List of highest-paid NBA players by season

Michael Jordan holds the largest 1-year contract in NBA history, LeBron James is the highest career earner, and Stephen Curry is the highest season earner as well as the largest multi-year contract holder in NBA history.

Michael Jordan became the first NBA player to sign a contract worth over $20 million and $30 million in a season (1996–97) and earned $33,140,000 in the 1997–98 season, setting the record for the largest 1-year contract in NBA history, and held the overall record for over 20 years.

Damian Lillard is expected to be the first NBA player to eclipse $60 million in the 2026–27 season, having signed a contract worth $63,228,828.

Another option for teams would be to assign players to a league-assigned minimum salary contract for a maximum of two years.

Harry Boykoff Tri-Cities Blackhawks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee Bucks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee Bucks Bill Walton San Diego Clippers Moses Malone Bill Walton Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Philadelphia 76ers San Diego Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Julius Erving Moses Malone Bill Walton Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia 76ers San Diego Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis Los Angeles Lakers

Stephen Curry , the highest-paid player in the NBA, attempting a jump shot in the 2010–11 NBA season .
Stephen Curry has served as the highest-paid NBA player since the 2017–18 NBA season and became the first player to sign a contract with earnings of over $40 million and $50 million in a season.
LeBron James became the third player to sign a contract worth over $30 million in a season, after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year career in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, was the highest-paid player in the league from the 2009–10 until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2015–16 season.
Kevin Garnett was the highest-paid player during the 2008–09 , 2007–08 , and 2006–07 seasons; he relinquished that position to Shaquille O'Neal for two seasons, but was also the highest-paid player during the 2003–04 , 2002–03 , 2001–02 , and 2000–01 seasons.