NBA 2026/27 Season Kicks Off: Unveiling the League's Highest-Paid Stars Amidst Championship Drama

The 2026/27 NBA season is set to commence on Tuesday, with the New York Knicks aiming to defend their championship title won last season. The Knicks clinched the title by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA finals, marking the end of a 53-year championship drought. In a significant career move, LeBron James is embarking on his record-setting 24th NBA season. After eight seasons with the LA Lakers, James has opted to take a pay cut to join the Philadelphia 76ers. Reports indicate his new contract is valued at approximately $8 million over two seasons, a considerable decrease from his $53 million deal during his final season with the Lakers.

This shift in player contracts brings attention to the highest salaries for the 2026/27 NBA season. The following list details the top-earning athletes in the NBA, presented in descending order of earnings, with data compiled from ESPN, Basketball Reference, and other sources.

Highest-paid players of NBA 2026/27

• Tied for 18th: Luka Doncic (LA Lakers) – $49.5 million
• Tied for 18th: Trae Young (Washington Wizards) – $49.5 million
• Tied for 18th: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) – $49.5 million
• 17th: De'Aaron Fox (San Antonio Spurs) – $49.8 million
• Tied for 13th: Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) – $50.1 million
• Tied for 13th: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers) – $50.1 million
• Tied for 13th: Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) – $50.1 million
• Tied for 13th: Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers) – $50.1 million
• 12th: Kawhi Leonard (Toronto Raptors) – $50.3 million
• 11th: Paul George (Boston Celtics) – $54.1 million
• 10th: Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors) – $56.8 million
• Tied for 8th: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) – $57 million
• Tied for 8th: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks) – $57 million
• 7th: Jaylen Brown (Philadelphia 76ers) – $57.7 million
• 6th: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – $58 million
• Tied for 3rd: Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) – $58.4 million
• Tied for 3rd: Anthony Davis (Washington Wizards) – $58.4 million
• Tied for 3rd: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami Heat) – $58.4 million
• 2nd: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – $59 million
• 1st: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – $62.5 million