The shooting guard position is one of the most important spots in the NBA. Having players who can get a bucket whenever they want on offense, while also having the ability to defend a handful of different guys on the other end of the floor, is critical to winning nowadays. Unsurprisingly, the best players at this position are getting paid quite a bit of money.
Contracts in the NBA continue to get bigger and bigger, and some of the top benefactors of the increase in money being handed out to players are guys at the shooting guard position. While some of these players are aging stars who are cashing in before they call it a career, others are on the rise, and could soar up this list in future seasons. So with that being said, let's look at the ten highest paid shooting guards for the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.
10. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat – $27,000,000
Tyler Herro likely figured he would be starting training camp with a team that wasn't the Miami Heat after all the trade rumors he was involved in this offseason. When all was said and done, though, Herro wasn't a part of a trade to bring Damian Lillard to the Heat, and he will now return to Miami knowing they were floating his name in trade talks for much of the summer.
Herro has been vocal on discussing the fact that he could have been on the move this offseason, and he hasn't been shy in throwing shade at the Portland Trail Blazers for passing up on him either. When speaking on those rumors recently, Herro said “I know my value… For the teams that didn't want me, that's on you. For the teams that do want me, you'll see why… Portland ain't the best, so I'm not worried about [the Trail Blazers].”
The Heat managed to advance to the NBA Finals last season without Herro's services after he broke his hand in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. The problem was that their Finals series against the Denver Nuggets wasn't close, and Miami could have used Herro's 20.1 points per game to close the gap.
Herro earned a four-year, $120 million contract with the Heat after winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22, and his role with the team has expanded since, as he will be vital to Miami's quest to make it back to the Finals. With other teams in the Eastern Conference making massive upgrades this offseason, the Heat are going to need a big year from Herro if they intend on remaining competitive with them.
9. Jordan Poole, Washington Wizards – $27,955,357
Jordan Poole stepped in for Stephen Curry during an injury-ravaged 2021-22 season and looked like the heir apparent to the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Poole posted career-high averages in points, rebounds, assists, and minutes played per game, and he also led the NBA in free throw percentage. Poole kept things afloat for the Warriors until the team got healthy, and then was a core depth piece in their 2022 championship run.
Poole earned a contract extension at the beginning of the 2022-23 season from Golden State, and it seemed like all was well. Bob Myers spoke glowingly of Poole shortly after this deal, saying “We're thrilled to have Jordan in the fold for the next several years. He's one of the bright, young players in our league, and his work ethic and commitment to the game are impressive qualities that can't be understated. He'll be an important part of our future core and success, much like he was during last year's run to the NBA championship.”
Fast forward 12 months, and Poole now finds himself on the Washington Wizards after wearing out his welcome with the Warriors. Poole averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game last year, but also had 3.1 turnovers per game. Golden State realized they couldn't go forward with Poole taking up so much of their salary cap, and they opted to choose the veteran leadership of Chris Paul over him. The Wizards are much less talented than the Warriors, so expect Poole to put up some crooked stat lines as their top offensive threat this upcoming season.
8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers – $33,162,030
Donovan Mitchell has turned himself into a star as a member of the Utah Jazz, but he has reached another level with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mitchell averaged 28.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor in his debut season with the Cavs. It looked like Mitchell was going to lead Cleveland on a deep playoff run, but they bumped into the underdog New York Knicks and lost their first-round series in five games. Mitchell put up some good numbers in the series, but struggled with his efficiency.
Mitchell has two years left on his contract and a player option for the 2025-26 season. The Cavs have expressed interest in signing Mitchell to a contract extension to shut down rumors that he is eyeing a move to his native Knicks, but Mitchell has shut down their advances so far. When explaining his thought process there, Mitchell said “I still have an opportunity to sign an extension next summer. My primary focus is trying to go out there and be the best team we can be and bring a championship to the city and go from there.”
7. James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers – $35,640,000
Which team will be paying James Harden's salary in 2022-23? Who knows. The disgruntled guard has been bashing the Philadelphia 76ers front office all offseason long, and while he reported to Sixers training camp, he is still trying to find a way off the team. Harden's desired landing spot is with the Los Angeles Clippers to team up with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and given how Philly has gone through this same situation before with Ben Simmons, it's likely that Harden will be moved at some point in the near future.
The big question here is if the Clippers, or whichever team trades for Harden, will take on his full cap hit of $35.6 million. Harden is far removed from his days of averaging 30+ points per game and has dealt with some injury issues over recent years. Last season, Harden only played in 58 games and averaged 21 points, 10.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game. The Clippers can take a chance on the talented shooting guard, but how long will it be until the image is out there of Harden, Leonard, and George sitting on the bench in street clothes?
6. C.J. McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans – $35,802,469
The New Orleans Pelicans are giving out a lot of money for the lack of success their top players have achieved with the organization, as they have top-six paid players at power forward, small forward, and shooting guard. McCollum emerged as a leader on the Pelicans last year, playing in 75 games and averaging 20.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.
