10 Highest Paid NBA Players in the Current 2024-25 Season

Imagine earning over fifty million dollars just to play basketball for one season. That huge number is now a reality for many top NBA stars. The world of professional basketball involves massive money. It is a global business with soaring revenues. Fans everywhere follow their favorite teams and players. This intense interest drives the league’s value way up. But how do players reach these amazing pay levels? What makes teams pay so much? This post will show you the ten highest paid NBA players for the 2024-25 season. We will reveal who earns the most right now. We will also look into why these salaries are so high. You will learn about the contracts they sign. You will also understand the business side of the NBA. This includes how the money works. It covers how deals impact team building. Get ready to see the numbers behind the game’s biggest stars.

Here are the 10 Highest Paid NBA Players in the ongoing season

1. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry stands out among the highest-paid NBA players. He signed a major deal, a Supermax contract, that keeps him with the Golden State Warriors. Teams give this big contract to top players who stay with them and achieve a lot. Curry fits this well.

He won MVP awards, earned All-NBA honors, and led the league in threes. Because he joined in 2009, he helped the Warriors win four championships. This success, along with Curry’s global popularity, made the team worth billions. It jumped from $315 million to over $9 billion. People everywhere buy his jersey, showing his huge market value.

Even though he’ll be 36 for the 2024-25 season, Curry still plays at a high level. He leads the team on both ends. His ability to perform great in big moments proves his lasting value on this contract.

2. Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid also earns a lot. He signed a big contract. It is a maximum extension. It lasts three years. The deal is worth $193 million. It guarantees over $227 million. He is the highest-paid Sixer. Because he won MVP, he got this max deal. He is key for the 76ers. When healthy, he dominates games. He helps the team win a lot.

In fact, the team wins more when he plays. He handles much of the offense. However, injuries challenge the team. He has knee problems. He missed many games. He was ruled out for 2024-25.

Still, when he plays, he dominates. The team depends on him. Their chances rest on his health. He is among the highest paid NBA players due to his value when healthy.

3. Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic signed a Supermax contract. It lasts five years. The deal is worth about $276 million. It is one of the biggest ever. He signed it in 2022. It shows he is an elite player. Because he won three MVP awards, he qualified. He also made All-NBA teams.

For 2024-25, his salary is about $51.4 million. He drives the Denver Nuggets offense. He led them to their first NBA title. He has unique skills as a center. He passes, scores, and has a high IQ. He makes the offense creative. He helps teammates score.

In fact, he won Finals MVP. The team needs him greatly. He is central to their hopes. He is among the highest paid NBA players because of his MVP play and huge impact.

4. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is also one of those who are paid big money. He signed a max deal. It lasts four years. The deal is worth $194.2 million. He signed it with the Nets. Later, the Nets traded him to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns gave up many players and picks. This showed Durant’s high value. He is a key player for the Suns. He plays with stars like Devin Booker. He is a top scorer. He helps the team hope for a title. He brings scoring and leadership. He played well in a recent season. He averaged about 26 points. He showed importance then.

But, injuries limited him sometimes. He missed games due to his ankle or calf. Still, he impacts games a lot when healthy. He is among the highest paid NBA players because of his top scoring and value.

5. Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal also makes big money. He signed a supermax contract. It is worth $251 million. He signed it for five years. This was with the Wizards. His deal had a no-trade clause. This is very rare. He could stop any trade.

But he agreed to join the Phoenix Suns. He waived his clause for that trade. He is part of the Suns’ Big 3. He plays with Durant and Booker. They want a strong offense. Beal helps with scoring. He also makes plays for others.

However, injuries limited him in 2024-25. He missed games with ankle issues. His scoring was lower than expected. Still, he improved on defense. He became a better defender. His defense helps the team. He is among the highest paid NBA players, even though his health is a concern. His future is uncertain.

6. Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard signed a large contract extension. It is worth $153 million. It lasts three years. He signed it in early 2024. He is the highest-paid Clipper. This deal keeps him committed. When healthy, Leonard is vital for the Clippers. They aim to be the top NBA teams

 He is a premier two-way player. He scores, defends, and leads well. He won Finals MVP twice. He makes the Clippers much better. His presence helps them win games. However, his health is a big issue. He has a long injury history. He missed many games in 2024-25.

But when he returned, he played great. He averaged about 24 points. His high salary has injury risks. The Clippers hope he stays healthy. He is among the highest paid NBA players because of his elite impact when available.

7. Devin Booker

Devin Booker is also on this list of the highest paid NBA players due to his scoring and value to the team. Devin signed a supermax contract. It is worth $220.4 million. It lasts four years. This was with the Suns.

The deal is fully guaranteed. His average salary is about $55 million. He may sign a new big deal soon. It could be worth almost $150 million. He is the Suns’ top scorer ever. He made the All-Star team often. He is the main scorer for the team. He scores many points. He helps the Suns compete. His scoring is vital for their offense.

For the 2024-25 season, Booker played very well. He played 75 games. He averaged 25.6 points and 7.1 assists. He scored over 40 points often. He was the team’s best player that year. His scoring is key to the Suns’ success.

