As one of the most popular sports leagues, basketball salaries have quickly risen to levels never before seen in professional sports. Along with football players, NBA players are often the highest-paid athletes on the planet. Given the potential revenue available for winning basketball teams, it makes sense for teams to pay star players as much as possible to keep delivering positive results. 

Where things get really interesting is the total salary each team is paying for all of its players. Some teams have the salaries spread out evenly based on talent, while other teams have significant funds going into one or two players while the rest make far less. With this in mind, we’ll use data from Sportrac to look at the highest NBA salaries in descending order. 

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15. Cleveland Cavaliers 

• Total team salary: $160,092,854
  

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a far cry from the Lebron James heyday, but their $160 million payroll needs to show more for the dollar. After losing to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Cavaliers are showing surprising performances for a team with only two all-stars. Donovan Mitchell is the marquee name, earning $33 million, though Darius Garland makes slightly more at $34 million. The rest of the team’s salary is spread out among its roster. 

14. New York Knicks

• Total team salary: $160,343,147

After making a surprising playoff run in the 2023-2024 season with the Eastern Conference semifinals, the New York Knicks have a strong roster. Whether it warrants a $160 million payday is up for debate, but stars Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, each earning $26 million annually, undoubtedly carry the team. The Knicks have most of their team locked up for at least another year, so barring any trades, expect to see a similar lineup on the floor next season. 

13. Philadelphia 76ers

• Total team salary: $161,970,318

While star Joel Embiid has kept the 76ers in the conversation with his $47 million salary, the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers roster can be moved around like chess pieces. Only Tobias Harris, who isn’t mentioned in the upper tier of NBA names, makes over $20 million with a surprising $39 million salary. The 76ers must rebuild their roster through free agency or trades to become an Eastern Conference force again. 

12. Chicago Bulls

• Total team salary: $162,193,482

With the 12th-highest payroll in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls don’t have much to show for it. Early playoff exits have left the team contemplating what to do with its marquee star, Zach Lavine, who is the highest-paid player on the team at $40 million. DeMar DeRozan has shown he still has what it takes to earn his $28 million salary, but it’s clear the Bulls need to rework their payroll and roster if they want to find themselves in the second round of the playoffs. 

11. Dallas Mavericks

• Total team salary: $162,282,786

After losing in the NBA finals to the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks look poised to return even stronger last year. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving look to have more than earned their $40 million and $38 million salaries, respectively, as the best 1-2 combination in basketball. With both players committed to the Mavericks at least through 2026, the team should no doubt be ready for another deep playoff run next season. 

10. Minnesota Timberwolves

• Total team salary: $164,180,564

Just missing out on the NBA finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves look to have a core group of players to make a finals run next season. Anthony Edwards might suddenly be the most underpaid player in the league, with a $13 million annual salary. Rudy Gobert needs to continue proving he is worth $41 million, while Karl-Anthony Towns needs to retake control of the team and guide them to the promised land. 

9. New Orleans Pelicans

• Total team salary: $164,656,924

The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the highest salaries of any team, only to see them get swept out of the first round of the playoffs. Unsurprisingly, CJ. McCollum and Zion Williamson are the two players on the team with the highest salaries, earning $35 million and $34 million, respectively. Whether each player will continue to warrant such high salaries will be determined as the Pelicans need to make some changes to go beyond the first round of the playoffs.  

8. Los Angeles Lakers

• Total team salary: $168,055,994

While it’s completely unsurprising Lebron Jones makes the max $47 million and Anthony Davis comes in at $40 million, the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers pay is spread out fairly evenly. However, it’s surprising that no other player on the team makes over $20 million, with D’Angelo Russell coming closest at $17 million per season. There is no question the Lakers need to move some chess pieces around and bring in a better-starting group to support James and Davis. 

7. Miami Heat

• Total team salary: $172,894,063 million

With the Miami Heat making a few improbable runs deep into the playoffs, including a trip to the NBA finals, Jimmy Butler’s $45 million salary looks like a bargain. For the 2024-2025 season, the Heat only have four players making over $20 million, which aligns fairly well with the rest of the NBA. Unfortunately, without a major trade, the Heat don’t have a lot of cap space to grab a marquee player to support Butler’s highlight reel. 

6. Denver Nuggets

• Total team salary: $176,890,198 million 

After winning the 2022-2023 NBA championship, the Denver Nuggets’ high salaries look worthwhile. It won’t come as any surprise to learn that former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is making a max salary of $47 million. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. each make $33 million per season and have helped carry the team for the past few years. It’s safe to expect that at these salaries, the Nuggets will look for revenge next season in the playoffs. 

5. Milwaukee Bucks

• Total team salary: $182,226,590 million

With the one-two punch of Damien Lillard and Gianna Antetokoumpo each making over $45 million per year, it should come as no surprise the Milwaukee Bucks are the fifth-highest NBA-paying team. Unfortunately, the big salary for the Bucks didn’t turn into big results, as the team lost in the first round of the playoffs. However, barring any surprising trades, the team’s core starting five are all back next year to make a deeper playoff run. 

4. Boston Celtics

• Total team salary: $184,845,028 million

After going 57-25 during the regular season in 2023-2024 and winning the NBA title, the Boston Celtic’s $184 million salary looks well spent. It won’t come as any surprise to learn the team’s core four of, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Jaystom Tatum, and Jaylen Brown all make over $30 million annually. All these players are also locked into long-term max contracts, with Jayson Tatum the first to reach free agency in 2026. 

3. Phoenix Suns

• Total team salary: $188,290,459 million

With a huge payroll and two marquee all-stars on the team, expectations for the Phoenix Suns are higher than ever. With Kevin Durant as one of the highest-paid players in the league, at $46 million, Bradly Beal and Devin Booker are also receiving big paychecks, at $46 million and $36 million, respectively. For a team with a payroll exceeding $188 million, getting swept out of the 2023-2024 playoffs had to be a bitter pill to swallow. 

2. Los Angeles Clippers

• Total team salary: $198,296,474 million 

With a team payroll of just under $200 million, one might expect the Los Angeles Clippers to be making deep playoff runs. While this has yet to be the case, there is no doubt the team expects as much from Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, who make $45 million in salary every year. The same can be said for James Harden, who makes almost double that of the next closest player at $35 million annually. 

1. Golden State Warriors

• Total team salary: $206,814,776 million 

The Golden State Warriors became a basketball powerhouse after exploding in the 2010s. When any team wins four titles, management has plenty of incentive to pay players as much as necessary to stay. As such, players like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Chris Paul all have annual salaries exceeding $30 million. However, it remains to be seen what the Warriors will do if they trade Klay Thompson. 

 

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