15 lowest-paid NBA players of all time and how much they make
NBA (National Basketball Association) is among the most popular and widely watched basketball leagues globally. NBA players typically receive substantial salaries, and top players can earn multi-million dollar contracts. This financial stability can provide long-term security for the players and their families. But who are the lowest-paid NBA players?
Source: UGC
NBA features some of the best basketball talents in the world. Playing in such a competitive environment allows players to continually challenge themselves, improve their skills, and elevate their game to new heights. So, who is the lowest-paid NBA player?
15 lowest-paid NBA players
NBA players are among the highest-paid athletes globally, and the league offers lucrative contracts to its players. NMA salaries can vary widely based on a player's experience, skill level, market demand, and negotiations.
We strive to provide our readers valuable insights and information through our various rankings and lists. It is important to understand our methodology and the principles that govern our ranking processes. We used data from ESPN and other publicly available information. The list below has the lowest-paid NBA players.
| Name | Salary |
| Gui Santos | $1,029,483 |
| Mouhamed Gueye | $1,119,563 |
| Jordan Walsh | $1,119,563 |
| Hunter Tyson | $1,119,563 |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | $1,119,563 |
| Maxwell Lewis | $1,119,563 |
| Andre Jackson Jr. | $1,119,563 |
| Chris Livingston | $1,119,563 |
| Toumani Camara | $1,119,563 |
| Rayan Rupert | $1,119,563 |
| Filip Petrusev | $1,119,563 |
| Sidy Cissoko | $1,119,563 |
| Julian Phillips | $1,600,000 |
| Jaden Hardy | $1,719,864 |
| Nate Williams | $1,719,864 |
1. Gui Santos - $1,029,483
Source: UGC
- Full name: Guilherme Carvalho dos Santos
- Date of birth: June 22, 2002
- Age: 21 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
- Current team: Golden State Warriors
How much does the lowest-paid NBA player make? Gui, whose real name is Guilherme Carvalho dos Santos, is a Brazilian professional basketball player for the Golden Warriors of the NBA. He is considered the lowest-earning NBA player.
2. Mouhamed Gueye - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Mouhamed Gueye
- Date of birth: November 9, 2002
- Age: 21 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Dakar, Senegal
- Current team: Atlanta Hawks
Mouhamed Gueye is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks. He is famous for his impressive height and shot-blocking abilities, making him a highly regarded prospect.
3. Jordan Walsh - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jordan E. Walsh
- Date of birth: March 3, 2004
- Age: 19 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Dallas, Texas, United States
- Current team: Boston Celtics
Jordan Walsh is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. He ranked No.7 overall in the ESPN 100 for the 2022 class. He made his NBA debut in a 117-98 victory against the San Antonio Spurs on January 17, 2024.
4. Hunter Tyson - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Hunter Tyson
- Date of birth: June 13, 2000
- Age: 23 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Monroe, North Carolina, United States
- Current team: Denver Nuggets
Hunter is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets. He was part of the Clemson team representing the United States in the 2019 Summer Universiade in Italy.
5. Trayce Jackson-Davis - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Trayce Jackson-Davis
- Date of birth: February 22, 2000
- Age: 24 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Greenwood, Indiana, United States
- Current team: Golden State Warriors
Trayce is an American basketball player for the Golden State Warriors. He played for the United States under-18 basketball team at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship.
6. Maxwell Lewis - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Maxwell Lewis
- Date of birth: July 27, 2002
- Age: 21 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Current team: Los Angeles Lakers
Maxwell plays professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the 41st pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
7. Andre Jackson Jr. - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Andre Terrell Jackson Jr.
- Date of birth: November 13, 2001
- Age: 22 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, New York, United States
- Current team: Milwaukee Bucks
Andre Terrell Jackson Jr. playing professional basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was the 36th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic.
8. Chris Livingston - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Christopher Livingston
- Date of birth: October 15, 2003
- Age: 20 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Akron, Ohio, United States
- Current team: Milwaukee Bucks
Chris Livingston is a highly regarded basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks. He played for the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americans Championship in Belem, Brazil.
