Chart with the highest paid players in NBA history season by season in the salary cap era: from 1984-85 to 2016-17. Clicking in the ‘Top’ section you can check the highest paid players of each NBA season with details about their salary and their respective teams, with the omission of the 1986-87 and 1989-90 seasons due to lack of accurate data.
Highest paid players NBA history season by season
| Season | Player | Team | Salary | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | Kevin Durant | Golden State | $26,540,100 | Top-50 |
| 2015-16 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $25,000,000 | Top-50 |
| 2014-15 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $23,500,000 | Top-50 |
| 2013-14 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $30,453,805 | Top-50 |
| 2012-13 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $30,453,805 | Top-50 |
| 2011-12 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $25,244,493 | Top-50 |
| 2010-11 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $24,806,250 | Top-50 |
| 2009-10 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers | $23,034,375 | Top-50 |
| 2008-09 | Kevin Garnett | Boston | $24,751,934 | Top-10 |
| 2007-08 | Kevin Garnett | Boston | $23,751,934 | Top-10 |
| 2006-07 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota | $21,000,000 | Top-10 |
| 2005-06 | Shaquille O’Neal | Miami | $20,000,000 | Top-10 |
| 2004-05 | Shaquille O’Neal | Miami | $29,464,000 | Top-15 |
| 2003-04 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota | $28,000,000 | Top-10 |
| 2002-03 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota | $25,200,000 | Top-10 |
| 2001-02 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota | $22,400,000 | Top-10 |
| 2000-01 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota | $19,600,000 | Top-10 |
| 1999-00 | Shaquille O’Neal | LA Lakers | $17,142,000 | Top-10 |
| 1998-98 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $18,500,000 | Top-10 |
| 1997-98 | Michael Jordan | Chicago | $33,140,000 | Top-10 |
| 1996-97 | Michael Jordan | Chicago | $30,140,000 | Top-10 |
| 1995-96 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $18,724,000 | Top-10 |
| 1994-95 | David Robinson | San Antonio | $7,300,000 | Top-10 |
| 1993-94 | David Robinson | San Antonio | $5,740,000 | Top-10 |
| 1992-93 | David Robinson | San Antonio | $5,720,000 | Top-10 |
| 1991-92 | Larry Bird | Boston | $7,070,000 | Top-10 |
| 1990-91 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $4,250,000 | Top-10 |
| 1989-90 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $3,250,000 | |
| 1988-89 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $2,750,000 | Top-10 |
| 1987-88 | Patrick Ewing | New York | $2,750,000 | Top-10 |
| 1986-87 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers | $2,500,000 * | |
| 1985-86 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers | $2,500,000 | Top-10 |
| 1984-85 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers | $2,500,000 | Top-10 |
Sources: ESPN, Spotrac, Basketball-Reference and Patricia Bender’s archive. NBA does not make their player salaries public. Magic Johnson’s salary from 1986-87 season is estimated due to lack of accurate salary data on that season.