The NBA's 25 highest-paid players
22t. Brook Lopez — $21.2 million
22t. DeAndre Jordan — $21.2 million
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Position: Center
Contract: 4 years, $87.6 million (Jordan can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2018)
One thing to know: Jordan was involved in what may go down as the craziest free-agency signing in NBA history. He went from signing with the Mavs to re-signing with the Clippers in a span of 12 hours, all while an emoji war erupted. He may get a chance to do it all over again in the summer of 2018.
22t. Marc Gasol — $21.2 million
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Position: Center
Contract: 5 years, $113.2 million (Gasol can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2019)
One thing to know: The premier free-agent big man in the summer of 2015, Gasol chose to remain with the Grizzlies and won't be a free agent again until 2019 at the earliest.
22t. Kevin Love — $21.2 million
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Position: Forward
Contract: 5 years, $113.2 million
One thing to know: When Love was traded to the Cavaliers in 2014 and struggled in his first season, there was speculation that he would bolt Cleveland after one season, or possibly sign a one-year deal and leave as a free agent this past summer. Instead he signed a new five-year contract and will be with the Cavs until at least 2020.
21. Derrick Rose — $21.3 million
Team: New York Knicks
Position: Point guard
Contract: 5 years, $94.3 million
One thing to know: Rose is in the final year of his deal and this season may be his last shot at landing a lucrative deal in free agency.
15t. Harrison Barnes — $22.1 million
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Position: Small forward
Contract: 4 years, $94.4 million (Barnes can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2019)
One thing to know: When the Warriors decided to go after Kevin Durant, it meant several key pieces to their 73-win team would be gone. One of those was Barnes, who signed a maximum-level contract with the Mavericks just days before Durant signed with Golden State.
15t. Chandler Parsons — $22.1 million
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Position: Small forward
Contract: 4 years, $94.4 million
One thing to know: Parsons opted out of the last year of his contract with the Mavericks and signed a four-year deal with the Grizzlies instead. The Mavs didn't want to offer Parsons a long-term deal because of health concerns over his knee. According to Tim McMahon of ESPN, Cuban tried to talk Parsons into playing out the final year of his contract. Parsons called that idea "pretty ludicrous, even borderline disrespectful," according to McMahon.
15t. Hassan Whiteside — $22.1 million
Team: Miami Heat
Position: Center
Contract: 4 years, $98.4 million
One thing to know: After making just $3.3 million in his first four seasons in the NBA, Whiteside will make that much every 13 games this season.
15t. Bradley Beal — $22.1 million
Team: Washington Wizards
Position: Shooting guard
Contract: 5 years, $127.2 million
One thing to know: John Wall has admitted that "a lot of times [he and Beal] have a tendency to dislike each other on the court." So it probably doesn't help that Beal has a $127 million contract in his fifth season and Wall has an $84.8 million contract in his seventh season.
15t. Anthony Davis — $22.1 million
Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Position: Power Forward
Contract: 5 years, $127.2 million
One thing to know: Davis lost out on about $23 million when he failed to be an All-Star starter or be named to the All-NBA team last season. That reduced his max.-level salary from 30% to 25% of the team's salary cap.
15t. Andre Drummond — $22.1 million
Team: Detroit Pistons
Position: Center
Contract: 5 years, $127.2 million (Drummond can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2020)
One thing to know: The total value of Drummond's contract is $47 million more than any other contract in Pistons history.
14. Chris Paul — $22.9 million
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Position: Point guard
Contract: 5 years, $107.3 million (Paul can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2017)
One thing to know: Paul can become a free agent after the season, so he picked a good time to have lasik surgery. He is attempting 5.2 three-pointers per game, the most in his career and his 55.7% effective field goal percentage (adjusted for three-pointers) is the best of his career and 40 points higher than last year.
13. Dwight Howard — $23.2 million
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Position: Center
Contract: 3 years, $70.5 million
One thing to know: After opting out of the final year of his deal with the Rockets, Howard signed with the Hawks this past summer. Early on, his production has been similar to what he was doing with Houston.
