Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will enter the 2024-25 season with the highest cap hit in the NBA, according to Spotrac’s salary rankings.
Curry is set to cost $55.7 million against the cap this season, over $4 million more than Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid or Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić, who are tied for second on the list.
Phoenix Suns stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal join the trio as the only NBA players set to cost more than $50 million against the cap this season.
Here is a breakdown of the top 30 player salaries by cap hit, courtesy of Spotrac.
- 1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors: $55.8 million
- T2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: $51.4 million
- T2. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets: $51.4 million
- 4. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns: $51.2 million
- 5. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns: $50.2 million
- T6. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: $49.2 million
- T6. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics: $49.2 million
- T6. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks: $49.2 million
- T6. Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers: $49.2 million
- T6. Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers: $49.2 million
- 11. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat: $48.8 million
- T12. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks: $48.8 million
- T12. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: $48.8 million
- 14. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers: $48.7 million
- 15. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves: $43.8 million
- 16. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers: $43.2 million
- T17. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks: $43 million
- T17. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks: $43 million
- T17. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls: $43 million
- 20. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets: $42.8 million
- T21. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: $42.2 million
- T21. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz: $42.2 million
- T21. Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers: $42.2 million
- T21. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers: $42.2 million
- 25. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks: $41 million
- 26. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings: $40.5
- 27. Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets: $40.3
- T28. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers: $36.7 million
- T28. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies: $36.7 million
- T28. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans: $36.7 million
The Suns, who have devoted more than $148 million of the 2024-25 cap to their star trio of Durant, Beal and Booker, are the only team with three top-ten cap hits on the list.
Accordingly, the next-highest cap hit on the Suns’ roster comes in at No. 96 with Jusuf Nurkic’s $18.1 million salary.
The Philadelphia 76ers join the Suns as the only other team with multiple players among the league’s top ten cap hits, with more than $100 million of the cap dedicated to Joel Embiid and Paul George.
James ranks 14th among the league’s salary cap hits, but is likely to remain one of the highest-paid athletes in the world thanks to his off-court earnings. He ranked fourth among all athletes last year with total earnings of $128 million, per Forbes.
The Celtics will be looking to defend their title this fall with the salary limitations involved in Tatum’s top-ten cap hit, which came alongside the record-setting supermax extension he signed this offseason.
The only NBA teams without a player representing one of the top 30 cap hits in the league are the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The NBA salary cap will sit at $140.6 million for the 2024-25 season. The first salary cap apron sits at $178.1 million, while the restrictive second apron comes in at $188.9 million.