Seemingly every offseason, a superstar NBA player signs a massive contract that breaks the record for the biggest deal in NBA history. That was proven true again this offseason, as Jayson Tatum just signed a five-year, $315 million extension to stick around with the Boston Celtics. The deal that will kick in next year is the biggest in NBA history.
Fresh off of their record-breaking 18th championship, Boston had to do whatever it took to retain their superstar for the long run. The deal comes only a year after Tatum's teammate, Jaylen Brown, signed a massive deal worth $304 million. At the time, that was the biggest contract in league history, and it was not surpassed until Tatum got a new deal after the duo won a championship together.
With two massive contracts on the books (on top of Derrick White's new deal), the Celtics will be paying a pretty penny to their stars in the coming years, but they also are set up to contend for championships for the next half-decade. Boston isn't the only team paying their players jaw-dropping numbers, though. In this article, we will look at the 10 biggest contracts in NBA history, all of which were signed in the recent past. We used total contract value to determine which contracts qualify.
T8. Zach LaVine: $215 million, Chicago Bulls
Zach LaVine is a good player, but his massive contract is the biggest red flag about him. He signed his five-year contract in 2022, meaning the deal that pays him, on average, $43 million per year is still good for three more seasons. Team control for superstars is usually a good thing, but LaVine has turned into one of the most overpaid players in the league.
The Chicago Bulls are looking to rebuild, but they can't get the massive trade haul for LaVine that teams can usually get for a superstar. Teams don't want to be on the books for LaVine's contract for three more seasons because he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and his game has seen regression.
Last season was LaVine's worst since the beginning of his career. The guard only suited up for 25 games, and the 19.5 points per game he scored were the fewest since his first season in Chicago.
If he can remain healthy, LaVine's three-point shooting/athleticism combination makes for a scary offensive player, and he is only a year removed from averaging 24.8 points per game. There is still a lot of value in LaVine's game, and a bounce-back season would make this contract look a lot better and could restore LaVine's trade value.
T8. Luka Doncic: $215 million, Dallas Mavericks
Jayson Tatum got his massive payday after performing in the spotlight of the NBA Finals, but Luka Doncic received his contract before he played in the championship series. Even so, Doncic reminded everyone during the NBA Finals why he received one of the biggest contracts ever before the 2022 season at the age of 22.
The start to Doncic's career has been the stuff of a legend. He has countless records to his name, and considering he is only 25 years old, he still has plenty of good years ahead of him.
Doncic has established himself as one of the very best players in the NBA. He is under contract for three more years (third year is a player option) in Dallas, and he gets better each with each passing season. His youth and long-term commitment to the Mavericks mean that he has plenty of time to redeem his NBA Finals loss and bring the city of Dallas a championship.
T8. Steph Curry: $215 million, Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry is the pride of Golden State. He is the greatest three-point shooter ever, and he has a case as the game's greatest point guard ever. He is so valuable to the Warriors that it should come as no surprise that the team gave him one of the biggest contracts in NBA history.
However, Curry's contract contributed to the Warriors being priced out in the Klay Thompson sweepstakes. Golden State was not able to retain Curry's Splash Brother. The legendary point guard will now be leading a new era for the franchise.
Even without Thompson, Curry and the Warriors should not be counted out. They have a stellar offense that will keep them in any game against any team in the NBA.
7. Domantas Sabonis: $217 million, Sacramento Kings
Surprisingly, Steph Curry is not the NBA player located in northern California with the biggest contract. That honor belongs to the star in Sacramento, Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has taken his game to new heights since being traded to the Kings.
The son of Arvydas, Domantas has transformed his game to become one of the best triple-double threats in the NBA. The big man has improved as a three-point shooter, as a rebounder, and as an assist man, and he will likely only continue to get better as he plays out his $217 million contract.
6. Devin Booker: $224 million, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker has the sixth biggest contract in NBA history, but his deal isn't even as big as his Phoenix Suns' teammate, Bradley Beal. Phoenix has a lot of money tied up into their stars, but the team's new owner, Matt Ishbia, has shown a willingness to make the moves and pay the prices necessary to field a championship-level team.
