Finals MVP of Celtics Jaylen Brown holds the title of the highest-paid NBA small forward, earning an average of $57.07 million per year. During the 2023 offseason, he signed a five-year deal to remain in Boston through the 2028-29 season.
Coming in second is Kawhi Leonard, who earns $49.83 million with the Clippers. His salary increased thanks to the terms of his three-year, $149.65 million extension with Los Angeles signed in 2024.
New Warriors superstar Jimmy Butler ranks third on the list. In 2021, Butler signed a three-year, $146.4 million contract extension with the Heat, allowing him to make more than $48.7 million annually.
Following just behind Butler is former MVP Kevin Durant at $48.55 million. Durant signed a four-year, $194.22 million deal with the Nets in 2021 before being traded to the Suns in February 2023.
Finishing off the top five is the Knicks’ OG Anunoby at $42.5 million. This past offseason, the former 23rd overall pick inked a five-year extension to stay in New York.
The Highest-Paid Small Forwards
Here is the full list of the 25 highest-paid NBA small forwards by average salary. The list was compiled using data from Spotrac.
- Updated: March 18th, 2025
| Rank | Player | Team | Compensation |
| 1 | Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | $57.07 million |
| 2 | Kawhi Leonard | Los Angeles Clippers | $49.83 million |
| 3 | Jimmy Butler | Golden State Warriors | $48.79 million |
| 4 | Kevin Durant | Phoenix Suns | $48.55 million |
| 5 | OG Anunoby | New York Knicks | $42.5 million |
| 6 | Michael Porter Jr. | Denver Nuggets | $35.85 million |
| 7 | Brandon Ingram | Toronto Raptors | $31.65 million |
| 8 | Khris Middleton | Milwaukee Bucks | $31 million |
| 9 | Andrew Wiggins | Miami Heat | $27.25 million |
| 10 | Miles Bridges | Charlotte Hornets | $25 million |
| 11 | DeMar DeRozan | Sacramento Kings | $24.63 million |
| 12 | Cameron Johnson | Brooklyn Nets | $23.62 million |
| 13 | Mikal Bridges | New York Knicks | $22.72 million |
| 14 | De’Andre Hunter | Atlanta Hawks | $22.5 million |
| 15 | Dillon Brooks | Houston Rockets | $21.5 million |
| 16 | Keldon Johnson | San Antonio Spurs | $18.5 million |
| 17 | Duncan Robinson | Miami Heat | $18 million |
| 18 | Zaccharie Risacher | Atlanta Hawks | $14.25 million |
| 19 | Deni Avdija | Portland Trailblazers | $13.75 million |
| 20 | Herb Jones | New Orleans Pelicans | $13.45 million |
| 21 | Brandon Miller | Charlotte Hornets | $12.34 million |
| 22 | Aaron Nesmith | Indiana Pacers | $11 million |
| 23 | Royce O’Neale | Phoenix Suns | $10.5 million |
| 24 | Derrick Jones Jr. | Los Angeles Clippers | $10 million |
| 25 | Ron Holland II | Detroit Pistons | $9.37 million |
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