LeBron James, Steph Curry Lead NBA's Highest-Paid Players

The benches are shorter in the NBA than in other leagues, meaning there is more money to go around for players. We hear about the massive contracts handed out in MLB all the time, but on a yearly basis, the highest-paid NBA players may have them beaten in terms of salary.

The NBA is not short on highly-paid players. There are a whopping 27 players that will earn $40 million or more in salary for the 2024-25 season. For many of those players, it is merely part of the earnings equation that sees them push nine figures on a year-over-year basis. But who are the highest-paid players in the NBA? Let’s look at some important names.

LeBron James

Whether you like betting on basketball or just watching the games, LeBron James’ name is bound to come up. He is a lightning rod of discussion given his status in history as one of the very best players to have ever played the game. Whether he is your GOAT or not is up for debate, but James remains one of the game’s highest-paid players.

Using an exclusive BetMGM promo code at SportsbookReview, you can put a few bucks down on James to do what he does best. He and the Los Angeles Lakers are chasing another title, which would be the fifth in the historic career that James has already had. His $48.72 million salary has quickly been usurped but he remains one of the highest-paid players the game has ever seen.

Steph Curry

In sports betting, there are few props more popular than wagering on the number of three-pointers Steph Curry will make. The future Hall of Famer has done everything in a career that a player can do: four NBA championships, two MVPs, multiple All-NBA teams, and records galore.

When you have those kinds of achievements, it pays pretty well. Curry leads the way in NBA salary for 2024-25, earning a whopping $55.76 million in salary alone. He also happens to be one of the most marketable stars in the NBA, with more endorsements than you can shake a stick at. In 2022, he signed a four-year, $215 million extension with the Warriors and will be the first player to earn more than $60 million in a season when 2026-27 rolls around.

The Other Top Names

Who are the other names commanding top dollar in the NBA? There are some names that aren’t surprising while others like Fred VanVleet ($42.84 million) may come as a shock.

Nikola Jokic

Earning $51.41 million for the 2024-25 season, Jokic is perhaps the most reluctant superstar there has ever been. The NBA champion and multiple-time MVP often talks about his play like an office job. He prefers to spend his time with family and his horses rather than dominating on the court and commanding a massive salary.

Joel Embiid

Tied with Jokic is Embiid, making the exact same $51.41 million in 2024-25. Embiid is a former MVP and one of the most dominant centers in the game. Though injuries remain a concern for him, Embiid is dominant virtually every time that he touches the floor. All that’s left is an NBA championship to complete his resume.

Kevin Durant

After James and Curry, there may be no more visible player than Durant. “The Slim Reaper” is one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen and his $51.17 million salary certainly shows that. Durant has done everything a player can do and is looking to add one more championship to his resume before he calls it a career.