The NBA has featured some of the best athletes we have ever seen. With these players giving their very best, it’s just fair that they get enough credit and of course, a huge salary. Today, we will be looking at some of the largest NBA contracts this season.
Top 10 NBA Players With The Biggest Contracts (Highest Paid in 2021-2022)
1. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – $45,780,966
It’s no surprise that “The Greatest Shooter of All-Time” is the highest-paid NBA player this season. At 34 years old, Curry is still one of the best players in the league. His 4-year $215 Million max contract is a much-deserved pay. His contract will be finished in the 2025-2026 season, and by that time, he will be already 38 years old. But, before that happens, he will be paid an outstanding $53,838,416 in the 2022-2023 season.
2. James Harden (Philadelphia 76ers) – $44,310,840
The Beard was a different beast in Houston but has fallen off since taking his talents to the Nets and then the Sixers. Although he hasn’t shown up big time in the playoffs, if Harden chooses to stay with the Sixers, he is still eligible to sign another max contract with Philly in next year’s offseason.
3. John Wall (Houston Rockets) – $44,310,840
The most surprising on this list is the former All-Star, John Wall. Many fans thought John Wall robbed the Washington Wizards when he signed a huge 4-million71 Million contract in the summer of 2017. At the time, John Wall was deemed Washington’s superstar although he hasn’t won anything for the city so far. Soon after that, Wall was plagued with a lot of injuries, including a torn ACL in 2019. Sad to say, he hasn’t fully recovered until now. After the 2022-2023 season, Wall will be a free agent.
4. Russell Westbrook (Los Angeles Lakers) – $44,211,146
Russ is a great player and in 2018, after winning 1 MVP, Russ was given a tremendous contract by the Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 years for $206 Million. Westbrook deserves to be paid for his time with OKC as he carried that organization after Kevin Durant left. But, he and the Thunder never had a playoff success moving forward. He moved from different teams until he landed in Los Angeles to play with LeBron James this season. Russ still has one more year left in his contract which will end in 2023.
5. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – $42,018,900
The Brooklyn Nets superstar, Kevin Durant, is still a force to reckon with. Arguably on par with LeBron James throughout their careers, Durant never fails to deliver. Just this season, Durant signed a four-year, $198 million contract with the Nets. After a disappointing playoff run, Durant has told the media that he will only play with the Nets if they decide to keep Kyrie Irving. Kyrie, on the other hand, is also expecting a huge contract. Will this be a problem for the nets going forward?
6. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) – $41,180,544
The 37-year-old LeBron may not be the best player in the league anymore, but he is still surely top five. He will be under the Lakers until next season and still has $44.5 million left in his contract. Previously, he has shown the desire to play with his son in an NBA team who will be only eligible for the NBA in 2024. Where could LeBron be headed next? What the future holds for LBJ is still unknown.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) – $39,344,970
After signing a 5-year, $228 Million in 2021, Giannis has become the highest-paid NBA player in NBA history. Giannis, 27, will be 32 (still in his prime) by the time his contract is exhausted. Out of all the players on this list, Antetokounmpo is the youngest and has shown that he will be taking over the league in no time.
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8. Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers) – $39,344,900
Dame has been out for most of the season but he has already secured a huge pay with the Blazers – 4 years / $176,265,152. Lillard, 31, will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2024-2025 season.
In other news, Lillard posted an image on Instagram a photo of him and Kevin Durant teaming up in Portland. What could this possibly mean?
9 & 10. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George(Los Angeles Clippers) – $39,344,900
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the superstars of the Los Angeles Clippers but both have missed a lot of games due to injuries. They are definitely a contender in the West, but without Leonard and George, the team will fail. Kawhi still has two guaranteed years left in his 4-year / $176,265,152 contract (2022-2023, 2023-2024), plus another year for a player option (2024-2025). Meanwhile, PG has an almost identical signing with the Clippers with 4 years / $176,265,466. He will an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
On the other hand, Nikola Jokic could potentially sign a Super Max contract this offseason
The back-to-back MVP, Nikola Jokic, is expected to sign a $260 Million supermax extension with the Denver Nuggets this offseason, making him the highest-paid NBA player in history. The 27-year-old superstar big man has shown that he is going to be the face of Denver for a long time.
Who amongst these players deserves the bag Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
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