NBA salaries are publicly available — every contract is disclosed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. But the salary is only part of the story. For elite players, endorsement income, equity stakes and business ventures can dwarf what the team pays. Here is the complete breakdown of how NBA player earnings work in 2026.
How NBA salaries are structured
NBA salaries are set by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The salary cap sits at approximately $140 million in 2025-26. The maximum individual salary is $59 million, which Stephen Curry earns from Golden State Warriors. Maximum salary is determined by years of service — players with 10+ years can earn up to 35% of the cap.
A player drafted in the first round signs a four-year rookie contract. After that they become a restricted free agent — meaning their current team can match any offer. This structure keeps good young players at their drafting team but means they can be underpaid relative to their value in the early career years.
What the average NBA player earns
The average NBA salary in 2025-26 is approximately $9.5 million per year. The median is closer to $4.5 million — the average is skewed upward by supermax contracts. The minimum for a veteran with 10+ years is approximately $3 million. For a rookie the minimum is $1.1 million. There are 450 roster spots in the NBA and thousands of players competing for them — the lottery odds of reaching even the minimum salary make every NBA contract extraordinary.
| Player | Team | Annual Salary | Contract type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | Golden State | $59.0M | Veteran max |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver | $51.4M | Supermax |
| Kevin Durant | Phoenix | $51.2M | Veteran max |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia | $51.4M | Supermax |
| Giannis | Milwaukee | $48.8M | Supermax |
| LeBron James | LA Lakers | $51.4M | Veteran max |
| SGA | OKC | $35.4M | Rookie max ext. |
| Luka Doncic | Dallas | $46.2M | Supermax |
Endorsements — where the real wealth is built
For the elite tier, endorsement income exceeds salary. LeBron James earns approximately $50 million in NBA salary and approximately $150 million from endorsements and business income — a 1:3 ratio in favour of commercial activity. The shoe deal is the foundation. Nike pays LeBron an estimated $30-35 million per year in royalties. Under Armour pays Curry approximately $20 million. New Balance signed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a signature deal — a statement for a brand entering basketball seriously.
The most commercially active players layer in deals with Gatorade, State Farm, AT&T, Amazon and others. LeBron endorses over 15 major brands simultaneously. This portfolio is managed like a business — agents negotiate across multiple years and product categories, with performance bonuses tied to playoff success and individual awards.
Equity — the new frontier
The most financially sophisticated players now think of themselves as investors who happen to play basketball. LeBron's 2% stake in Liverpool FC through Fenway Sports Group is worth hundreds of millions. His SpringHill Company was valued at $725 million in 2021. Kevin Durant's Boardroom has invested in over 30 companies. This investor-athlete model, pioneered by LeBron, is the template followed by every financially educated player entering the league today.