The biggest contracts in NBA history all come from this recent era, where the league is generating record-breaking revenue! It seems like each year, the record for the largest deal in the NBA gets broken, and this trend isn’t going to stop soon.
I’ll list the top six largest contracts in NBA history, but as the salary cap keeps going up, the players’ contracts will follow. Before I start, you should know I’ve ranked these deals by total value, not by annual value.
Who Has the Biggest Contracts in NBA History?
Jason Tatum has the biggest contract in NBA history as of early 2026. Here’s a top 6 list based on total deal value:
| PLAYER | TEAM | CONTRACT VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | $314,000,000 |
| Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | $304,000,000 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | $285,000,000 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | $276,000,000 |
| Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | $269,000,000 |
| Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | $269,000,000 |
Biggest Contracts in NBA History
1. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics ($314 million)
Tatum has supplanted his Boston teammate, Jaylen Brown, for the biggest contract in NBA history! He put pen to paper on his record-setting deal on July 1, 2024, for $314 million over five years. He received a bump in this deal due to making the All-NBA team.
Breaking: Jayson Tatum has agreed on a five-year, $314 maximum contract extension with the Celtics, including a player option and trade kicker, sources tell @wojespn.
Deal is the biggest in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/IwGo8qzs5u
— ESPN (@espn) July 1, 2024
The Duke product signed the deal after a season in which he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists to help the Celtics to the NBA title. He may have been better the next season, when Tatum had 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. However, Tatum’s season ended in the second round of the playoffs, when he tore his Achilles in New York against the Knicks.
Tatum has yet to see the floor this season, although his rehab is reportedly going very well, and there is a chance he could return to the Celtics this season. For now, he’ll have to settle for having the biggest contract in NBA history!
- Type of Contract: Supermax Extension
- Total Value: $314,000,000
- Contract Length: 2025-26 to 2029-30 (Player Option in Final Year)
- Average Salary Per Year: $62,786,682
- Average Salary Per Game: $765,691
2. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics ($304 million)
You could argue that Brown deserves to be #1 over Tatum. He won the Finals MVP when Boston won the title in 2024. He already had the deal in his pocket, however, as Brown signed his supermax contract on July 25, 2023. It is worth $304 million over five years. Like Tatum, Brown is an All-NBA player.
Jaylen Brown:
$304 million supermax contract
Won Eastern Conference Finals MVP
3x All Star
2022-2023 All NBA
NBA Champion
Named Finals MVPpic.twitter.com/F9iWEil2DN— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 18, 2024
The former Cal player took a step back in 2024-25, but he has bounced back with a vengeance in 2025-26. Brown is averaging 29.4 points, 6.5 boards, and 4.9 rebounds, and his shooting is extremely efficient. He is also one of the best perimeter defenders in the game, looking to defend the opposition’s best wing player. The Celtics are one of the season’s surprises, as many expected them to punt on the year with Tatum out.
It’s going to be interesting when Tatum returns, as he and Brown will have to figure out the pecking order. While Brown is no longer #1 on the list of biggest NBA contracts, he has proven he can be the #1 player on a winning team!
- Type of Contract: Supermax Extension
- Total Value: $304,000,000
- Contract Length: 2024-25 to 2028-29
- Average Salary Per Year: $57,078,728
- Average Salary Per Game: $696,082
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($285 million)
The reigning MVP was rewarded for leading Oklahoma City to the 2024-25 title. On July 1, 2025, “SGA” signed a deal for $285 million over four years. He is one of four players, along with Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to win regular-season MVP, Finals MVP, and the scoring title in a single season.
On Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder reaching a record $285 million supermax contract for ESPN’s NBA Free Agency special: pic.twitter.com/87LA24KbmP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander’s contract extension doesn’t even start until the 2027-28 season, which allowed Oklahoma City to give extensions to Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. That means OKC’s nucleus is set for at least the next five years. However, I would be willing to bet “SGA” takes the top spot when he negotiates his next deal!
