NBA finals 2025: Highest-paid players by season, from Kobe Bryant to LeBron James

NBA finals 2025: Highest-paid players by season, from Kobe Bryant to LeBron James

NBA finals 2025: Highest-paid players by season, from Kobe Bryant to LeBron James ByHT News Desk Jun 13, 2025 02:24 AM IST Read this news in brief form Share Via Copy Link As the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to clash for Game 4 of the NBA finals, take a look at the highest-paid players each season.

The Indiana Pacers have taken a 2-1 lead against Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 Finals of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.(AP)

Amid rising revenue and lucrative TV deals, the league has witnessed a drastic jump in the salaries of NBA stars since the early 1990s.

From Michael Jordan being the top earner in 1991 with a whopping $2,500,000, to Indiana stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam getting as high as $42,176,400 this season, salaries of basketball players have grown exponentially over the past few decades.

Here we take a look at all championships series since the early 1990s, focusing on the Top 5 earners per year, according to HoopsHype - 

1991: At $2,500,000, Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) was the top earner. He was followed by Los Angeles Lakers stars Magic Johnson ($2,400,000), Sam Perkins ($1,970,000), AC Green ($1,750,000) and James Worthy ($1,600,000)

1992: Michael Jordan ($3,250,000) again topped the list. Among others were Scottie Pippen of Chicago Bulls ($2,770,000), Kevin Duckworth ($2,013,000), Bill Cartwright ($2,000,000) and Terry Porter ($1,787,000)

1993: Michael Jordan ($4,000,000), Scottie Pippen ($3,425,000), Charles Barkley ($2,420,000), Bill Cartwright ($2,200,000) and Horace Grant ($1,900,000)

1994: Patrick Ewing ($3,825,000), Hakeem Olajuwon ($3,170,000), Otis Thorpe ($2,418,000), Kenny Smith ($2,150,000), Charles Oakley ($1,950,000)

1995: Shaquille O’Neal ($4,800,000), Anfernee Hardaway ($4,305,000), Dennis Scott ($3,240,000), Hakeem Olajuwon ($3,169,900), Nick Anderson ($3,090,000)

1996: Detlef Schrempf ($5,000,000), Sam Perkins ($3,967,000), Michael Jordan ($3,850,000), Toni Kukoc ($3,560,000), Frank Brickowski ($3,250,000)

1997: Michael Jordan ($30,140,000), Dennis Rodman ($9,000,000), John Stockton ($6,000,000), Karl Malone ($4,657,000), Toni Kukoc ($3,960,000)

1998: Michael Jordan ($33,140,000), Karl Malone ($5,118,578), John Stockton ($5,000,000), Ron Harper ($4,560,000), Toni Kukoc ($4,560,000)

1999: David Robinson ($14,841,000), Larry Johnson ($10,186,000), Latrell Sprewell ($8,300,000), Allan Houston ($7,000,000), Sean Elliott ($5,333,000)

2000: Shaquille O’Neal ($17,142,858), Rik Smits ($12,250,000), Reggie Miller ($9,031,850), Kobe Bryant ($9,000,000), Glen Rice ($7,000,000)

2001: Shaquille O’Neal ($19,285,715), Dikembe Mutombo ($14,400,000), Allen Iverson ($10,130,000), Kobe Bryant ($10,130,000), Matt Geiger ($7,515,840)

2002: Shaquille O’Neal ($21,428,572), Kobe Bryant ($11,250,000), Mitch Richmond ($11,000,000), Keith Van Horn ($10,865,250), Jason Kidd ($8,447,500)

2003: Dikembe Mutombo ($16,105,264), Tim Duncan ($12,072,500), David Robinson ($10,500,000), Steve Smith ($9,900,000), Jason Kidd ($9,265,000)

2004: Shaquille O’Neal ($24,749,999), Rasheed Wallace ($17,000,000), Kobe Bryant ($13,500,000), Richard Hamilton ($6,500,000), Ben Wallace ($5,500,000)

2005: Tim Duncan ($14,260,641), Glenn Robinson ($12,071,250), Rasheed Wallace ($9,720,000), Richard Hamilton ($7,812,500), Ben Wallace ($7,000,000)