12. Dwyane Wade — $23.2 million
Team: Chicago Bulls
Position: Shooting guard
Contract: 2 years, $47.0 million (Wade can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2017)
One thing to know: Wade's surprising move to the Bulls this past summer as a free agent had LeBron James' fingerprints all over it and it was LeBron who may have benefited the most.
11. Chris Bosh — $23.7 million
Team: Miami Heat
Position: Power forward
Contract: 5 years, $118.7 million
One thing to know: Because of his recurring blood-clot issues, Bosh has played his final game with the Heat and is expected to be released sometime in the near future. The next question will be whether or not another team will take a chance on Bosh.
10. Damian Lillard — $24.3 million
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Position: Point guard
Contract: 5 years, $139.9 million
One thing to know: Lillard's $139.9 million contract is the second-largest in NBA history.
9. Carmelo Anthony — $24.6 million
Team: New York Knicks
Position: Small forward
Contract: 5 years, $124.1 million (Anthony can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2018)
One thing to know: Anthony re-signed with the Knicks prior to the 2014-15 season and will not be eligible for free agency again until 2018 at the earliest. While he finally got some big-name teammates this past offseason, now the Knicks are struggling to gain an identity as Phil Jackson, the coaches, and the players are seemingly unable to agree on how to run the offense.
8. Dirk Nowitzki — $25.0 million
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Position: Power forward
Contract: 2 years, $50.0 million (The second year of the deal for the 2017-18 season is a team option)
One thing to know: Nowitzki stopped taking discounts this summer, an indication that he knew the Mavs wouldn't be competing again for a championship anytime soon.
2t. Kevin Durant — $26.5 million
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: Small forward
Contract: 2 years, $54.3 million (Durant can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2017)
One thing to know: Durant was the biggest prize in free agency this past summer, spurning the Thunder and signing with the Warriors. His new team is already as good as advertised. But it could be short-lived as Durant has the option to be free agent against after the season.
2t. Russell Westbrook — $26.5 million
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Position: Point guard
Contract: 3 years, $85.6 million (Westbrook can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2018)
One thing to know: In a surprise move, Westbrook signed an extension with the Thunder just prior to the season. He was expected to be the top free agent on the market next summer. Now he will have to wait until the summer of 2018.
2t. Al Horford — $26.5 million
Team: Boston Celtics
Position: Center
Contract: 4 years, $113.3 million (Horford can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2019)
One thing to know: The Celtics might have been the other big winner in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. Horford was reportedly going to sign with the Thunder this past summer if Durant had stayed. When Durant went to the Warriors, Horford chose instead to sign with the Celtics.
2t. James Harden — $26.5 million
Team: Houston Rockets
Position: Point guard
Contract: 4 years, $118.0 million (Harden can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2019)
One thing to know: Harden's $118 million contract is still dwarfed by the $200 million contract he signed with Adidas.
2t. DeMar DeRozan — $26.5 million
Team: Toronto Raptors
Position: Shooting guard
Contract: 5 years, $139.0 million (DeRozan can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2020)
One thing to know: DeRozan has rewarded the Raptors with their commitment, pushing his scoring average to more than 30 points per game this season, among the league leaders. He averaged just 23.5 points per game last season.
2t. Mike Conley — $26.5 million
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Position: Point guard
Contract: 5 years, $152.6 million (Conley can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2020)
One thing to know: Conley's $152.6 million contract is the largest in NBA history.
1. LeBron James — $31.0 million
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Position: Small forward
Contract: 3 years, $99.9 million (James can opt out of the final year of the contract in 2018)
One thing to know: With the retirement of Kobe Bryant, LeBron takes over the top spot this season. After signing a pair of one-year contracts, James chose instead to sign what is effectively a two-year contract. This will set him up to sign a monster contract in 2018 or leave Cleveland to join some of his friends on another super team.
Now check out which teams are the highest paid in the world.
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