On Monday, we listed the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2020/21 season. While that list presented a clear picture of the highest earners for the upcoming season, not every NBA team was represented.
Four of the league’s 30 franchises – the Hawks, Pacers, Grizzlies, and Knicks – didn’t have a single player in the top 50. Indiana was close, with Victor Oladipo and Malcolm Brogdon narrowly missing the cut, but none of the other three clubs have a player earning $20MM or more this season.
Our list of highest-paid players for 2020/21 also only provided a snapshot for the coming year. It featured veterans like Kyle Lowry, Otto Porter, and Andre Drummond, who will be well compensated for the coming season but are on expiring contracts.
Today, we’re shifting our focus to the highest-paid players by team. This will allow us to check in on the clubs that weren’t represented on our initial list, as well as exploring teams’ most lucrative multiyear commitments — we’ve included each club’s highest-paid player for the 2020/21 season and its highest-paid player in total.
Let’s dive in…
Atlanta Hawks
- 2020/21: Danilo Gallinari ($19,500,000)
- Total: Bogdan Bogdanovic (four years, $72,000,000)
- Note: Bogdanovic’s final year is a player option.
- Note: Bogdanovic’s final year is a player option.
Boston Celtics
- 2020/21: Kemba Walker ($34,379,100)
- Total: Jayson Tatum (six years, $172,897,710)
- Note: The value of Tatum’s contract would increase to $205,497,830 if he makes an All-NBA team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22. Tatum’s final year is a player option.
- Note: The value of Tatum’s contract would increase to $205,497,830 if he makes an All-NBA team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22. Tatum’s final year is a player option.
Brooklyn Nets
- 2020/21: Kevin Durant ($40,108,950)
- Total: Kevin Durant (three years, $126,056,700)
- Note: Durant’s final year is a player option.
Charlotte Hornets
- 2020/21: Gordon Hayward ($28,500,000)
- Total: Gordon Hayward (four years, $120,000,000)
Chicago Bulls
- 2020/21: Otto Porter ($28,489,239)
- Total: Zach LaVine (two years, $39,000,000)
Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2020/21: Kevin Love ($31,258,256)
- Total: Kevin Love (three years, $91,459,342)
Dallas Mavericks
- 2020/21: Kristaps Porzingis ($29,467,800)
- Total: Kristaps Porzingis (four years, $130,968,000)
- Note: Porzingis’ final year is a player option.
Denver Nuggets
- 2020/21: Nikola Jokic ($29,542,010)
- Total: Jamal Murray (five years, $158,253,000)
Detroit Pistons
- 2020/21: Blake Griffin ($36,810,996)
- Total: Blake Griffin (two years, $75,768,024)
- Note: Griffin’s final year is a player option.
Golden State Warriors
- 2020/21: Stephen Curry ($43,006,362)
- Total: Klay Thompson (four years, $157,161,600)
Houston Rockets
- 2020/21: James Harden / John Wall ($41,254,920)
- Total: James Harden / John Wall (three years, $132,932,520)
- Note: Harden and Wall each have a player option on their final year.
- Note: Harden and Wall each have a player option on their final year.
Indiana Pacers
- 2020/21: Victor Oladipo ($21,000,000)
- Total: Domantas Sabonis (four years, $80,100,000)
Los Angeles Clippers
- 2020/21: Paul George ($35,450,412)
- Total: Paul George (five years, $211,715,880)
- Note: George’s final year is a player option. The value of his contract is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
- Note: George’s final year is a player option. The value of his contract is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
Los Angeles Lakers
- 2020/21: LeBron James ($39,219,566)
- Total: Anthony Davis (five years, $189,903,600)
- Note: Davis’ final year has an early termination option.
