LeBron James
Total earnings: $86 million
Salary: $31 million
Endorsements: $55 million
LeBron James re-signed with Cleveland over the summer after leading the Cavs’ to their first title in franchise history. James is just the third NBA player to make at least $30 million in salary, joining Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. James added endorsement deals with Intel and Verizon over the last year, joining Nike, Coca-Cola (Sprite), Beats By Dre and Kia Motor.
Kevin Durant
Total earnings: $62.5 million
Salary: $26.5 million
Endorsements: $36 million
Durant shocked the basketball world with his free agent move to Golden State. His salary got a $6-million bump. KD invested in micro-investing app Acorns last year, joining PayPal, Greycroft Partners, e.ventures and others. Nike is his big-ticket endorsement deal. Other partners include Beats, American Family Insurance, BBVA, Sparkling Ice, Panini, NBA 2K and more.
Stephen Curry
Total earnings: $47.1 million
Salary: $12.1 million
Endorsements: $35 million
Curry’s off-court income has tripled over the past year thanks to new deals with Chase, Brita, Vivo and PressPlay, as well as an extension to his Under Armour agreement. Next up: a new contract with the Warriors this summer that should top $200 million over five years. Curry’s jersey was the NBA’s best-seller for the first three months of the season.
James Harden
Total earnings: $46.5 million
Salary: $26.5 million
Endorsements: $20 million
Harden’s on-court income got a boost last summer when the Rockets renegotiated the last two years of his contract to cover four years and become worth $118 million. The deal added $10 million to Harden’s 2016-17 salary. The leading MVP candidate has endorsement deals with Adidas, BBVA, Panini, NBA 2K, Stance, New Era and others.
Russell Westbrook
Total earnings: $41.5 million
Salary: $26.5 million
Endorsements: $15 million
Like Harden, Westbrook renegotiated his contract with the Thunder over the summer. The new pact added $9 million to Westbrook’s 2016-17 salary and the three-year deal is worth $85.6 million. Nike’s Jordan Brand released the OKC guard’s second signature off-court shoe in October. The lifestyle model retails for $140.
Dwyane Wade
Total earnings: $36.2 million
Salary: $23.2 million
Endorsements: $13 million
After 13 years in South Beach, Wade took his talents to his hometown of Chicago during the summer. The two-year deal is worth $47 million and includes a player option for 2017-18. Rose’s Bulls jersey was the NBA’s sixth bestseller during the first three months of the season. Wade remains a prolific endorser with 15 partners. His biggest pact is his shoe deal with Chinese brand Li Ning.
Derrick Rose
Total earnings: $35.3 million
Salary: $21.3 million
Endorsements: $14 million
Rose got a fresh start when the Bulls traded him to the Knicks in June. Rose is in the final season of his five-year, $94-million contract and looking to recapture his value on the market after struggling with injuries since signing the deal in December 2011. Rose signed a 13-year, $185-million deal with Adidas in 2012, but he’s been usurped by James Harden in marketing for the brand.
Carmelo Anthony
Total earnings: $32.6 million
Salary: $24.6 million
Endorsements: $8 million
Trade rumours have swirled around the Knicks forward all season. Two impediments to a deal: Anthony is one of three NBA players with a full no-trade clause (LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki are the others) and Anthony’s contract includes a 15% trade kicker. Nike’s Jordan Brand released Anthony’s latest signature shoe, Melo M13, last month.
Chris Paul
Total earnings: $30.9 million
Salary: $22.9 million
Endorsements: $8 million
Paul can terminate his Clippers’ contract this summer and test free agency at the age of 32. If not, he’s owed $24.3 million next season. Paul has the second-highest career player efficiency ratio among active players behind only LeBron James. He added Spalding to a large endorsement portfolio that also includes Nike’s Jordan Brand, State Farm, Panini, FanDuel, Kaiser Permanente and Tencent.
Kyrie Irving
Total earnings: $30.6 million
Salary: $27.6 million
Endorsements: $13 million
Irving debuted his Kyrie 3 signature shoe on Christmas Day and the launch colourway sold out in three minutes on Nike’s SNKRS app. Irving got an equity stake last year in Skullcandy as part of an endorsement deal. Good timing. The headphone-maker was sold shortly after for $197 million to Mill Road Capital.