9. Toumani Camara - $1,119,563
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Toumani Camara
- Date of birth: May 8, 2000
- Age: 23 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Brussels, Belgium
- Current team: Portland Trail Blazers
Toumani is a Belgian professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers. The Phoenix Suns previously drafted him as the 52nd pick of the 2023 NBA draft.
10. Rayan Rupert - $1,119,563
Source: UGC
- Full name: Rayan Rupert
- Date of birth: May 31, 2004
- Age: 19 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Strasbourg, France
- Current team: Portland Trail Blazers
Rayan is a French professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers. The New Zealand Breakers previously drafted him for the 2022-23 NBL season.
11. Filip Petrusev - $1,119,563
Source: UGC
- Full name: Filip Petrusev
- Date of birth: April 15, 2000
- Age: 23 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Belgrade, Serbia
- Current team: Olympiacos B.C.
Filip Petrusev is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Olympiacos. He previously played for the Sacramento Kings.
12. Sidy Cissoko - $1,119,563
Source: UGC
- Full name: Sidy Cissoko
- Date of birth: April 2, 2004
- Age: 19 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Saint-Maurice, France
- Current team: San Antonio Spurs
Sidy is a French professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs. He also played for the France national under-18 team at the 2021 FIBA U18 European Challengers.
13. Julian Phillips - $1,600,000
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Julian Phillips
- Date of birth: November 5, 2003
- Age: 20 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Killeen, Texas, United States
- Current team: Chicago Bulls
Julian is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls. He previously played for the Boston Celtics, where he was selected in the 35th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
14. Jaden Hardy - $1,719,864
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jaden Amere Hardy
- Date of birth: July 5, 2002
- Age: 21 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, United States
- Current team: Dallas Mavericks
Jaden is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks. He was previously drafted 37th in the 2022 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.
15. Nate Williams - $1,719,864
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jeenathan "Nate" Williams Jr.
- Date of birth: February 12, 1999
- Age: 25 years old (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Sag Harbor, New York, United States
- Current team: Houston Rockets
Nate is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets. He previously played for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Who is the highest-paid NBA?
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is considered the highest-paid NBA player, with a salary of $51,915,615. Curry is widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He has led the Golden State Warriors to multiple NBA championships.
What is the average NBA salary?
According to Statista, the average NBA salary for the 2023-24 season was $10 million. However, these are all base salaries, and certain players have incentives that could push their final pay even higher.
What is the NBA rookie minimum salary?
According to Diario AS, in the 2022-23 NBA season, rookie minimum salary was $953,000 annually, while veterans earned a minimum salary of $2.72 million annually. In professional basketball, the NBA salary cap is a critical factor in determining the strength of a team's roster.
What is the lowest salary of an NBA player?
According to Diario AS, the minimum salary for the 2023-24 NBA season is more than $1.1 million. This marks the first time the NBA minimum salary has exceeded the one million dollar mark.
Worst contracts in the NBA of all times
An NBA contract might be considered unfavourable for various reasons, such as a player's performance not living up to the salary, injury concerns, or the impact of the contract on a team's salary cap flexibility. Here are a few examples of the worst NBA contacts.
1. Ben Simmons
Source: Getty Images
Ben is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets. The Philadelphia 76ers signed him a five-year $177 million extension. This is one of the worst contracts in NBA history.
2. Davis Bertans
Source: UGC
Davis Bertans is a Latvian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wizards signed him a five-year $80 million extension, and at a time, he averaged 15.4 points per game. He has never gotten close to that level again.
3. Rudy Gobert
Source: Getty Images
Rudy is a French professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In December 2020, Jazz signed him a five-year, $205 million extension. He would average 13.4 points and 1.4 blocks per game, but he later became a rapidly declining player, making it an ugly deal.
Above are the 15 lowest-paid NBA players and their earnings. While the benefits of playing in the NBA are significant, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges and demands of the profession, such as intense competition, rigorous schedules, and the pressure to perform at a high level consistently.
READ ALSO: Complete list of tallest NBA players in history: Who is the all-time tallest player?
Briefly.co.za published an article on the tallest NBA players in history. Considering the nature of the game, it should come as no surprise that NBA players are among some of the tallest sportspeople in the world. Having made a name for themselves as exceptional NBA stars, they also capture fans with their unmissable height advantage, making them unforgettable game icons.
Source: Briefly News
