The 10 Highest-Paid Players In The NBA Finals

ByJoey Heldon June 5, 2024inArticles›Sports News

The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics are about to face off in the NBA Finals. The Celtics were expected to be here, their 64-18 record a reflection of their dominance all season. The Mavericks might be a bit of a surprise to some viewers. The team finished as the 5th seed in the Western Conference and had to knock off the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves without having homecourt advantage in any series.

Regardless of how they got here, we should have a great series on our hands. Before the action tips off on the court, let’s take a look at the ten highest earners in the series.

Luka Dončić — $40,064,220

The Mavericks traded for Dončić during the 2018 NBA Draft. Since then, he’s evolved into one of the top players in the league. He finished this season with a career-high in points, assists, and three-point percentage, and his 33.9 points per game led the entire NBA. For his strong play, Dončić once again earned All-NBA First Team and All-Star honors, ending up third in MVP voting. Dončić could sign the largest contract in NBA history next offseason. For now, he’ll have to settle for being the highest earner of the NBA Finals.

Kyrie Irving — $37,037,037

When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving last year, some fans and analysts thought it was a move that reeked of desperation and would lead to the demise of the Dončić-era Mavericks. After all, Irving had forced his way out of Cleveland, unceremoniously left Boston, and his unwillingness to get vaccinated prevented him from taking the floor for key games with the Brooklyn Nets. After the Mavericks had a late-season slide and fell out of the playoffs entirely, it looked like the haters might be right. Turns out it’s tough to immediately jell with new teammates. After a full season in Dallas, Irving has looked like his vintage self, making smart plays, using his quickness to outwit defenders, and having a ton of fun along the way.

Jrue Holiday — $36,861,707

What a season it’s been for Jrue Holiday. He started the summer with the Milwaukee Bucks, the team he won a championship with in 2021 (he also owns one of the coolest passes in NBA Finals history). Then, Holiday was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the Damian Lillard trade. He found his way to Boston, and his on-court IQ and hard-nosed defense have made him immediately likable among the Celtics faithful. Now, he’s looking for his second title in four years—and the Celtics are relying on his veteran leadership to help them get there.

Kristaps Porziņģis — $36,016,200

The Celtics traded for Porziņģis in the offseason, sending away longtime beloved Celtic Marcus Smart. The move stung the team’s fans at first, but Porziņģis has shown why he’s been such a tantalizing player since entering the league. There aren’t many 7'2″ guys who can score 20 points a game while shooting 37.5% from downtown. Porziņģis’s size and skillset create a lot of mismatches for Boston, but they’ve had to spend much of this postseason without him. He suffered a strained left calf in Game 4 of the first-round matchup with the Heat and has missed every game since.

Luka Dončić (L) and Jayson Tatum (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum — $32,600,060

With five straight All-Star appearances to his name, Jayson Tatum is probably the biggest name on the Celtics. His scoring dipped a bit from last season—he topped 30 points a game in 2022-23 and dropped to 26.9 this year—yet he still finished sixth in MVP voting and made both All-NBA First Team and the All-Star roster.

Jaylen Brown — $31,830,357

It might be a bit surprising to see Jaylen Brown so far down the list, considering he signed the largest contract in NBA history last summer. But that extension won’t kick in until next season, when Brown will receive a healthy raise to $49.7 million. He’ll also earn a whopping $65.6 million in the final year of the deal, more than double what he’s making this year. He was an All-Star this season and is currently posting playoff career-highs in points and field goal percentage.

Derrick White — $18,357,143

The Celtics acquired Derrick White at the trade deadline two years ago, and he’s quickly become a fan favorite in Boston. He was a key contributor to the team’s trip to the finals in 2022, and he has one of the best playoff game-winners in recent memory. White is the last Celtic on this list; outside of Al Horford (making $10 million this year), no one else on the Celtics has a salary above $4.1 million.

Tim Hardaway Jr. — $17,897,728

Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a key piece of previous Mavs teams and put together another decent regular season, posting 14.4 points and shooting 35% from three en route to ninth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting. However, Hardaway Jr. hasn’t had much success these playoffs. He’s shooting below 40% from the field, and his 4.6 points per game are nearly 10 below his regular season average. He aggravated an ankle injury in the second round, and that’s hampered his performance on the court.

P.J. Washington — $16,847,826

The Mavericks traded for P.J. Washington at this year’s trade deadline. In return for Washington, the Mavs gave the Charlotte Hornets Grant Williams—a major acquisition for Dallas last summer—and Seth Curry , plus a top-two protected 2027 draft pick. Washington was solid during the regular season and has ramped it up in the playoffs, which is the first postseason appearance of his five-year career. Washington is scoring 13.6 points per game and shooting 36% from deep, and his trolling game is among the best in the league.

Daniel Gafford — $12,402,000

Alongside Washington, Daniel Gafford was the other major trade deadline acquisition for the Mavericks. Dallas sent Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick to the Washington Wizards to acquire Gafford, who has been a catalyst for the Mavs at the center position. He’s started every game this postseason, and though his numbers have dipped slightly from the regular season, he’s still been a great defensive presence and a consistent lob threat. And here’s a fun fact: If the Mavs end up winning the NBA Finals, they’ll have won more games than the Wizards won THE ENTIRE YEAR. Safe to say, Gafford is thrilled to be out of D.C.

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The 12 Players On Team USA’s Roster Will Make Over Half A Billion Dollars Next NBA Season

ByJoey Heldon August 14, 2024inArticles›Sports News

The Olympics are fantastic for several reasons. We get to see terrific stories of athletes winning the first-ever medals for their nation, like Julien Alfred of St. Lucia and Thea LaFond of Dominica . We learn about the ins and outs of the host nation. We discover the rules of sports we may not have ever known before.