8. Paul George

Joining the 76ers meant a max contract for Paul George. It lasts four years. The deal is worth about $212 million. He signed it with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Clippers offered less. They offered him three years. For the Clippers, Paul George was key. He played with Kawhi Leonard. They were a co-star pair.

Together, they aimed for titles. George is a top two-way player. He helps a team on offense and defense. However, injuries hurt Paul George. He missed a lot of time. He was not unable to play for the Clippers in 2024-25.

In fact, the team ruled George out for that season. His health is a concern. Still, Paul George is among the highest paid NBA players because of his skills when available.

9. Karl-Anthony Towns

Joining the Knicks meant a Supermax contract for Karl-Anthony Towns. It is worth $224 million. He signed it for four years. This deal guarantees him big money. He is one of the league’s top-paid. As a big man, Towns shoots very well. This stretches defenses for the Knicks. He is a unique player. He scores inside and out.

Towns helps the Knicks’ offense greatly. He fits well with his team. He also helps them rebound. However, his defense needs work. For 2024-25, Towns played at a high level. He averaged about 24 points and 13 rebounds. He shot over 40% from three. He showed clutch scoring.

Karl-Anthony Towns is key for the Knicks’ hopes. He is among the highest paid NBA players due to his rare skills and value.

10. Jaylen Brown

NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown secured a record contract. It is a Supermax extension. It is worth $304 million. This deal lasts five years. It is fully guaranteed. Brown is the highest-paid Celtic ever. He earned the Supermax with All-NBA honors.

Brown is a cornerstone for the Celtics. He is a top scorer. He plays a vital role. Jaylen Brown became an elite two-way player. This helped Boston win the 2024 Championship. His play under pressure is key. He is indispensable. He plays with Jayson Tatum. They are a top duo.

For 2024-25, Brown impacts the game greatly. He averages about 22 points. He helps on both ends. His leadership is crucial. Jaylen Brown is among the highest paid NBA players due to his status and Finals MVP win.

Why NBA Salaries Are So High

NBA player salaries are very high. This is because the league earns huge money. The NBA made new TV deals. These start in 2025-26. They are worth about $77 billion total. This is about $6.9 billion every year. This is a very big jump. It is over 160% more money than before. Players share the league’s money. They get about half of all basketball income. So, as TV money grows a lot, player pay also grows a lot. The salary cap is a limit on team spending. The cap is directly linked to this income. But the cap cannot jump up too fast. Rules limit cap rises to 10% each year. This stops sudden, big changes. For the 2024-25 season, the salary cap was $140.588 million. The luxury tax line was $170.814 million. Player max salaries are based on the cap. Their pay is a percentage of the cap number. It depends on how many years a player has played. Newer players get a max of 25%. Players with more time can get up to 30%. This is if they earn special awards. The top players with long service get up to 35%. The highest deal is the Supermax contract. It rewards elite players who stay with their team.

The Evolution of NBA Player Earnings

NBA player pay has grown a lot over time. It increased very fast. The average pay in 1990 was under $1 million. It grew to over $8 million by 2022. This is more than 8 times higher. In fact, a big jump happened around 2016. Pay spiked 23% then. This was because of new TV deals. Newer TV deals started in 2024-25. They bring much more money. Money doubled or tripled yearly. This adds to player pay through the rules. Top player deals got huge, too. Jaylen Brown signed for $304 million. Future top deals may reach $400 million. So, this growth will keep going.

Are They Worth It? The Salary vs. Performance Debate

Are players worth all this money? This is a common question people ask. Pay is not just about points or rebounds. Superstars help their teams earn huge money. They boost ticket sales a lot. They help fill every arena. Also, they sell many jerseys. Fans around the world buy their gear. Furthermore, they get big endorsement deals. Major brands want to work with them. This helps the whole league, too. They attract lots of TV viewers. They bring in big sponsors. Besides these things, they are leaders. They build team chemistry. They create a winning culture. This helps teams win many games. Studies show top-paid players perform much better than average. They play more minutes. They are critical to team success. Their huge pay reflects their high value. It reflects their elite status in the league.

Impact on Team Building and the Luxury Tax

Big contracts impact how teams are built. The salary cap limits spending. The luxury tax adds penalties. For 2024-25, the tax started at $170.8 million. Teams with many max deals go over this. Paying the tax costs a lot. Teams pay extra money as a penalty. Because of this, adding players is limited. It makes trades harder. Teams use low-paid players. They use draft picks. They use special contract rules. Teams over a higher tax line lose trade options. Top teams accept tax costs. They want to win. But other teams want to save money. They want more flexibility. Teams like the Celtics pay a high tax. They try to win titles. Other teams are stuck with high pay. They cannot sign veterans easily.

Key Takeaways

Looking at these huge NBA salaries teaches us much. The money numbers are truly staggering to see. They show the amazing business side of the game. It goes far beyond just the points scored.

• New TV deals push player pay higher than ever before.

• Top players earn max deals because they create massive business value.

• Winning big, like an MVP or title, unlocks the biggest contracts.

• Superstar contracts make team building very hard under tax rules.

• A player’s health is a real risk for teams despite huge paychecks.

So, understanding NBA money shows it is complex. It links elite talent to global business power. We see value is about more than just playing well.

Tejas Tahmankar