LeBron James is NBA’s Highest-Paid Player For 9th Straight Season

For the ninth straight year, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is again the NBA’s highest-paid player.

lebron james
Photo via Marca

Turning 38 years of age this December 2022, LeBron James is still the highest-paid player in the NBA. Combining his current salary with the Los Angeles Lakers and his annual endorsement checks and other business ventures, Forbes values LeBron’s earnings at $124.5 million. That is way ahead of Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, who comes in second with $95.1 million.

James, who is about to enter his 20th season in the NBA, will earn $44 million in his contract with the Lakers this year. Last August, James agreed on a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension, which will kick in during the 2023-24 season. If he will pick up his player option for the 2024-25 season, James will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025. It remains to be seen what the future holds for James by then — that is if he decides to retire or continue playing.

If he does decide to continue playing beyond 2025, there’s no doubt that the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player will still provide high value for his team. At age 37, James still managed to log 37.2 minutes last season, leading the Lakers in that category. Most importantly, “The King” was one of the best all-around players, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks in his 19th year in the league. With the individual and collective goal to again compete for the championship this year, there’s little chance that James will slow down or play fewer minutes this season.

Along with LeBron James and Steph Curry, the rest of the top NBA earners include Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant ($88M), Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo ($86.5M), Lakers’ Russell Westbrook ($82.1M), Warriors’ Klay Thompson ($60.6M), Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard ($60.5M), Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden ($53M), Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George ($51M), and Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler ($49.7M).

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