How Much Do NBA Players Get Paid?

Find out how much NBA players get paid in salary, bonuses, and endorsements.

NBA Player Salaries

On average, NBA players make about $5 million per year. However, there is a wide range of salaries for NBA players, with some players making as little as $50,000 per year and some players making over $30 million per year. The highest-paid NBA player in the 2019-2020 season is Stephen Curry, who makes $37.46 million per year.

Maximum Salaries

In the NBA, a player’s maximum salary is determined by his or her years of experience in the league. A player with 0-6 years of experience can make up to 25% of the salary cap, a player with 7-9 years of experience can make up to 30% of the salary cap, and a player with 10+ years of experience can make up to 35% of the salary cap. For the 2019-2020 season, the salary cap is $109.1 million, so a player with 0-6 years of experience can earn up to $27.275 million, a player with 7-9 years of experience can earn up to $32.73 million, and a player with 10+ years of experience can earn up to $38.185 million. The maximum salaries for each season are listed below.

2019-2020: $109.1 million
2018-2019: $102 million
2017-2018: $99.1 million
2016-2017: $94.143 million
2015-2016: $70 million
2014-2015: $63.065 million
2013-2014: $58.679 million

Minimum Salaries

In the NBA, a player’s salary is calculated using a formula based on the league’s salary cap. The minimum salary for a player in the NBA is $582,180 for the 2019-20 season, which is prorated depending on the number of games played.

A player with one year of experience will make a minimum of $898,310 in 2020-21. A player with two years of experience will make a minimum of $1,349,454. A player with three years of experience or more will make a minimum of $1,517,981.

Rookie Salaries

Rookie salaries in the NBA are limited by a salary cap, which is set by the league each year. The rookie pay scale is a set of rules that stipulates how much first-year players can earn, and it’s determined by their draft position. The lower the player is drafted, the less they can earn.

Here is an example of what the rookie pay scale might look like for a first-round pick in 2020:
– Pick No. 1: $8,119,280
– Pick No. 2: $7,893,960
– Pick No. 3: $7,668,640
– Pick No. 4: $7,443,320
– Pick No. 5: $7,218,000
– Pick No. 6: $6,992,680
-Pick No. 7: $6,767,360

Veteran Salaries

As per the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was signed in December 2011, the maximum amount a player can sign for is set at 25% of the salary cap. The salary cap for the 2019-20 season is $109 million, so the maximum amount any player can sign for this season is $27.25 million.

However, very few players actually sign for the maximum amount, as most have deals that are structured in such a way that they end up taking home a smaller percentage of the salary cap. For example, a player might sign a four-year deal worth $100 million, with 10% of that amount being paid out in each year of the deal. In this scenario, the player would be taking home an annual salary of $10 million – just under 38% of the maximum amount they could have signed for.

In addition to their annual salary, players also receive benefits such as medical insurance and pension contributions. Players also get paid per game – known as ‘game checks’ – which vary depending on how many games they play in a season. For example, a player who appears in all 82 games of an NBA season will receive a game check for each game they play, whereas a player who only appears in 50 games will receive 50 game checks.

The minimum salary for an NBA player is set at $587,642 for the 2019-20 season. This is an increase from last season’s minimum salary of $582,180 – which was itself an increase from the previous season’s minimum salary of $560,000. The minimum salary will continue to increase incrementally each year until it reaches $1 million in 2023-24.

NBA Player Bonuses

NBA players are usually paid their annual salary in 12 installments over the course of the season. Depending on the player’s contract, they may also receive a signing bonus, annual bonuses, and other lump sum payments. In addition, NBA players also receive a portion of the league’s television revenue.

Performance Bonuses

In addition to their annual salary, many NBA players also receive bonuses based on their performance throughout the season. These bonuses can be based on a number of factors, including the player’s individual stats, their team’s win-loss record, and even their role on the team. For example, a player who is selected to start in the All-Star Game could receive a bonus of up to $50,000.

Performance bonuses are typically paid out at the end of the season, but some may be paid out mid-season if the player reaches certain statistical milestones. For example, a player who averages 20 points per game for the first half of the season could receive a bonus of $25,000. These bonuses can add up quickly, and it’s not uncommon for players to earn an additional $100,000 or more in bonuses each season.

Signing Bonuses

In addition to their base salary, NBA players can also earn bonuses for a variety of accomplishments. The most common bonus is the signing bonus, which is paid to a player when they sign their contract. This bonus is typically a percentage of the total value of the contract and is paid out over the life of the deal. For example, if a player signs a five-year, $50 million contract with a $5 million signing bonus, they will receive $1 million per year in bonuses in addition to their base salary.

Other common bonuses include performance bonuses, which are based on the player’s individual statistics or team success; and win bonuses, which are paid out to players on winning teams. These bonuses can be worth millions of dollars per year for superstar players on successful teams. For example, LeBron James earned a $1.5 million bonus for winning the NBA Finals MVP award in 2020.

