar salary through rim-wrecking dunks, elite defense, and sheer dominance. That five-year, $228 million supermax he signed in 2020? Worth every penny in Milwaukee. The 2023 extension added more fuel – and more zeros.
7. Jayson Tatum โ $469,471,035
Tatum is still only 26, but heโs already a financial juggernaut. He entered the league with All-Star potential and turned it into All-NBA results, playoff runs, and a Finals appearance in 2022. Then came the bag: a five-year, $195M rookie extension in 2020, followed by a projected supermax north of $300M in 2024.
Heโs the future of Boston basketball, and the Celtics knew it. The ink on that deal might still be drying, but his climb up this list isnโt stopping anytime soon.
6. Kevin Durant โ $501,135,653
KD has been the prototype for modern scoring forwards – and the money followed. From OKC to Golden State to Brooklyn to Phoenix, Durantโs moves have made headlines and his bank account balloon.
He picked up two Finals MVPs with the Warriors, an MVP in 2014, and has never averaged less than 25 PPG in a healthy season. His four-year, $194M deal with the Nets in 2021 added another major chapter. Hate the decisions or love them, the Slim Reaper’s bag is undisputed.
5. Anthony Davis โ $511,281,226
Davis has been a walking stat sheet since college, and after a long tenure in New Orleans, the 2020 trade to the Lakers changed everything. One bubble ring later, he solidified himself as one of the best bigs in the game.
Health has always been the asterisk, but the checks havenโt stopped. His five-year, $190M extension in 2020 and a fresh $186M three-year deal in 2023 pushed him past $500M in salary earnings – quietly making him one of the richest big men ever.
4. Joel Embiid โ $513,976,859
The Processโฆ got paid. Joel Embiidโs rise from injury-riddled prospect to league MVP in 2023 is one of the NBAโs best redemption arcs. And through it all, Philly bet big on their star – to the tune of a $196M supermax in 2021 and another extension in 2023 that brought him over the $500M threshold.
With averages north of 27 PPG and 11 RPG over several seasons, heโs been the Eastโs most dominant big – and the 76ersโ most expensive investment. Worth it? Just ask the rim he destroys nightly.
3. Paul George โ $516,917,026
PG13 may not be the loudest superstar, but his earnings are downright blockbuster. After his OKC stint and trade to the Clippers in 2019, George signed a four-year, $190M extension – and then another lucrative one in 2024 – that launched him into the top three all-time.
Though the Clippers havenโt broken through, George remains one of the leagueโs most versatile two-way wings. Olympic gold medal? Check. Multiple All-NBA selections? Check. Half a billion in earnings? Oh, absolutely check.
2. Stephen Curry โ $532,728,665
Chef Curry changed the game – and cashed in accordingly. The greatest shooter in NBA history, Steph has led the Warriors to four titles, earned two MVPs (including the first unanimous one), and now owns one of the biggest salary totals ever.
He was the first player to sign multiple $200M contracts. Let that sink in. And yet, even with the money, Curry never stopped cooking – still dropping 30 a night and still making defenders dizzy with off-ball movement. Icon. Legend. Bag secured.
1. LeBron James โ $581,322,455
Was there ever a doubt?
LeBron James – 21 seasons in, four championships, four MVPs, and still making All-NBA teams like itโs 2012. Not only is he the all-time leading scorer, heโs the highest-paid NBA player in history in terms of salary alone. Add endorsements and heโs in billionaire territory, but even without those? Heโs the king of the checkbook.
From Cleveland to Miami to L.A., every stop came with record-breaking deals. And even in his 40s, heโs still adding to the pile. The only question left: who could pass him? (Spoiler: it might be Tatum.)