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Wednesday, October 8, 2025

The 25 Highest-Paid NBA Centers

  • New Maverick star Anthony Davis beats out 3-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic as the highest-paid center.
  • The top four centers each make over $53 million per year—while fifth-highest-paid center Alperen Sengun makes $37 million per year.
Apr 18, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

When he was still a Laker, Anthony Davis signed a maximum veteran three-year extension that would pay him an average of $58.46 million per year. Then the 10-time NBA All-Star was traded to Dallas in a stunning move. He’ll play out his entire contract—the highest for an NBA center—as a Maverick.

That extension pushes Davis past three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who was the highest-paid NBA center the previous two seasons. In 2022, Jokic signed a five-year, $276.12 million contract extension to remain with the Nuggets; he earns over $55 million per year, good for second on this list.

Following just behind Jokic is Karl Anthony-Towns. In 2022, he signed a four-year, $224 million supermax extension with the Timberwolves. But before the deal could kick in, Minnesota traded him to New York. He’ll earn $55.1 million per year as a Knick.

2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid ranks fourth. He signed a four-year, $213.28 million contract extension with the 76ers in 2021, allowing him to make just over $53 million annually. He’ll make even more next season, when the first year of a three-year, $187 million maximum veteran extension takes effect.

Alperen Sengun rounds out the top five. The Houston big man inked a five-year rookie extension that could see him in a Rockets uniform through 2029. He makes $37 million on average per year.

Ranking The Highest-Paid NBA Centers 

Here is the full list of the 25 highest-paid NBA centers by average annual salary. The list was compiled using data from Spotrac.

  • Updated: August 21, 2025
RankPlayerNBA TeamCompensation
1Anthony DavisDallas Mavericks$58.5 million
2Nikola JokicDenver Nuggets$55.2 million
3Karl-Anthony TownsNew York Knicks$55.1 million
4Joel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ers$53.3 million
5Alperen SegunHouston Rockets$37 million
6Rudy GobertMinnesota Timberwolves$41 million
7Bam AdebayoMiami Heat$32.6 million
8Isaiah HartensteinOklahoma City Thunder$29 million
9Myles TurnerMilwaukee Bucks$27.2 million
10Naz ReidMinnesota Timberwolves$25 million
11Nicolas ClaxtonBrooklyn Nets$24.3 million
T-12Nikola VucevicChicago Bulls$20 million
T-12Jarrett AllenCleveland Cavaliers$20 million
14Ivica ZubacLos Angeles Clippers$19.6 million
15Jakob PoeltlToronto Raptors$19.5 million
16Santi AldamaMemphis Grizzlies$17.5 million
17Jusuf NurkicCharlotte Hornets$17.5 million
18Zach CollinsChicago Bulls$17.4 million
19Onyeka OkongwuAtlanta Hawks$15.5 million
T-20Isaiah StewartDetroit Pistons$15 million
T-20Mitchell RobinsonNew York Knicks$15 million
22Victor WembanyamaSan Antonio Spurs$13.8 million
23Daniel GaffordDallas Mavericks$13.4 million
24Steven AdamsHouston Rockets$13 million
25Wendell Carter Jr.Orlando Magic$12.5 million

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