Covid affected NBA Season, less crowd, less revenue, and much less fanfare conclude the 2020-21 season for the National Basketball Association. As the NBA season is in its Playoffs stage and will be concluded in the coming months, NBA Free Agency Kicks off, and players line up for their new contracts and Trades.
As new deals set in in the coming months, let us have a look at the Top 5 highest-paid players for the 2020-21 season.
5. John Wall (Houston Rockets) - $41,254,920
John Wall was destined to be a superstar in the league. With his formidable partnership with Bradley Beal in Washington Wizards were heading in the right direction, until injury struck and took away 2 years of his prime basketball career.
As Houston Rockets went on a rebuild mode, Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards and sent John Wall the other way round and took a huge load of his contract. Wall is due over $44 million next season and has a player’s option of $47.3 million in 2022-2023 the following season. It looks like Wall will be traded for more picks, or else Rockets will have a huge payload to fill for a player who has not been healthy
4. James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) - $41,254,920
All-Star James Harden had a terrific run with the Houston Rockets where he put the Rockets back on the map but had to make career choices and move out of the Houston post-Russell Westbrook trade.
The Beard has one of the largest contracts in the NBA and is tied up with the Brooklyn Nets for the Season. Harden owns a player’s option of $46.8 million after next season and if Kevin Durant signs back with the Nets, it is expected that Hardan shall do the same.
3. Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns) - $41,358,814
CP3, one of the most underrated point guards of the modern era is finally getting his desired recognition since his move to the Rockets, OKC, and the Phoenix Suns. He got a large contract during his tenure with the Houston Rockets, but post his fallout with James Harden, Paul has been making a case of him leading the team to the Finals appearances.
He has currently declined his deal i.e., exercise the player option deal with the Suns and will enter free agency this off-season and check for a larger paycheck than the current deal.
2. Russell Westbrook (Washington Wizards) – $41,358,814
The Triple-Double machine, Russell Westbrook has been on a slight downward trend post his MVP days with the OKC Thunder. He has been switching from Houston Rockets and now to Washington Wizards in a quest to find his 1st Championship.
But all of this has not impacted his earnings. Westbrook has a player option of $47.3 million after next season. Now, will Wizards open to handle such a contract with the future of Bradley Beal hovering around will be one to see.
1. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
3x NBA Champion, 2x MVP, only unanimous MVP in the history of the game, Steph Curry is bagging a bomber for the season and is the No.1 player in the earnings. I can say he is the only player in the Top 5 list who justifies the price tag. The funny part is, only Curry is in the All-NBA 1st team for this season out of the remaining 4.
As Curry would be a free agent next season, will Golden State Offer him a Supermax Deal? Would be one to watch out for.
However, a lot of Rookies will be out of their Rookie Scale Contracts this season, the Likes of Luka Doncic, Trae Young would be bagging Supermax for sure. Will they Break into the Top 5 will be one to watch?
