Athletes

The Highest-Paid NBA Players in 2024-25

The Suns are the only team with three players among the highest-paid NBA players.
Boston’s duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take the top two spots.

Jun 29, 2024 | 02:13 pm

UPDATED Feb 03, 2025 | 11:12 am

Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA continues to soar to new heights with a new $140 million salary cap and billion-dollar media rights deal looming.

Despite the disappointment in viewership from this year’s NBA Finals, the NBA is riding the momentum of soaring sports property values. Team values may hit new highs with the NBA champion Boston Celtics now for sale.

Jayson Tatum takes the top spot as the highest-paid NBA player, set to earn $62.8 million in AAV.

Tatum’s new deal is worth $314 million over five years. The contract includes performance incentives, such as being voted to the All-NBA team.

His Boston teammate Jaylen Brown is second, earning $57 million in AAV. Brown signed a five-year extension last summer worth $303.7 million. He’s helped reward the Celtics immediately by winning his first NBA title and earning NBA Finals MVP.

Third is the 2023 NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. He’s earning $55.2 million annually after signing a five-year deal in 2022. Jokic is set to earn $62.8 million in the last year of his contract in 2028 to total $276.1 million.

Devin Booker of the Suns and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Knicks both earn $55.1 million in AAV to tie for fourth.

Booker signed his $220.44 million deal in 2022, a year after taking Phoenix to the franchise’s third NBA Finals. He’s earned $166.5 million over his nine-year career.

Towns became Minnesota’s most expensive player after signing a four-year deal that will net him a total of $220.44 million before being traded to New York. He’s set to earn over $20 million more each year than he did on his rookie extension.

Stephen Curry sits in fifth, earning $53.8 million annually. He signed a max contract extension in 2021 that will see him earn $215.35 million over four years.

The Celtics, Suns, and Sixers all feature two players among the top 10 highest-paid NBA players.

The Suns are the only team with three players among the highest-paid in the league. Collectively, their stars are set to earn $445.81 million this year.

Ranking The NBA’s Highest-Paid Players in 2024

Here is the entire list of the highest-paid NBA players. The list was compiled with data from Spotrac.

Updated: February 3rd, 2025

Rank	Player	Team	Average Annual Value	2024-25 Cap Hit
1	Jayson Tatum	Boston Celtics	$62.8 million	$34.8 million
2	Jaylen Brown	Boston Celtics	$57.07 million	$49.2 million
3	Nikola Jokic	Denver Nuggets	$55.2 million	$51.4 million
T-4	Devin Booker	Phoenix Suns	$55.1 million	$49.2 million
T-4	Karl-Anthony Towns	New York Knicks	$55.1 million	$49.2 million
6	Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors	$53.8 million	$55.76 million
7	Joel Embiid	Philadelphia 76ers	$53.3 million	$51.4 million
8	Paul George	Philadelphia 76ers	$52.89 million	$49.2 million
9	LeBron James	Los Angeles Lakers	$50.67 million	$49.9 million
10	Bradley Beal	Phoenix Suns	$50.2 million	$50.2 million
11	Donovan Mitchell	Cleveland Cavaliers	$50.1 million	$35.4 million
12	Kawhi Leonard	Los Angeles Clippers	$49.8 million	$49.2 million
T-13	Anthony Edwards	Minnesota Timberwolves	$48.9 million	$42.2 million
T-13	Tyrese Haliburton	Indiana Pacers	$48.9 million	$42.2 million
15	Jimmy Butler	Miami Heat	$48.79 million	$48.79 million
16	Kevin Durant	Phoenix Suns	$48.55 million	$51.2 million
17	Pascal Siakam	Indiana Pacers	$47.24 million	$42.3 million
18	Domantas Sabonis	Sacramento Kings	$46.5 million	$40.5 million
19	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Milwaukee Bucks	$45.64 million	$48.79 million
20	Damian Lillard	Milwaukee Bucks	$44.06 million	$48.79 million
T-21	Luka Doncic	Los Angeles Lakers	$43.03 million	$43 million
T-21	Trae Young	Atlanta Hawks	$43.03 million	$43 million
T-21	Zach LaVine	Sacramento Kings	$43.03 million	$43 million
24	Fred VanVleet	Houston Rockets	$42.8 million	$42.8 million
25	OG Anunoby	New York Knicks	$42.5 million	$36.6 million