Booker has been in Phoenix through the highs and the lows. He played on some really bad teams at the start of his career. He is even already on his seventh coach, but the shooting guard also already led the team to the NBA Finals and become one of the best two-guards in the league. His loyalty to the team was rewarded with a $224 million deal back in 2022.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo: $228 million, Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo surprisingly didn't rank in the top 10 for the highest-paid players for next season, but he does have one of the five biggest contracts ever in terms of total value. Antetokounmpo is worth his contract because players with his physical attributes don't grow on trees.
Actually, we have never really seen a player like the Greek Freak before. Antetokounmpo is nearly seven feet tall, meaning he is capable of filling traditional big man roles like interior scoring, rebounding, and rim protection. He is no average big, though. Antetokounmpo runs the floor like a guard and is elite in transition. His unique skillset has led to two MVP-winning seasons and a championship victory.
The postseason outcomes of the last two seasons have been disappointing for the Bucks, but no one should count out Milwaukee and their leader.
4. Bradley Beal: $251 million, Phoenix Suns
Bradley Beal is only the third-best player on the Phoenix Suns, yet he is the fourth highest-paid player in the NBA's history in terms of total contract value. Beal plays third fiddle to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but he has had a very impressive career in his own right.
Beal made three All-Star Games and twice averaged more than 30 points per game while playing for the Washington Wizards. His successes for the franchise were enough to warrant a massive contract, but Beal was traded from Washington only one year after signing his big deal.
Now, he is considered one of the most overpaid players in the NBA. Beal certainly still has star-level talent, but he has been injury-prone in recent seasons, and he is coming off of one of the worst seasons of his career. Beal only scored 18.2 points per game last season. Phoenix needs a resurgence from Beal to keep their championship ambitions alive and in order to avoid the front office blowing up the core.
3. Nikola Jokic: $270 million, Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA, so no one should be surprised that his contract is one of the biggest ever. Jokic is now a three-time MVP, but he had only won that award twice at the time when he signed his contract in 2022. At the time, it was the largest deal in league history.
Jokic is worth every penny on his deal because he can truly do it all. Jokic is the best passing center ever, his scoring touch is elite, and his feel for the game is unmatched. On top of the three MVPs, Jokic has even already won a Finals MVP. Now, he is on the trajectory of legend status.
The Joker plays his basketball for the Denver Nuggets, but he has grown famous for his love of horses. With $270 million in the banks, Jokic can buy all the horses he wants.
2. Jaylen Brown: $304 million, Boston Celtics
Until July of 2024, Jaylen Brown had claim for having the biggest NBA contract ever. He was surpassed by his teammate, Jayson Tatum, but he remains one of only two players whose contract exceeds $300 million. He and his running mate are worth more than half a billion dollars combined.
Brown has been one of the best players in the NBA for years, but he lacked a lot of the hardware to prove that. Now, Brown is a Larry Bird Trophy winner and a Finals MVP. His Celtics finally broke through and won it all, but the 2024 playoffs can also be looked at as a breakthrough period for Brown.
Prior to the 2024 playoffs, Brown had made it to at least the Conference Finals five times, but he had yet to win it all. He had also been criticized for a lack of left-handed dribbling. The three-time All-Star worked on his game and improved, though, and he has a chance to prove doubters wrong for years to come. His contract with the Celtics runs through 2029. Until Tatum's contract kicks in next year, Brown will remain as the player with the highest average annual value per season.
1. Jayson Tatum: $315 million, Boston Celtics
The price of winning is steep. The Celtics locked up Jaylen Brown to the biggest contract ever last year, just to give a bigger deal to Jayson Tatum after he helped them win the NBA Finals. Now, Boston holds the two biggest contracts the league has ever seen.
Boston is set up to win for years, and if they can continue to win, then the gamble of handing out so much money will pay off. Both Tatum and Brown became stars at such a young age that it makes sense that they both received massive contracts so quickly.
Tatum and Brown form arguably the best superstar duo in the NBA, so no one is surprised that they are so highly paid. It will just be interesting to see how the Celtics navigate the salary cap in the years to come, as they are sure to be a second apron team in the coming years.
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