McCollum had surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right thumb over the offseason, and he also had a torn labrum in his right shoulder late last year that didn't require surgery. Coach Willie Green said McCollum is in “tremendous shape” ahead of training camp, which is music to the ears of New Orleans fans.
The Pelicans injury issues are cause for concern, but if McCollum and Zion Williamson can stay in great shape, they may be in for a big season. The gamble to pay a substantial amount for a big three may finally pay off if McCollum, Williamson, and Brandon Ingram can lead the Pelicans to the playoffs this season.
5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns – $36,016,200
The Phoenix Suns are still Devin Booker's team, despite the fact that he isn't even the highest-paid shooting guard on the team. The Suns couldn't get past the Nuggets last year with the trio of Booker, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul, so in the offseason, they traded Paul in a blockbuster deal with the Wizards for Bradley Beal.
As a result of this trade, the Suns now have three sharpshooters on their roster and will be one of the best offensive teams in the NBA. Booker excelled with his off-ball offense when he had an elite playmaker like Paul alongside him, and the Suns are hoping they can find a playmaker on the roster to get the ball to their three scorers. Booker will also be tasked with extra defensive responsibility, as it is something the team is lacking with the addition of Beal.
Booker is the perfect complement to Beal and Durant. While Durant and Beal prefer being out of the spotlight, Booker has embraced being the face of the Suns. He was on the cover of NBA 2K23, has a signature shoe released with Nike, and is nationally known for his clutch playoff performances. The Suns feel they are in a great position to overtake the Nuggets this season with Booker leading the charge.
4. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls – $40,064,220
Zach LaVine is one of the premier scorers in the NBA. He has two All-Star appearances and career averages of 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Despite these accolades, LaVine hasn't been able to generate any team success. As noted by Elias Schuster of Bleacher Report, LaVine has a career winning percentage of just 37.1 percent, which is the worst winning percentage in the NBA among players who have played in at least 500 games.
LaVine has to string together some winning seasons for people to see that he is a solid basketball player. The Bulls gave him a five-year, $215 million deal after the team was the sixth seed in the 2022 NBA playoffs, but they followed that up by not making the playoffs last season. The Bulls have invested plenty of money in LaVine for him to be the face of their franchise, so it's time for him to deliver and help Chicago find their way back to the postseason this upcoming season.
3. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors – $43,219,44
Klay Thompson is in the last season of his five-year, $190 million contract that he signed back in 2019 after he didn't sign an extension this offseason and opted to instead play out the final year of his deal. There's a decent chance that Thompson will sign an extension with the Warriors after this season, but it looks like the team is taking a similar strategy as the one they employed with Draymond Green, which ended with him getting a big extension this offseason.
In his first full season back after two severe leg injuries, Thompson averaged 21.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He continued to be a force from behind the arc, hitting 41.2 percent of his three point shots. The shooting guard may have been the least-acknowledged member of the Splash Brothers last year, but he has continued to make a lasting impact on the Warriors as their dynasty rumbles forward.
2. Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers – $45,640,084
Paul George missed the playoffs last season with a right knee sprain, and while Kawhi Leonard was initially fighting the Suns valiantly on his own, he was sitting on the bench alongside George when the Clippers were eliminated from the postseason. George was averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game before the injury, so it's clear he can still play at a high level.
Despite his strong season when he was healthy, George has heard a lot of negative chatter surrounding his name over the offseason. He recently addressed that by saying “It was just a lot of unnecessary talk going around the NBA of guys feeling themselves & directing comments toward me that haven’t done anything…Going right at whoever I gotta go at. You're gonna feel me. I'm having that approach of every time on the floor I'm there to dominate and destroy you.”
The high-profile duo of George and Leonard hasn't yielded the desired results so far for the Clippers, but they have two more years to try to get to the promised land if they both exercise their player options in their contract. If both guys can stay healthy and Russell Westbrook contributes enough, the Clippers will be a contender in the Western Conference. But if George and Leonard continue to struggle with injuries and Westbrook reverts to his early-season form from the 2022-23 campaign, the Clippers organization will be mocked even more. As Harden trade rumors continue to circulate the team as well, it could be a tumultuous 2023-24 season in Los Angeles.
1. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns – $46,741,590
As of now, Bradley Beal is listed as a shooting guard, but the presence of Booker on the Suns is likely going to result in Beal transitioning to point guard. Like his teammate, Beal is elite with his off-ball offense, but he has only averaged over six assists per game once in his 11-year career, which is worrisome given Phoenix's lack of playmaking. The Suns have plenty of sharpshooters in their lineup, but the team has to wonder how they will be able to get the ball in their hands. Beal, Booker, and Durant are more catch-and-shoot guys than shot creators, so the dynamic in Phoenix will need to be monitored. If this offense can click, they could be historically productive.
The problem is that if they don't, the Suns will be paying a lot of money to their top guys, with Beal getting the most of the group. Beal is a great player, but his $46.7 million price tag is quite expensive. Phoenix has invested a lot in their superstar trio of Beal, Booker, and Durant, and with all the money they are paying them, they better hope that they manage to meet expectations this season.
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