2006: Shaquille O’Neal ($20,000,000), Keith Van Horn ($15,694,250), Dirk Nowitzki ($13,843,156), Shandon Anderson ($8,935,000), Erick Dampier ($8,662,500)

2007: Michael Finley ($19,030,999), Tim Duncan ($17,429,672), Larry Hughes ($13,363,012), Tony Parker ($9,450,000), Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($9,442,697)

2008: Kevin Garnett ($23,750,000), Kobe Bryant ($19,490,625), Paul Pierce ($16,360,094), Ray Allen ($16,000,000), Pau Gasol ($13,735,000)

2009: Kobe Bryant ($21,262,500), Rashard Lewis ($16,447,871), Pau Gasol ($15,106,000), Lamar Odom ($14,148,596), Dwight Howard ($13,758,000)

2010: Kobe Bryant ($23,034,375), Paul Pierce ($19,795,712), Ray Allen ($18,776,860), Pau Gasol ($16,452,000), Kevin Garnett ($16,400,000)

2011: Dirk Nowitzki ($17,278,618), Predrag Stojakovic ($15,532,320), Chris Bosh ($14,500,000), LeBron James ($14,500,000), Dwyane Wade ($14,200,000)

2012: Chris Bosh ($16,022,500), LeBron James ($16,022,500), Dwyane Wade ($15,691,000), Kevin Durant ($15,506,632), Kendrick Perkins ($7,123,626)

2013: Chris Bosh ($17,545,000), LeBron James ($17,545,000), Dwyane Wade ($17,024,000), Rashard Lewis ($15,052,181), Manu Ginobili ($14,107,492)

2014: Chris Bosh ($19,067,500), LeBron James ($19,067,500), Dwyane Wade ($18,536,000), Tony Parker ($12,500,000), Tim Duncan ($10,361,446)

2015: LeBron James ($20,644,400), David Lee ($15,012,000), Andrew Bogut ($12,972,973), Andre Iguodala ($12,289,544), Stephen Curry ($10,629,213)

2016: LeBron James ($22,970,500), Kevin Love ($19,689,000), Kyrie Irving ($16,407,500), Klay Thompson ($15,501,000), Draymond Green ($14,260,870)

2017: LeBron James ($30,963,450), Kevin Durant ($26,540,100), Kevin Love ($21,165,675), Kyrie Irving ($17,638,063), Klay Thompson ($16,663,575)

2018: Stephen Curry ($34,682,550), LeBron James ($33,285,709), Kevin Durant ($25,000,000), Kevin Love ($22,642,350), George Hill ($20,000,000)

2019: Stephen Curry ($37,457,154), Kyle Lowry ($32,700,000), Kevin Durant ($30,000,000), Marc Gasol ($24,119,025), Kawhi Leonard ($23,114,066)

2020: LeBron James ($37,436,858), Jimmy Butler ($32,742,000), Anthony Davis ($27,093,019), Goran Dragic ($19,217,900), Andre Iguodala ($17,185,185)

2021: Chris Paul ($41,358,814), Khris Middleton ($33,051,724), Devin Booker ($29,467,800), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($27,528,088), Jrue Holiday ($27,026,011).

2022: Stephen Curry ($45,780,966), Klay Thompson ($37,980,720), Andrew Wiggins ($31,579,390), Jayson Tatum ($28,103,500), Al Horford ($27,000,000)

2023: Jimmy Butler ($37,653,300), Nikola Jokic ($33,047,803), Jamal Murray ($31,650,600), Michael Porter ($30,913,750), Kevin Love ($30,556,968)

2024: Luka Doncic ($40,064,220), Kyrie Irving ($38,037,037), Jrue Holiday ($36,861,707), Kristaps Porzingis ($36,016,200), Jayson Tatum ($32,600,060)

2025: Tyrese Haliburton ($42,176,400), Pascal Siakam ($42,176,400), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($35,859,950), Isaiah Hartenstein ($30,000,000), Myles Turner ($19,928,500)

The Pacers have a slim lead so far and are up 2-1 in three matches. The Pacers scored 116 to Oklahoma's 106. Game 4 takes place on June 13 at 8:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The fifth fixture will be held on June 16.

The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder are in the fray.

The Pacers are up 2-1 against Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam are the top earners this season, earning $42,176,400 each.