The NBA has seen some absurd contract extensions recently, with Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signing a record-breaking four-year deal worth $272 million. His average annual salary of $68.1 million is set to begin in the 2027-28 NBA season, so he still has a couple of years until he receives his massive payday.
For the upcoming 2025-26 season, none other than Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry is topping the league in salary. The greatest shooter of all time is set to bring in $59.6, putting him on top of a lucrative list next season.
Apr 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Right behind Curry, however, is Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP is set to make $55.3 million next season, which is tied for the second-most in the league with Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid.
Via Evan Sidery: “The NBA’s highest paid players in 2025-26:
Stephen Curry: $59.6 million
Nikola Jokic: $55.3 million
Joel Embiid: $55.3 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo: $54.2 million
Jimmy Butler: $54.2 million
Anthony Davis: $54.2 million
Jayson Tatum: $54.2 million
Kevin Durant: $53.3 million
Devin Booker: $53.1 million
Jaylen Brown: $53.1 million
Karl-Anthony Towns: $53.1 million”
The NBA’s highest paid players in 2025-26:
Stephen Curry: $59.6 million
Nikola Jokic: $55.3 million
Joel Embiid: $55.3 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo: $54.2 million
Jimmy Butler: $54.2 million
Anthony Davis: $54.2 million
Jayson Tatum: $54.2 million
Kevin Durant: $53.3 million… pic.twitter.com/pJ4o9w5UhC
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 25, 2025
While Curry and Jokic will be the two highest-paid players in the NBA next season, neither of the superstars is in the top eight of average annual salary (AAV) in the league, with some of these insane supermax contract extensions rolling in.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s new deal leads the league in AAV at $68.1 million, with Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid over $60 million, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Jaylen Brown, and Jimmy Butler still all ahead of Jokic, despite the Nuggets’ big man being the clear-cut top player in the NBA.
Nikola Jokic has informed Nuggets he won’t sign a contract extension this offseason, per @BennettDurando.
Jokic can earn approximately $80M more by waiting until 2026 offseason to sign extension.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 8, 2025
However, Jokic does not top that list yet because he declined the Nuggets’ contract extension offer this offseason, and will instead likely sign a record-breaking deal next summer. Jokic is the first NBA player since Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird to finish top two in MVP voting for five consecutive seasons, so if anybody deserves to be making around $70 million per year, it would be him.
Still, Jokic will undoubtedly get his well-deserved payday next offseason, and making $55.3 million until then likely does not sound too bad for the humble Serbian. Jokic and Curry both have an incredible impact on the game of basketball, so it is refreshing for NBA fans to see those two at the top of the salary list heading into the 2025-26 season.