The point guard is the quarterback of basketball. Often times they are the leader of their team, so it makes sense that there are many point guards in the NBA that are among the highest-paid players in basketball. The position controls the floor, and because of how Steph Curry changed the game, the position is now relied on to provide lots of scoring as well. However, point guards still need to create for their teammates, and their ability to get the rest of their team involved illustrates how important the position is to success. Here are the top 10 highest-paid point guards in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Contract information is from Spotrac.
T-9. Darius Garland, $34,005,250
Darius Garland forms one-half of one of the best backcourts in basketball. He teams up with Donovan Mitchell with the Cleveland Cavaliers to form a high-scoring one-two punch. Garland can do it all. He is a great three-point shooter, has blazing speed, and is a top-notch playmaker. At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Garland isn't the world's biggest point guard. Because of this, he is limited on the defensive end, but the Cavaliers have the personnel around him to make up for it.
T-9. Ja Morant, $34,005,250
Ja Morant has had a lot of off-the-court drama as of late, and it culminated in a 25-game suspension. He will need to mature and stay on the court to justify being one of the highest-paid point guards in the NBA, but when he is on the floor, Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the league. Morant has unmatched leaping ability which makes for one of the most entertaining styles of play in the league. Morant is still only 24-years-old, so he has time to mature. His elite-level athleticism has put him on the trajectory of becoming one of the biggest faces in the league, but it has also made for some injury scares as the Memphis Grizzlies' point guard has had numerous bad falls after taking flight in the paint.
8. Jrue Holiday, $36,861,707
The recently traded Jrue Holiday can help any team win ball games. After being a lockdown defender and winning a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday joins another contender, the Boston Celtics. He will look to replace Marcus Smart as the heart and soul of Boston's team. While he is getting older, Holiday is still a premier defensive guard. Offensively, Holiday can be a little streaky, but he is more than capable of showing up in big moments.
7. Kyrie Irving, $37,037,037
Kyrie Irving's career has been filled with controversy, but there is no denying his talent. Irving has a case as both the best ball handler and best layup finisher in NBA history. He has seemingly found a home that fits him with the Dallas Mavericks and owner Mark Cuban. Both he and Luka Doncic are point guards by trade. They only played 16 games together last year, and the duo went 5-11 and missed the playoffs during that time. They are both heliocentric, ball-dominated superstars who thrive with the ball in their hands. It is an iffy fit on paper, but the team is committed to the experiment, so it'll be interesting to see how they fair this season.
6. Ben Simmons, $37,893,408
Spotrac lists Ben Simmons as a point guard, but he has even played some small-ball center for the Brooklyn Nets. Regardless of what position he is in, he will need to step up his game in a big way this season to justify such a large contract. Once one of the emerging young superstars in the game with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons last few seasons have been a mess. He has missed tons of time with injury, and he hasn't produced when on the court because of a lack of scoring ability. At his best, Ben Simmons is a 6 foot 10 player with rare defensive and playmaking ability for someone his size and position.
T-4. Trae Young, $40,064,220
The Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young once led the NBA in both points and assists. An incredibly skilled player, Young can do everything that a team needs at an elite level on the offensive side. His range extends well beyond the three-point line, his floater is one of the best in the game, and he is a great lob passer. Where Young struggles is on the other end of the ball. Young's Hawks haven't found the same level of success since surprisingly making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, and part of that can be blamed on Young's defensive limitations.
T-4. Luka Doncic, $40,064,220
Luka Doncic has had one of the best starts to his career of anyone in league history, and the Dallas Mavericks guard is more than worthy of being one of the highest-paid point guards. Doncic isn't your typical point guard. He is 6 foot 7 inches tall and doesn't have great athletic traits. Instead, he wins with a high-level shooting touch, great IQ, and incredible skill. Doncic has already broken numerous records, and at 24 years old he is only getting better.
3. Fred VanVleet, $40,806,300
It takes a lot of money to lure top-tier free agents away from their homes, especially if you're a struggling team. That is why the Houston Rockets had to pay Fred VanVleet a massive amount to come to H-Town. VanVleet is a productive player, and he had his moments with the Toronto Raptors. Still, most people wouldn't argue for him as a top-three player at his position. Therefore, his new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid point guards in the NBA may come as a surprise to many.
Still, Houston needed to make a splurge in free agency in order to improve, and VanVleet was just one of numerous big-money acquisitions the team brought in. The point guard will bring a much-needed veteran presence to a young team, but he will also improve the on-court product for a team that was one of the worst in the league last year.
2. Damian Lillard, $45,640,084
Damian Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and form one of the best superstar duos ever. The move cements the Bucks as serious title contenders. Lillards' strengths – which include three-point shooting, spacing, and playmaking – will pair nicely with Antetokounmpo's slashing and athletic abilities. Lillard always delivers in the big moments, and it makes the Bucks a scary team for the rest of the league.
1. Steph Curry, $51,915,615
Steph Curry is rightfully the highest-paid point guard in the NBA. The four-time Finals champion is one of the best point guards in NBA history. Curry revolutionized the game by making the three-point shot arguably the most important aspect of basketball. Prior to Curry, no one had utilized the long ball as much as he has, especially not from the point guard position. Curry changed the position from being a pass-first spot to one where players need to have the threat of scoring the ball in order to be elite. The all-time leading three-point shooter is much more than just a scorer, though. He has one of the greatest handles ever, is fantastic at moving off of the ball, and has even led the league in steals before.
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