Now that the NBA has set its salary cap for the 2023/24 league year at $136,021,000, we have a clear idea of what maximum-salary contracts will look like for the coming season.
Listed below are the maximum-salary contracts for players signing contracts that start in 2023/24.
The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous team can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.
These figures will apply to a number of players who signed maximum-salary contract extensions that will go into effect in 2023/24: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, and Darius Garland. They’ll also apply to anyone who signs a maximum-salary contract with his own team as a free agent in ’23/24, though there likely won’t be anyone who fits that bill.
A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players.
In the charts below, the “6 years or less” column details the maximum contracts for players like Morant, Williamson, and Garland, as well as what a free agent like Miles Bridges is eligible for; the “7-9 years” column applies to free agents like Fred VanVleet and to players who qualified for a Rose Rule rookie scale extension, though no one did this year; and the “10+ years” column applies to the league’s most experienced vets, like James, or those who qualified for the super-max, such as Jokic and Embiid.
Here are the maximum salary figures for 2023/24:
A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):
| Year | 6 years or less | 7-9 years | 10+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | $34,005,250 | $40,806,300 | $47,607,350 |
| 2024/25 | $36,725,670 | $44,070,804 | $51,415,938 |
| 2025/26 | $39,446,090 | $47,335,308 | $55,224,526 |
| 2026/27 | $42,166,510 | $50,599,512 | $59,033,114 |
| 2027/28 | $44,886,930 | $53,864,316 | $62,841,702 |
| Total | $197,230,450 | $236,676,540 | $276,122,630 |
A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):
| Year | 6 years or less | 7-9 years | 10+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | $34,005,250 | $40,806,300 | $47,607,350 |
| 2024/25 | $35,705,513 | $42,846,615 | $49,987,718 |
| 2025/26 | $37,405,775 | $44,886,930 | $52,368,085 |
| 2026/27 | $39,106,038 | $46,927,245 | $54,748,453 |
| Total | $146,222,575 | $175,467,090 | $204,711,605 |
It’s worth noting that none of the maximum-salary figures listed above will apply to extension-eligible players whose new contracts will start in 2024/25.
This group includes players like Tyrese Haliburton and Desmond Bane, who agreed to maximum-salary extensions with the Pacers and Grizzlies, respectively. It also includes players who signed maxextensions in previous years that will begin in ’24/25, such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker.
The exact value of those players’ contracts will depend on where the cap lands for 2024/25, which won’t be officially announced until next June.
This is just what I feel like
Harden is a fool in term of his contract (money)
He could have a contract $276 million if he stays in Houston (loyalty).
Harden lost $14 million last year and $15 million this year in Philly.
What do you mean “pay cut”?
It’s all those strip clubs. he can’t think straight. He might want to shave that ugly beard. Who knows what he’d find in there.
Playing in the NBA is like winning the lottery every week.
These numbers aren’t sustainable.