'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Having the right roster in place will always be the most important determining factor when it comes to an NBA team’s success. However, the right coach can also play a pivotal role in elevating a team’s ceiling and helping them reach their full potential.
Elite coaches can often take a team from okay to good or from good to great. Unfortunately for the league’s 30 teams, there aren’t that many elite coaches available. So, teams typically have to pay a premium to land one of these coaches.
As players’ salaries continue to rise, so too have the salaries of coaches. As a result, the top coaches are starting to creep into the seven-figure per year range.
Here's a look at the five highest-paid NBA coaches entering the 2023-24 season (numbers courtesy of Basketball Insiders):
#5. Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat: $8.5 million per year
Erik Spoelstra has proven himself to be one of the top coaches in NBA history since he took over as Miami Heat coach in 2008. Spoelstra has led the Heat to six NBA Finals appearances and two titles during his tenure with the team.
He has also been known to get the most out of middling rosters as he consistently helps his teams overachieve year after year.
#4. Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers: $9 million per year
Nick Nurse rose toward the top of the NBA's coaching rankings during his five seasons with the Toronto Raptors. Nurse led the Raptors to their first NBA title in 2019. He also garnered a reputation for being one of the most innovative coaching minds in the league.
While things didn’t work out for Nurse during his final season in Toronto, he was still in high demand after being let go this offseason. After being hired by the Philadelphia 76ers in May, Nurse is now set to earn $9 million per season in Philly.
#3. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors: $9.5 million per year
The most successful coach of the past decade, Steve Kerr has helped turn the Golden State Warriors into a dynasty since being hired in 2014. During his tenure in Golden State, Kerr has led the Warriors to six NBA Finals appearances and four titles.
He has also helped revolutionize the game of basketball with his fast-paced, small-ball lineups filled with spacing. Given some of the more recent coaching deals that have been handed out, Kerr now appears to be slightly underpaid at $9.5 million per season.
#2. Monty Williams, Detroit Pistons: $13 million per year
Perhaps the most surprising name on this list, Monty Williams signed the biggest coaching contract in NBA history with the Detroit Pistons in May. Williams received a massive six-year, $78.5 million deal, despite his limited playoff success.
Williams has made just one NBA Finals appearance and has yet to win his first title. However, he is known to have a strong character and a knack for developing young talent. So, the Pistons will now be paying Williams $13 million annually in hopes that he will help get their young roster back on track.
Also read: 5 NBA coaches with the worst winning percentages
#1. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs: $16 million per year
Gregg Popovich has been considered by many to be the top coach in the NBA throughout the majority of his illustrious career. However, he briefly lost his title as the highest-paid coach in the league this offseason to Monty Williams before reclaiming it.
Popovich once again surpassed Williams when he signed a record-breaking five-year, $80 million contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs in July. As a result, he will now be making a whopping $16 million annually moving forward.
During his tenure in San Antonio, Popovich has helped turn the Spurs into one of the premier franchises in the NBA. The legendary coach has guided the team to six NBA Finals appearances and five titles since he took over as coach in 1996.
