The 27 highest-paid players in the NBA for the 2017-18 season

For several seasons, Stephen Curry was the biggest bargain in the NBA thanks to a contract he signed when there were still doubts about the long-term health of his ankles. But this season he has finally cashed in big time and replaced LeBron James as the highest-paid player in the NBA.

In all, 27 players in the NBA will make at least $23.0 million, led by Curry.

data provided by Spotrac

27. J.J. Redick — $23.0 million

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Position: Shooting Guard

Contract:

One thing to know: Redick is entering his 12th NBA season and in his first 11 seasons, he never made more than $7.4 million in any one season. This season he will make more than the next two highest-paid players on the 76ers combined, Amir Johnson and Jerryd Bayless, who will make $20.0 million combined.

t25. Harrison Barnes — $23.1 million

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Barnes was signed by the Mavericks to a max contract as a restricted free agent, but it might not have happened if Kevin Durant had not signed with the Warriors. According to a report, the Warriors planned to match any offer unless they won the Durant sweepstakes. In the end, the Dubs got Durant and let Barnes walk.

t25. Chandler Parsons — $23.1 million

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Health is the biggest concern with Parsons. He has played in just 161 games out of a possible 246 games the last three seasons.

24. Dwight Howard — $23.5 million

Team: Charlotte Hornets

Position: Center

Contract:

One thing to know: Dwight Howard is playing for his fifth team in seven years. Howard's one season with the Atlanta Hawks was one of his better seasons since being traded away from the Orlando Magic in 2012. The 8-time All-Star averaged 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game during the regular season.

t20. Andre Drummond — $23.8 million

Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: Center

Contract:

One thing to know: Entering the 2017-18 season, Drummond had made 683 free throws in his career. He had missed 1,110. This season, however, he is up to a respectable 63%.

t20. Anthony Davis — $23.8 million

Team: New Orleans Pelicans

Position: Power Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Davis likely lost out on an additional $23 million from "The Derrick Rose Rule" by missing 21 games during the 2015-16 season. Davis was not named to an All-NBA team which kept the Rose provision from kicking in. This season he has upped his game and is getting some MVP consideration.

t20. Bradley Beal — $23.8 million

Team: Washington Wizards

Position: Shooting Guard

Contract: 5 years, $127.2 million

One thing to know: Staying healthy is the key to Beal's contract. The 2016-17 season was just the second time he played more than 63 games in a season. But in staying healthy, he posted career highs of 23.1 points per game and 20.1 PER.

t20. Hassan Whiteside — $23.8 million

Team: Miami Heat

Position: Center

Contract:

One thing to know: Whiteside played in just 19 games in the first four seasons after being drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2010. However, since landing in Miami he has developed into one of the best defensive big men in the NBA, leading the league in rebounds this past season and in blocks two seasons ago.

19. C.J. McCollum — $24 million

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Position: Shooting Guard

Contract:

One thing to know: McCollum was rewarded with a max-level extension after just one season as a starter. He then rewarded the Trail Blazers for the generosity by continuing to improve in his fourth season, pushing his average up to 23.0 points per game. He also had a career high 19.9 PER last season.

18. Chris Paul — $24.3 million

Team: Houston Rockets

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Paul shocked the NBA by agreeing to a trade to the Rockets to team with James Harden and form one of the most compelling backcourts in the league. It didn't take long for the two to figure things out as the Rockets are seen as a legit threat to the Warriors in the West.

17. Otto Porter Jr. — $24.8 million

Team: Washington Wizards

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Porter re-signed with the Wizards even though Shaquille O'Neal thought his Sacramento Kings had signed him.

16. Jrue Holiday — $24.9 million

Team:

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Holiday may have been one of the luckiest players in the NBA in recent seasons. After the Pelicans traded for Demarcus Cousins, they couldn't afford to let their point guard walk in free agency without a viable replacement. That gave Holiday all the leverage he needed for a max contract.

15. Kevin Durant — $25 million

Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Durant took nearly $10 million less than he was eligible for because he is "a smart guy" and wanted "to keep this thing going."

