The NBA is in the process of league expansion, so it’s not too surprising to hear the salaries of its highest-paid players are also increasing.
Elite scorers and ball-handlers make up the majority of the top 25 rankings, as only a handful of “traditional” big men — Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Nikola Jokic, to name a few — are in the upper echelon of annual earnings.
Oklahoma City’s two-time league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holds the crown for the highest-paid player after signing a four-year, $285 million supermax extension in July 2025. That’s an average annual value (AAV) of $71.2 million per year.
AAV vs. Single-Season Salary
Average annual value divides a contract’s total value by its number of seasons, while a player’s season salary is the amount scheduled for that specific year. Those numbers can differ substantially when a contract includes annual raises, options or seasons that have not yet begun.
Here’s a look at the league’s top 25 most highly compensated players by AAV, according to Spotrac.
Highest-Paid NBA Players, by Average Annual Value
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- AAV:$71.2 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $285 million
2. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
- AAV:$68.9 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $275.9 million
3. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
- AAV:$66.2 million
- Contract details: 2 years, $132.5 million
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- AAV:$62.7 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $313.9 million
5. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- AAV:$62.6 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $187.8 million
6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- AAV:$62.5 million
- Contract details: 1 year, $62.5 million
T-7. Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards
- AAV:$58.4 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $175.3 million
T-7. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat
- AAV:$58.4 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $175.3 million
9. Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors
- AAV:$57.5 million
- Contract details: 2 years, $115 million
10. Jaylen Brown, Philadelphia 76ers
- AAV:$57 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $285.3 million
11. Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
- AAV:$55.4 million
- Contract details: 2 years, $110.9 million
12. De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
- AAV:$55.4 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $221.7 million
13. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- AAV:$55.2 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $276.1 million
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
14. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
- AAV:$55.1 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $220.4 million
T-15. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
- AAV:$53.8 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $269 million
T-15. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
- AAV:$53.8 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $269 million
T-17. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- AAV:$53.4 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $160.3 million
T-17. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
- AAV:$53.4 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $160.3 million
19. Trae Young, Washington Wizards
- AAV:$53.2 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $212.8 million
20. Paul George, Boston Celtics
- AAV:$52.8 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $211.5 million
21. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
- AAV:$51.9 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $207.8 million
22. Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz
- AAV:$51.2 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $205 million
23. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- AAV:$51 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $255.2 million
24. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
- AAV:$48.9 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $195.8 million
25. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- AAV:$48.9 million
- Contract details: 5 years, $244.6 million
More NBA Essentials
- Every NBA Team Payroll
- NBA’s Top 25 Highest-Paid Players
- Best NBA Draft Steals of All Time
- Biggest Celebrity Fans of Every NBA Team
- NBA MVPs: Every Winner and Stats
- Most Points Scored by a Player in an NBA Game, Ranked
- Every NBA Finals Matchup, Result, and MVP Since 1947
- How NBA Contracts Work: Rookies, Extensions, Max Deals
