NBA 2017-18: Stephen Curry and LeBron James lead highest paid players list

Early in 2016, the NBA extended their television deals with ESPN and TNT for another nine years. The new deal officially began with the 2016-17 season and is set to carry on till the end of the 2024-25 season. According to reports from the New York Times, the deal was expected to be around 2.6 billion dollars a year.

The revenue the league received through this deal was bound to have an impact on the team's salary caps and subsequently the player's salaries. While many players did receive a huge paycheque last summer, plenty of superstars only received their worth this past offseason due to contractual bounds.

Circumstances have led to some surprising names on this list. So with the media day wrapped up and training camps have begun across the league, let's take a look at the 10 highest paid players this season.

(Salary figures via spotrac.com)

#10 Al Horford - Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics forward/

center

Al Horford

Contract Details: 4-years and $113 million

Salary in 2017-18: $27,734,405

Al Horford signed on with the Boston Celtics last year as a free agent (FA). He was the first superstar or mid-level superstar FA to have chose Boston after multiple years of the franchise not being a lucrative landing spot for free agent players.

His arrival accelerated the team's steady rebuild and a year later the Celtics' have formed their own Big 3 alongside him by trading for Kyrie Irving and signing Gordon Hayward as a free agent.

Horford earns quite a bit for a nine-year veteran, who only averaged 14.3 points and 8.7 rebounds prior to joining the Celtics. However, he contributes more than just numbers and his decision to sign with the franchise also changed the way many other players looked at the organization.

#9 James Harden - Houston Rockets

James Harden

Contract Details: 4-years and $118 million

Salary in 2017-18: $28,299,399

There's no disputing James Harden's value to his team or the league overall. Runner-up for the MVP award last season, Harden is in the second year of a four-year extension he signed last summer. It must be noted that the fourth and final year (for which Harden had a player-option) has been voided with the new extension he signed this past offseason.

The new contract is a 4-year 162 million dollar extension, which kicks in from the 2019-20 season. Keeping him in Houston till 2023, the franchise has surely decided to make all their championship contending plans for the next few years around this dynamic left-handed combo guard.

#8 Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook

Contract Details: 3 years and $86 million

Salary in 2017-18: $28,530,608

Russell Westbrook was slated to become a free agent this summer (2017) but with Kevin Durant bolting last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder needed some insurance. Foregoing the last year of his previous contract (5 years and $78 million), both parties agreed to a three-year extension with the last year having player option opt-out clause.

So, for all tens and purposes, Westbrook could become an unrestricted free agent in the 2018 offseason.

Note: He has been offered a five-year $207 million dollar extension by the OKC. The offer, which expires on October 16th, will keep the reigning MVP with the franchise until 2024.

#7 Mike Conley - Memphis Grizzlies

Mike Conley

Contract Details: 5-year and $152.6 million

Salary in 2017-18: $28,530,608

After some of the TV deal money kicked in last summer, Mike Conley's contract was the biggest to go down. The 2017-18 season will be his second as part of a 5-year 152 million dollar deal he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies.

A lot of noise was made regarding his contract, given that he had risen to among the highest paid players in the league while not having made a single All-Star game or an All-NBA team. Although his game doesn't necessarily deserve the high price, his value to the team would tell another story.

#6 Kyle Lowry - Toronto Raptors

Kyle Lowry

Contract Details: 3 years and $100 million

Salary in 2017-18: $28,703,704

Despite their mutually benefitting five-year relationship, it took quite a while before the Toronto Raptors and Kyle Lowry could agree to a deal this summer. Nonetheless, the franchise has signed him and free-agent Serge Ibaka, making their intentions very clear to contend once again.

Lowry's body at 31, has 12 years of mileage, and thus the short duration of his deal. His value to the team is priceless and the team has ensured he gets what he feels he deserves.

#5 Blake Griffin - LA Clippers

Blake Griffin

Contract Details: 5 years and $171.2 million

Salary in 2017-18: $29,512,900

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were both set to become free agents this past summer. With the former making his intentions clear and moving on to Houston, the Clippers made sure they signed up their younger superstar to a long-term deal.

Griffin, who has a lot to prove now, will remain in Los Angeles at least until his contract ends in 2022. He now leads the resurgence of the Clippers franchise, who are yet to make a Conference Finals despite being contenders for the past few years.

#4 Gordon Hayward - Boston Celtics

Gordon Hayward

Contract Details: 4 years and $127.8 million

Salary in 2017-18: $29,727,900

One of the biggest signing of the summer - Gordon Hayward - checks in at No. 4. He opted out of the final year of his deal with the Utah Jazz to become a free agent. In Boston, Hayward re-unites with his college coach Brad Stevens, who was a huge reason for the All-Star moving to the East.

The final year of his current contract with the Celtics has a player-option opt-out clause to it, which given the direction of the franchise, Hayward will most probably pick up. However, that's just a prediction and his final decision will only be known in the summer of 2020.

#3 Paul Millsap - Denver Nuggets

Paul Millsap

Contract Details: 2 years and $61 million

Salary in 2017-18: $30,769,231

Nearing free agency in 2017, the Atlanta Hawks showed no intention to hand Paul Millsap a max offer, so the All-Star moved to fresher waters signing a short 2-year deal with the young and talented Denver Nuggets.

Although it is a two-year deal, the Nuggets hold the team option to continue with him for the third season in 2019-20. Unlike others on this list, Millsap has many incentives tied into his deal like making the All-Star team and the All-Defensive team (via Twitter/Bobby Marks).

#2 LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James

Contract Details: 3 years and $99.8 million

Salary in 2017-18: $33,285,709

Was there ever any doubt that LeBron James wasn't going to be on this list?

Every move that the four-time league MVP has ever made has been well thought out and planned. Since his return to the franchise for a second-stint, he signed two one-year deals until he could account for the increase in the salary cap into his deal.

The 2017-18 season is the second year of his contract. What's interesting is that he has an opt-out clause after this season, and although he's made his intentions clear of staying, he hasn't put pen to paper on that yet.

#1 Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry

Contract Details: 5 years and $201.2 million

Salary in 2017-18: $34,682,550

Stephen Curry's contract goes from being called the biggest discount deal ever to the most expensive one in the league and rightfully so. The two league MVP awards, including the unanimous selection, and two titles had all come under a 4-year $44 million deal that he signed in 2012.

He's earned every penny of the $201.2 million on his contract. Not to mention the success he will continue to bring to the franchise over the course of his new contract. No player or team option on this contract. It's five years and fully guaranteed.

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