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Before the NBA 2020-21 preseason and the hype for the campaign's start, we had NBA Free Agency 2020. During the offseason, we saw some extraordinary contract extensions for several players with huge numbers. With that in mind, we will take a look at the highest earners in NBA history.
10 richest players in NBA history
Huge contracts usually correspond to a player's talent and the positives he brings to his team. Also, availability at the right time is key for a player closing a big deal with an NBA franchise. Some times, availability could be even more important than ability.
In this instance, that is not necessarily the case. When looking at the names of the highest-paid players in NBA history, you will easily understand why they have earned their deserved money.
Without further ado, let us start.
#10 Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard might be a role player in today's NBA, but he is one of the best big men to have played in the league. Accordingly, his impact got compensated with huge paydays, and DH has earned $242,024,800 in his 16-year NBA career.
Howard will be a Hall-of-Fame member once he retires from the league.
His biggest contract in the NBA came in 2013 when he signed a four-year deal worth more than $87 million with the Houston Rockets. The highest salary he has earned happened after the three-year, $70 million deal he inked with the Atlanta Hawks in 2016.
Howard's impact in the game is not the same as it was in his best years. In his highest level, Howard became an eight-time All-NBA player and won three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2009 to 2011.
He led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009 and five years after Orlando selected Howard with the first overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft. Of course, being the first pick meant a big contract as a rookie for the center.
#9 Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook, the 2016-17 NBA MVP, has the second-highest salary for the 2020-21 season and is one of the 10 highest-paid players in NBA history.
Recently traded from the Houston Rockets to the Washington Wizards, Westbrook has earned $244,370,524 in his great NBA career.
Westbrook has been an NBA player since 2008. His entry-level deal was a four-year contract worth more than $16 million. Then, he signed a five-year extension with the OKC Thunder in 2012 worth more than $78 million.
In 2016, Westbrook earned another huge contract with OKC as he inked a three-year extension worth over $85 million.
Westbrook is a nine-time All-NBA player, a league MVP, and has led the NBA in scoring and assists twice each.
#8 Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer when his time comes, and he has earned it, along with huge paydays during his legendary NBA career.
Dirk earned $251,646,362 during his 21-year career with the Dallas Mavericks. As much as the Mavs compensated the one-time league MVP, he returned it handsomely on the court.
Nowitzki led the charge to Dallas' only NBA championship in 2011. He earned Finals MVP during a tremendous run in the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
He ranks sixth in points scored in NBA history with 31,560.
#7 Carmelo Anthony
Much like Dwight Howard's case, Carmelo Anthony's best days are gone. But those days were stunning.
Anthony came into the NBA after being selected third in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
Carmelo remains a solid piece on offense. He averaged 15 points per game last year and made 39 percent of his three-pointers with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, his days of leading the league in scoring are gone.
Still, Carmelo has earned $259,881,402 in his 17-year career. Earn is the right word, as he has been selected to six All-NBA teams and 10 All-Star teams.
#6 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is the best player on the planet for some, despite LeBron James' greatness and consistency. Whether you agree with that statement or not, Durant has been one of the greatest players in the league since his NBA debut in 2007.
Before the sign-and-trade that sent him from Golden State to the Brooklyn Nets, Durant had signed contracts worth less than his real market value. However, his current contract is a four-year deal worth over $164 million.
Even with his team-friendly contracts, Durant ranks sixth in NBA history with earnings over $264 million.
He deserves all the money he has been paid, as Durant is a two-time Finals MVP, a league MVP, and a nine-time All-NBA player.
#5 Shaquille O'Neal
The first athlete on this list to have played a vast part of his career during the 1990s, Shaquille O'Neal's earnings were as impactful as he was on the court.
Shaq, still a big figure in the NBA world, earned over $286 million during his playing days (1992-2011).
O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He won four NBA championships with the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat and earned three Finals MVP trophies.
Moreover, Shaq won one NBA MVP, was a 15-time NBA All-Star and earned 14 All-NBA selections.
#4 Chris Paul
Chris Paul has not won an NBA championship in his Hall-of-Fame career, but CP3 has earned over $299 million since 2005, and it has been a deserved compensation.
Paul was the fourth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. He has played for the New Orleans Hornets, LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, and the OKC Thunder. In the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season, CP3 will play for the Phoenix Suns.
With the Rockets, Paul signed his biggest contract. His current deal was signed in 2018 and is a four-year contract worth over $159 million.
#3 Kobe Bryant
Loyalty paid off on every level for the late, great Kobe Bryant.
He won five NBA championships with the LA Lakers, two Finals MVPs, and one league MVP amongst other accolades. Moreover, Bryant earned more than $323 million from his NBA salary.
Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the LA Lakers (1996-2016) and surely became one of the greatest players in the league's history.
He will always be an NBA icon.
#2 Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett is the third of four players on this list who came into the NBA straight from high school.
Coming from high school and becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the league helped KG become one of the top earners in league history.
In his 21-year career, Garnett earned more than $334 million from his NBA salary.
'The Big Ticket' was a nine-time All-NBA player and earned 12 All-Defensive selections in his career. He also won an MVP, a Defensive Player of the eYar award, and an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
#1 LeBron James
Who else? Arguably the greatest player in NBA history, LeBron James is also the highest-paid player in the history of the league.
He was the first pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, and played his first seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Then, he went to the Miami Heat and played four years there, winning two championships. He returned to Cleveland and delivered the first championship in franchise history.
His arrival to the LA Lakers happened on the back of a four-year, $153 million deal. Then, after winning the 2020 title, James signed a two-year $85 million extension with the Lakers.
In his legendary career, 'The King' has earned over $343 million from his NBA salaries. James has won four championships and four Finals MVPs with three different teams (the only player ever to do it).
Also read: NBA Preseason 2020-21: 5 key takeaways to focus on before the start of the regular season
Guess the Lakers players!