The Thunder are favored in the NBA championship odds to repeat, and their Canadian superstar will be the engine that drives them.
- Type of Contract: Supermax Extension
- Total Value: $285,000,000
- Contract Length: 2027-28 to 2030-31 (Player Option in Final Year)
- Average Salary Per Year: $68,325,600
- Average Salary Per Game: $833,239
4. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets ($276 million)
The three-time MVP has brought a championship to Denver, and he continues to forge his legacy as one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen. On July 1, 2022, the Nuggets locked “Joker” up to a five-year deal worth $276.1 million, and you could argue he is worth much more! Of course, Jokic is a perennial All-NBA player.
Jokic, who is a staple near the top of the NBA MVP odds, has two years left on his deal, and I’d imagine the Nuggets will try to have a contract done before then. They would like Jokic to be a Nugget for life, and he doesn’t strike me as the type to head to another team.
But the 30-year-old Serbian is worth every penny, and more, to the Nuggets. He is well-deserving of his spot on the list of biggest contracts in NBA history!
- Type of Contract: Supermax Extension
- Total Value: $276,000,000
- Contract Length: 2023-24 to 2027-28 (Player Option in Final Year)
- Average Salary Per Year: $55,224,526
- Average Salary Per Game: $673,469
5. Evan Mobley – Cleveland Cavaliers ($269 million)
Mobley is one of the cornerstones of a Cleveland team that won 64 games during the 2024-25 season, although they did lose in the second round. The former USC star signed his $224 million extension in July 2024, but he earned an extra $45 million for winning Defensive Player of the Year last season. That bumped Mobley up to $269 million over five years!
Mobley is still only 24 years old and has some work to do on the offensive end. He has the tools to do so, and he’s already one of the best defensive players in the league, able to guard big men as well as switch out on the perimeter.
I like Mobley’s chances to stay on this list of biggest contracts in NBA history for a long time to come.
- Type of Contract: Rookie Extension
- Total Value: $269,000,000
- Contract Length: 2025-26 to 2029-30
- Average Salary Per Year: $53,817,156
- Average Salary Per Game: $656,306
6. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons ($269 million)
Cunningham is in the same boat as Mobley, as the young Detroit star signed a five-year extension worth $224 million on July 10, 2024. But he made the All-NBA team last season, which gave him an extra $45 million on his deal!
The 24-year-old Oklahoma State point guard is also now in the NBA MVP conversation, as he has the Pistons at the top of the Eastern Conference. He is clearly the engine that makes the team go, and another All-NBA team slot is waiting for him after the 2025-26 season.
Like Mobley, Cunningham is still improving. He needs to work on his outside shooting, but Cunningham has shown improvement throughout his five-year career. He’ll have one of the biggest contracts in NBA history for a few years yet!
- Type of Contract: Rookie Extension
- Total Value: $269,000,000
- Contract Length: 2025-26 to 2029-30
- Average Salary Per Year: $53,817,156
- Average Salary Per Game: $656,306
Who are the Highest-Paid NBA Players Per Year?
I’ve just highlighted the biggest contracts even by total value, but what about the highest-paid players in the NBA per year as of 2026? Here are the current top five:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: $68.3 million/year
- Devin Booker: $66.6 million/year
- Jayson Tatum: $62.8 million/year
- Joel Embiid: $62.7 million/year
- Giannis Antetokounmpo/Anthony Davis: $58.4 million/year
This list will likely change next season. Stephen Curry signed an one-year extension worth $62.6 million slated to kick in for the 2026-27 season. Devin Booker signed a two-year extension that will start in 2028-29 worth $145 million, and he’ll make $69.1 million in 2029-30. Giannis Antetokounmpo will be eligible for an four-year extension worth $275 million, which averages to $68.7 million.
Luka Dončić will be 30 years old when he is eligible for an extension, and he’ll make the same, or more. Keep an eye on this list of the highest-paid players in NBA history as it will be in a constant state of change!
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