Memphis Grizzlies
- 2020/21: Gorgui Dieng ($17,287,640)
- Total: Dillon Brooks (three years, $35,000,000)
Miami Heat
- 2020/21: Jimmy Butler ($34,379,100)
- Total: Bam Adebayo (six years, $168,116,082)
- Note: The value of Adebayo’s contract would increase to $190,936,167 if he makes the All-NBA First Team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
- Note: The value of Adebayo’s contract would increase to $190,936,167 if he makes the All-NBA First Team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
Milwaukee Bucks
- 2020/21: Khris Middleton ($33,051,724)
- Total: Giannis Antetokounmpo (six years, $255,728,918)
- Note: Antetokounmpo’s final year is a player option. The value of his contract is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2020/21: Karl-Anthony Towns ($29,467,800)
- Total: Karl-Anthony Towns (four years, $130,968,000)
New Orleans Pelicans
- 2020/21: Steven Adams ($29,592,695)
- Total: Brandon Ingram (five years, $158,253,000)
New York Knicks
- 2020/21: Julius Randle ($18,900,000)
- Total: Julius Randle (two years, $38,700,000)
- Note: Randle’s final year is partially guaranteed. His total guarantee is $22,900,000. No one else on the roster currently has a total guarantee exceeding that amount.
- Note: Randle’s final year is partially guaranteed. His total guarantee is $22,900,000. No one else on the roster currently has a total guarantee exceeding that amount.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2020/21: Al Horford ($27,500,000)
- Total: Al Horford (three years, $81,000,000)
- Note: Horford’s final year is partially guaranteed. His total guarantee is $69,000,000. No one else on the roster currently has a total guarantee exceeding that amount.
- Note: Horford’s final year is partially guaranteed. His total guarantee is $69,000,000. No one else on the roster currently has a total guarantee exceeding that amount.
Orlando Magic
- 2020/21: Nikola Vucevic ($26,000,000)
- Total: Jonathan Isaac (five years, $76,962,566)
Philadelphia 76ers
- 2020/21: Tobias Harris ($34,358,850)
- Total: Ben Simmons (five years, $177,243,360)
Phoenix Suns
- 2020/21: Chris Paul ($41,358,814)
- Total: Devin Booker (four years, $130,968,000)
Portland Trail Blazers
- 2020/21: Damian Lillard ($31,626,953)
- Total: Damian Lillard (five years, $207,892,105)
- Note: Lillard’s final year is a player option. The value of his contract is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
Sacramento Kings
- 2020/21: Buddy Hield ($24,701,834)
- Total: De’Aaron Fox (six years, $171,100,217)
- Note: The value of Fox’s contract would increase to $203,700,337 if he makes the All-NBA First Team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
- Note: The value of Fox’s contract would increase to $203,700,337 if he makes the All-NBA First Team in 2021. Its value is based on a projected 3% salary cap increase for 2021/22.
San Antonio Spurs
- 2020/21: DeMar DeRozan ($27,739,975)
- Total: Derrick White (five years, $73,516,284)
Toronto Raptors
- 2020/21: Pascal Siakam ($30,559,200)
- Total: Pascal Siakam (four years, $136,905,216)
Utah Jazz
- 2020/21: Mike Conley ($34,502,132)
- Total: Rudy Gobert (six years, $232,525,281)
- Note: Gobert’s final year is a player option.
Washington Wizards
- 2020/21: Russell Westbrook ($41,358,814)
- Total: Russell Westbrook (three years, $132,633,438)
- Note: Westbrook’s final year is a player option.
Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The world of some sports and the wonderful salaries some of them athletes make…
Do you think guys in a stacked position better off negotiating 2nd team into their contract? Or too competitive to play for 2nd place. I.e. if you know the 4 will go to giannis or davis no matter what, do you forgo a 1st team bonus? I don’t have the answers…what do YOU think?
I think you have too much time
Lol
Yeah, it takes more than 5 seconds to come up with something to say on here other than HaRdOn SuCkS.
Sorry for proposing an interesting discussion question. Guess you just don’t deserve a convo with the top 3 commenter.
John Wall and James Harden have the exact same contract? Down to the final $20?
Yep, they both signed super-max contracts that went into effect in the same year.
There are a few other identical contracts on here (Porzingis, Towns, and Booker, for instance), but it’s pretty rare that two players with two identical massive contracts like that end up on the same team.
Max salaries should be less. They are based on % of cap I believe. This way teams can add a player or two When needed. Max players make more money outside of NBA. Cause of their NBA success. Should be more team friendly better for fans and game.