Trade Bonuses

NBA players receive bonuses for being traded, making the All-Star team, winning an NBA championship, and/or being named MVP or Defensive Player of the Year. Players also may receive up to $50,000 in educational benefits that can be used over a five-year period.

For a player to receive a trade bonus, he must be on his original NBA contract (either a rookie deal or a second contract that was not signed as an extension of his rookie deal) and he must be traded before the later of (1) June 30th following the expiration of his fourth season of service or (2) the last day of the season in which he completed at least three seasons of service. If a player is traded after July 1st, he is not eligible for a trade bonus.

NBA Player Endorsements

In addition to their base salary, NBA players can also earn money through endorsements. Endorsements are often performance-based, meaning that the more a player excels, the more likely he is to earn endorsement deals. Some of the biggest brands in the world, such as Nike and Adidas, have endorsement deals with NBA players. These deals can be worth millions of dollars.

Individual Endorsements

In addition to their salaries, many NBA players also earn income from endorsement deals. In some cases, these endorsement deals are worth more than the player’s salary. For example, LeBron James is estimated to earn $52 million per year from endorsements, while his salary from the Los Angeles Lakers is $37.4 million.

While it is difficult to say exactly how much each player earns from endorsements, some reports suggest that the average NBA player earns between $5 and $10 million per year from endorsement deals. Given that there are only 450 NBA players, this means that the total amount of money spent on player endorsements by companies each year is likely to be between $2.25 and $4.5 billion.

Not all players are equally popular with endorsement companies, however. The most popular players, such as LeBron James and Steph Curry, are likely to earn significantly more than the average player from endorsements. On the other hand, players who are not as popular or whose on-court performance has been poor may struggle to find lucrative endorsement deals.

Team Endorsements

Team endorsements are a major source of income for NBA players. The most successful players in the league can earn millions of dollars per year from team endorsement deals. The best way to maximize earnings from team endorsements is to sign a deal with a shoe company. The top shoe companies in the NBA are Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. These companies offer multimillion-dollar endorsement deals to the league’s best players.

Nike is the largest shoe company in the world and they have endorsement deals with some of the biggest names in the NBA. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant are all Nike endorsers. These deals are worth tens of millions of dollars per year. Adidas and Reebok are also major players in the NBA endorsement game. They have deals with players like Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, and Dwyane Wade.

In addition to shoemakers, there are a number of other companies that endorse NBA players. Gatorade, McDonald’s, and Sprite are some of the most popular brands that have NBA player endorsements. These companies typically offer lower value deals than the shoe companies, but they still pay millions of dollars per year to endorse their products.

NBA Player Taxes

In order to fully understand how much NBA players get paid, we must take a look at the taxes they pay. Federal and state taxes, as well as living in a high-tax city, can really eat into a player’s salary. In addition, NBA players also have to pay a “jock tax” on their income. Let’s take a look at how all of these taxes affect an NBA player’s salary.

Federal Taxes

Federal taxes are progressive, which means that the higher your income, the higher percentage you will pay in taxes. The United States has seven tax brackets, ranging from 10% to 37% marginal tax rates. Most NBA players will fall into the 32% or 37% bracket. In addition to federal income taxes, NBA players also have to pay FICA taxes, which are Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) payroll taxes.

State Taxes

Most NBA players are required to pay state taxes in addition to federal taxes. The amount of state taxes a player has to pay depends on the state in which he plays games and/or resides. Some states have higher tax rates than others, so a player who plays in or resides in a high-tax state will have to pay more in taxes than a player who plays in or resides in a low-tax state.

The following states have the highest marginal tax rates for individuals:

-California: 13.3%
-Hawaii: 11%
-Oregon: 9.9%
-Minnesota: 9.85%
-Iowa: 8.98%
-New Jersey: 8.97%
-Vermont: 8.95%
-District of Columbia: 8.95%
-New York: 8.82%

NBA Player Expenses

players are paid a salary based on the number of games they play and whether they are part of the starting lineup or not. In addition to their salary, players also receive a per diem, which is a daily allowance to cover expenses while on the road. players also have their travel and accommodation expenses covered by the team. Lastly, players receive a share of the revenue from ticket sales, television contracts, and sponsorships.

Agent Fees

NBA players are required to pay their agents a maximum of 4% of their total contract value. For a player signing a $100 million contract, that’s a $4 million fee paid to the agent. This fee is typically deducted from the player’s first paycheck and is paid out in installments over the life of the contract.

Training Expenses

Training expenses for NBA players vary depending on the type of training required and the number of hours required. Players typically train for two to three hours per day during the season, and four to six hours per day during the off-season. The cost of training can range from $200 to $400 per hour, depending on the trainer, location, and type of training.

Players also incur costs for travel to and from training facilities, as well as for lodging and meals while they are away from home. Travel costs can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per month, depending on the distance traveled and the number of trips taken.

Travel Expenses

Players are reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred while on team business, including airfare, hotel accommodations, and meals. Travel expenses for a player’s family are generally not reimbursed by the team, although some teams may provide a small stipend to help offset the cost of travel for families of rookies during training camp and the pre-season.