14. Andrew Wiggins — $25.3 million

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Since Wiggins was traded by the Cavs to the T-Wolves as part of the deal for Kevin Love, he matured into a 24-point-per-game scorer during the 2016-17 season. However, his scoring is down to 18 points per game this season.

13. Damian Lillard — $26.2 million

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Lillard's contract jumped in value by about $15 million thanks to "The Derrick Rose Rule," a rule that allowed younger star players to earn more money if they met certain criteria. Lillard qualified by twice making the All-NBA team.

12. Carmelo Anthony — $26.2 million

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: The Thunder were supposed to be the classic example of the small-market team that couldn't keep its stars. Instead, it put on a master-class in super-team building, including the surprise trade for Anthony.

11. Al Horford — $27.7 million

Team: Boston Celtics

Position: Center

Contract:

One thing to know: With the Celtics adding Kyrie Irving and the now-injured Gordon Hayward this offseason, it was easy to forget that the first big piece to the team's rebuild was a max contract for Horford.

10. DeMar DeRozan — $27.7 million

Team: Toronto Raptors

Position: Shooting Guard

Contract:

One thing to know: DeRozan's deal was the second-largest in NBA history when it was signed in 2016.

9. James Harden — $28.3 million

Team:

Position: Shooting Guard

Contract:

One thing to know: Harden still has another season left on his current contract before his 4-year, $169.3 million extension kicks in. His salary in the first season of that deal will be $37.8 million and it will eventually grow to $46.9 million.

t7. Russell Westbrook — $28.5 million

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Westbrook recently signed a $205 million extension that will kick in next season. The $233 million the Thunder now owe Westbrook over the next six seasons is the most in NBA history. Westbrook's salary will peak in the final season at $46.7 million.

t7. Mike Conley — $28.5 million

Team:

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Conley's contract was the richest in NBA history when it was signed during the 2016 free agency period.

6. Kyle Lowry — $28.7 million

Team: Toronto Raptors

Position:

Contract:

One thing to know: Lowry can earn up to $2 million in bonuses. But to get them all, he would need to make the All-Star game, be named All-NBA and All-Defense, and have the Raptors win the championship. On top of that, he would also need to play in at least 65 games and average at least 25 minutes per game.

5. Blake Griffin — $29.5 million

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Position: Power Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: Part of the Clippers' pitch to re-sign Griffin included t-shirts that compared Griffin to numerous historical figures, including Muhammad Ali, President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, President Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, and even Michael Jackson.

4. Gordon Hayward — $29.7 million

Team: Boston Celtics

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: In one of the biggest moves of free agency, the new-look Celtics signed Hayward and will team him with Kyrie Irving. Doc Rivers called it the best rebuild "maybe ever." Unfortunately, Hayward broke his ankle just minutes into his first game with the Celtics.

3. Paul Millsap — $30.8 million

Team: Denver Nuggets

Position: Power Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: The Nuggets landed a legit star this offseason thanks to the Atlanta Hawks' decision to go into a rebuilding mode. According to Millsap, the Hawks never offered him a contract as a free agent.

2. LeBron James — $33.3 million

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Position: Small Forward

Contract:

One thing to know: LeBron is in his 15th season, and after two years of one-year contracts in his return to the Cavs, he finally started to cash-in big time the last two seasons. Either way, we shouldn't worry about LeBron, he is still one of the most frugal players in the NBA.

1. Stephen Curry — $34.7 million

Team:

Position: Point Guard

Contract:

One thing to know: Curry's $201 million contract was the largest in NBA history at the time of its signing, a huge pay bump from what was the biggest bargain in the NBA. Warriors owner Joe Lacob apparently wanted to try to get another bargain out of Curry as Lacob had to be talked out of offering Curry something below the max. Instead, Curry is the NBA's newest highest-paid player, replacing LeBron James.

Now check out the players who have made the most in NBA history.

The 27 highest-paid players in the NBA for the 2017-18 season

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