On Tuesday, we listed the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2025/26 season. Although that list presented a clear picture of the highest earners for the current season, not every NBA team was represented. Two of the league’s 30 franchises – the Trail Blazers and Bulls – didn’t have a single player in the top 50.
Our list of highest-paid players for 2025/26 also only provided a snapshot for this year. For example, Wizards forward Khris Middleton, who cracked the top 50, will certainly be well compensated for the coming season, but he’s on an expiring contract and will fall off that list next year after reaching free agency.
Today, we’re shifting our focus to the highest-paid players by team. This will allow us to check in on the clubs that weren’t represented on our initial list, as well as identifying some of the league’s most lucrative multiyear commitments — we’ve included each club’s highest-paid player for the current season (by 2025/26 base salary) and its highest-paid player in total (by total guaranteed base salary, including player options but not team options).
Let’s dive in…
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
2025/26: Jayson Tatum ($54,126,450)
Total: Jayson Tatum (five years, $313,933,410)Note: Tatum’s final year is a player option.
Brooklyn Nets
2025/26: Michael Porter Jr. ($38,333,050)
Total: Michael Porter Jr. (two years, $79,139,200)
Charlotte Hornets
2025/26: LaMelo Ball ($37,958,760)
Total: LaMelo Ball (four years, $168,705,600)
Chicago Bulls
2025/26: Josh Giddey (exact amount TBD)
Total: Josh Giddey (four years, $100,000,000)
Note: Giddey’s new four-year, $100MM contract with the Bulls will make him the team’s highest-paid player (both this season and overall), but the deal isn’t yet official and the exact terms aren’t yet known.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
2025/26: Anthony Davis ($54,126,450)
Total: Anthony Davis (three years, $175,369,698)
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
2025/26: Cade Cunningham ($46,394,100)
Total: Cade Cunningham (five years, $269,085,780)
Golden State Warriors
2025/26: Stephen Curry ($59,606,817)
Total: Stephen Curry (two years, $122,193,975)
Houston Rockets
2025/26: Kevin Durant ($53,282,608)Note: Durant could earn another $1,426,001 in likely incentives.
Total: Alperen Sengun (five years, $185,000,000)Note: Sengun’s final year is a player option.
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
2025/26: Kawhi Leonard ($50,000,000)
Total: Kawhi Leonard (two years, $100,300,000)
Los Angeles Lakers
2025/26: LeBron James ($52,627,153)
Total: Luka Doncic (four years, $207,351,660)Note: The projected value of Doncic’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $166,000,000 salary cap for 2026/27. Doncic’s final year is a player option.
Memphis Grizzlies
2025/26: Ja Morant ($39,446,090)
Total: Jaren Jackson Jr. (five years, $240,000,000)Note: Jackson’s final year is a player option.
Miami Heat
2025/26: Bam Adebayo ($37,096,620)
Total: Bam Adebayo (five years, $202,445,484)Note: Adebayo’s final year is a player option.
Milwaukee Bucks
2025/26: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($54,126,450)
Total: Giannis Antetokounmpo (three years, $175,369,698)Note: Antetokounmpo’s final year is a player option.
Minnesota Timberwolves
2025/26: Anthony Edwards ($45,550,512)
Total: Anthony Edwards (four years, $202,446,720)
New Orleans Pelicans
2025/26: Zion Williamson ($39,446,090)
Total: Trey Murphy III (four years, $112,000,000)Note: Williamson’s contract has three years and $126,499,530 remaining, but the final two years ($87,053,440) are non-guaranteed.
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
2025/26: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($38,333,050)
Total: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (six years, $365,456,000)
Note: The projected value of Gilgeous-Alexander’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $182,600,000 salary cap for 2027/28. Gilgeous-Alexander’s final year is a player option.
Orlando Magic
2025/26: Franz Wagner ($38,661,750)
Total: Paolo Banchero (six years, $256,034,769)Note: The projected value of Banchero’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $166,000,000 salary cap for 2026/27. His projected six-year earnings could increase to as much as $304,174,769 if he meets certain Rose Rule performance criteria. Banchero’s final year is a player option.
Philadelphia 76ers
2025/26: Joel Embiid ($55,224,526)
Total: Joel Embiid (four years, $243,468,526)Note: The projected value of Embiid’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $166,000,000 salary cap for 2026/27. Embiid’s final year is a player option.
Phoenix Suns
2025/26: Devin Booker ($53,124,264)
Total: Devin Booker (five years, $317,462,264)Note: The projected value of Booker’s maximum-salary extension is based on a $200,860,000 salary cap for 2028/29. Booker’s final year is a player option.
Portland Trail Blazers
2025/26: Jrue Holiday ($32,400,000)
Total: Jrue Holiday (three years, $104,400,000)Note: Holiday’s final year is a player option.
Sacramento Kings
2025/26: Zach LaVine ($47,499,660)
Total: Domantas Sabonis (three years, $136,416,000)
Note: Sabonis could earn another $7,800,000 in unlikely incentives.
San Antonio Spurs
2025/26: De’Aaron Fox ($37,096,620)
Total: De’Aaron Fox (five years, $260,200,620)
Toronto Raptors
2025/26: Scottie Barnes ($38,661,750)
Total: Scottie Barnes (five years, $224,238,150)
Utah Jazz
2025/26: Lauri Markkanen ($46,394,100)
Total: Lauri Markkanen (four years, $195,868,144)
Washington Wizards
2025/26: Khris Middleton ($33,296,296)Note: Middleton could earn another $3,222,221 in unlikely incentives.
Total: Corey Kispert (three years, $41,000,000)Note: Kispert also has a fourth-year team option worth $13,050,000.