Here Are The Five NBA Players Whose 2019-2020 Salaries Top LeBron James’

Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, John Wall and James Harden all have higher salaries this season than James.

LeBron James is having another MVP-caliber season with the Lakers. His salary for the 2019-2020 season, however, is not top-five in the NBA. 

There are five players who make more than James and while the differences between Nos. 2-5 on biggest contracts is minimal, it still comes as a bit of a surprise. 

According to Basketball Reference, here are the top seven NBA player salaries for this season. 

1. Stephen Curry, Warriors, $40.2 million

2. Chris Paul, Thunder, $38.5 million 

3. Russell Westbrook, Rockets, $38.1 million

4. John Wall, Wizards, $37.8 million

5. James Harden, Rockets, $37.8 million

6. LeBron James, Lakers, $37.4 million

7. Kevin Durant, Nets, $37.1 million

Because of injuries the last few years, it’s easy to see why many might forget that Wall has one of the biggest contracts in the NBA. He hasn’t played yet this season because of surgery for a torn Achilles' tendon. He played just 73 combined games the previous two seasons because of injuries.  

Wall had a career year in 2016-17 and signed a four-year extension with the Wizards in 2017 in which he is set to earn $46.87 million in the 2022-23 season. 

James’ contract with the Lakers runs through the 2021-22 season, in which he’ll make $41 million. James is averaging 25.7 points and an NBA-best 10.6 assists per game. The Lakers (49-14) are the top team in the Western Conference and are looking to win the organization’s first championship since 2010. The NBA season was paused on March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and it's unclear if or when it will resume. 

After James, the next highest paid player on the Lakers roster is Anthony Davis, who was traded to the team in June. He is 35th in the NBA at $27.09 million this season, the final year of his contract. He will become a free agent after this season.

Chris Paul has the second-highest salary in the league. The Rockets have two of the top-five highest paid players in Westbrook and Harden.