Athletes are generally the highest-paid individuals in sports from their contracts with the team, and numerous sponsorship deals with clothing and shoe companies.
It’s common knowledge that professional athletes are paid well for their skills, but the salaries of some of these NBA titans will amaze you. The following are the highest-paid NBA players of 2020
These players have proven abilities that justify contract deals valued at over $100 million, with new deals consistently being signed that break NBA records. Each player is paid with one goal in mind to lead their team to the NBA Championship.
Here Are The Highest Paid NBA Players of 2020
10. Tobias Harris annual salary: $34,449,964
Ahead of the 2019 trade deadline, Tobias Harris was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers, inking a five-year deal worth $180 million. Leading to the deal, Harris had averaged 20 points,
7.9 rebounds and 2 assists in the 2019 season. At the time of signing, the contract was the fifth-largest contract in NBA history, with some wondering if he’s done the work to earn such a hefty salary.
9. Blake Griffin annual salary: $34,449,964
After over a decade in the league, Griffin has built up a net worth of approximately $60 million. With his 34 million dollar salary, Griffin is being paid approximately $2 million more than the 2018-19 season.
Solidifying him as the highest-paid player on the Detroit Pistons. Over the years, Griffin has been awarded Rookie of the Year honours, consistently been selected as an All-Star and has a Slam Dunk Contest win under his belt.
8. Kyle Lowry annual salary: $34,996,296
The beloved Toronto Raptor has earned every dime of his salary after bringing home the 2019 NBA Championship along with other high-earning players like Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka.
The point guard is currently the longest-serving Toronto Raptor on the team and is signed to a three-year $100 million contract that ends in 2020.
7. Lebron James annual salary: $37,436,858
Lebron James may not top this list, but his earnings span far beyond the court. With such a high salary, there were high hopes that James could breathe life into the Los Angeles Lakers, and at the time of writing, the Lakers are currently holding the top spot in the Western Conference.
As James gets older, he refuses to believe that his earnings should be tied to his age, saying, “Hopefully, I can break the mould so when the next guy comes, he can still get $200 or $300 million and be 33 years old.”
6. James Harden annual salary: $38,199,000
James Harden was at the bottom of this list in the 2018-19 season, but his earnings have changed dramatically in the course of a year.
According to ESPN, he’s signed a new contract with the Houston Rockets ending in the 2022-23 season with annual salaries of $37.8 million, 40.8 million, $43.8 million and $46.8 million, respectively. Those annual salaries have bumped him up four spots on this list.
5. Kevin Durant annual salary: $38,199,000
Kevin Durant is expected to sit out the whole 2019-20 season with an Achilles injury, but that doesn’t stop him from collecting his cheque. While sitting on the sidelines for the Brooklyn Nets,
Durant will earn a cool $38 million. In fact, while resting his Achilles tendon, Durant will out-earn every Major League Baseball player in addition to almost every NBA player in the league.
4. John Wall annual salary: $38,199,000
John Wall has just entered the beginning of his four-year, $170 million contracts, which started in the 2019-20 season. His pay increases each year, capping at around $47 million in the 2022-23 season.
Like Durant, Wall is collecting his cheque from the sidelines, rehabbing an Achilles tendon injury.
3. Russell Westbrook annual salary: $38,506,482
Westbrook wows on and off the court, with both his eccentric style and skills in the game. In 2017, Westbrook signed a deal that would guarantee him $205 million over five years,
Making the contract the biggest in NBA history at the time of signing. As a consistent All-Star and former league MVP, Westbook earns his keep.
2. Chris Paul annual salary: $38,506,482
This 6-foot point guard isn’t one to blow his huge paycheque. In an interview with CNBC, he spoke about being very aware of these spending habits saying, “I’m not cheap, but I’m frugal, so I’m very conscious of any and everything that I spend money on.” Still,
He admits to spending on “iced-out chains” and an Escalade with 24-inch rims. With a salary like this, we’re sure those purchases didn’t even make a dent.
1. Steph Curry annual salary: $40,231,738
Curry currently holds the title for the highest single-season salary ever, earning just over $40 million this year. Curry will take home approximately $201 million through his five-year contract, a number that has recently been beaten out by James Harden’s new $205 million contracts. Curry is the highest-paid NBA players of 2020
Known for his high three-point field goal percentage and accuracy from the free-throw line, Curry is an integral part of the Golden State Warrior’s success, making it unsurprising that he tops this list. However, with Curry’s hand injury and a stunning Championship loss to the Toronto Raptors, belief in the franchise as a top contender in the 2020 season has waned.