And, of course, we get to see the best athletes in the world competing at the highest level. That’s been apparent on the basketball court, where we’ve had tons of NBA talent participating across nations. It’s culminating with the United States facing France for the gold medal.

The French are represented by five current NBA players, including Victor Wembanyama , Rudy Gobert , Nicolas Batum, and Bilal Coulibaly. Evan Fournier is currently a free agent but was on an NBA roster last season.

Team USA’s 12 players are all NBA stars. And they’re also among the highest-paid in the league. Collectively, the players on the Team USA men’s basketball roster will make $503,631,169 in salary. Yep, these 12 guys will earn more than half a billion dollars in the upcoming season.

Here’s a breakdown of each player and what they’ll make.

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Steph Curry , Golden State Warriors — $55,761,217

For much of the Olympics, people were wondering when Steph Curry would start regularly hitting shots. It took until the semifinals, but Chef Curry cooked—and it was impressive. He scored 36 points, including 9-of-14 on threes, and was the main reason Team USA was able to squeak by Serbia en route to the final. This upcoming season, he’ll be the highest-paid player in the NBA.

Joel Embiid , Philadelphia 76ers — $51,415,938

Joel Embiid was greeted with boos from the French crowd every time he touched the ball. He earned his French citizenship but opted to play for the United States. If any player would welcome being a villain, Embiid is that guy. He had some inconsistencies but hit a few key shots during the Olympics.

Kevin Durant , Phoenix Suns — $51,179,020

Kevin Durant became Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in this Olympics run. He went 8-for-9 during a shooting clinic in the first game and seemed openly upset when he finally missed a three-pointer in the next game. He won a pair of championships with the Golden State Warriors but has had less success in subsequent stops in Brooklyn and Phoenix. However, he’s still the second-highest earner in NBA history, behind only LeBron James.

Devin Booker , Phoenix Suns — $49,205,800

Devin Booker was perhaps the most unheralded player on all of Team USA. He was a consistent scorer in most games and put solid defensive pressure on opposing players. Booker is making slightly less than Bradley Beal , the third member of the Suns’ big three. Together, the group will cost about $150 million next season.

LeBron James , Los Angeles Lakers — $48,728,845

LeBron James was the floor general for Team USA, and when the team needed a big bucket down the stretch, he delivered. He’s also well on his way to becoming a billionaire thanks to his NBA-record career earnings and many endorsement deals, including a lifetime contract with Nike. He’s won four NBA titles and is the league’s all-time leading scorer—and he’s not done yet.

Anthony Davis , Los Angeles Lakers — $43,219,440

When he didn’t have to battle Nikola Jokic , Anthony Davis was a defensive stalwart for Team USA. The Lakers big man has been a critical element for the franchise alongside James. We keep thinking James will eventually retire and Davis will be the centerpiece, but for now, they’ll continue to be a dynamic duo. Davis is on a five-year deal; when it expires, his three-year, $186 million extension will kick in, paying him a whopping $62 million per season.

Tyrese Haliburton , Indiana Pacers — $42,176,400

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers had a surprising postseason, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals as the No. 6 seed. Haliburton ultimately missed most of the conference finals with an injury, but there’s reason for optimism in Indiana. Haliburton primarily stayed on the bench with the Olympic team, but don’t feel too bad for him. He still inked a five-year, $260 million extension before the 2023-24 season.

Anthony Edwards , Minnesota Timberwolves — $42,176,400

Anthony Edwards was one of the viral stars of the Olympics, thanks to his fascination with table tennis star Lily Zhang . While he didn’t participate in a ping-pong challenge, he had a generally solid Olympics, wowing crowds with his athletic dunks and violent blocks. He’s also shaping up to be one of the faces of the NBA’s next generation. He also agreed to a five-year, $260 million extension before last season.

Jayson Tatum , Boston Celtics — $34,848,340

Jayson Tatum signed the largest contract in NBA history this summer (five years, $314 million), but that deal doesn’t kick in until the following season. This upcoming year, he’s actually one of the lowest-paid players on the USA roster. He was a healthy scratch from multiple games, despite being a key contributor to the Tokyo Olympics team. At least he’s getting some rest, since he had to play all the way into June to win his first NBA championship.

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat — $34,848,340

Three seasons ago, Bam Adebayo signed the same deal as Tatum, a max extension at the time. This offseason, like Tatum, Adebayo signed another deal, but this one isn’t quite as large as his Eastern Conference rival. Adebayo’s new extension is worth $166 million over three seasons, but it won’t start until his current one ends after the 2025-26 season. He’s been a key component to the Miami Heat’s success, and despite limited offensive production, he served as a nice backline of defense for Team USA.

Jrue Holiday , Boston Celtics — $30,000,000

Jrue Holiday has been a lockdown presence in the league for years and still has one of the coldest passes in NBA Finals history. He brought that same defensive intensity for Team USA, even though he missed an early game with an ankle injury. After the Bucks traded him as part of the Damian Lillard deal, he ended up in Boston and won his second championship in four seasons. He agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension shortly before the playoffs.

Derrick White, Boston Celtics — $20,071,429

White is the lowest-paid player on Team USA, but he almost wasn’t on the roster at all. He came over as an injury replacement for Kawhi Leonard . He was a strong defensive presence for the team’s second unit, and he did some of the dirty work that Celtics fans were accustomed to during the season. In the NBA, White won his first championship a year and a half after being traded from the San Antonio Spurs. Last month, White inked a four-year, $126 million extension.

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