Jayson Tatum is woefully underpaid. The Boston Celtics superstar swingman makes only $34.8 million per season. That is pitiful.
Hopefully, you can sense that I’m being sarcastic about Tatum’s financial situation. And when the 2025-26 season tips off, the new deal he signed last year will make him the highest-paid player in the NBA at $63 million per year.
Tatum, who has become an influential philanthropist which includes support for Beyond Housing initiatives, will make $54.1 million in 2025-26. He gets a raise each year through the duration of the contract and will ultimately be paid $63 million a season.
Currently, Tatum is leading the Celtics on a path to a possible second consecutive NBA title while ranking No. 40 on the NBA largest contract list. Yep, 40th.
While other players will have contract extensions kick in, the list of the NBA’s highest-paid players during the 2024-25 season is a mixed back of “yeah, that’s cool” to “you gotta be kidding me.”
Ranking first, and deservedly so, is Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. At $55.7 million, Curry is the league’s most popular player and also still plays at a championship level.
Injuries have played a role in Joel Embiid being among the NBA’s most overpaid players. He netted $54.15 million for basically nothing with the Philadelphia 76ers this year. Philly fans want him gone and my guess is he wants out too. An aching knee robbed him of yet another productive season.
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets also makes $54.15, and that could be considered a bargain. This guy can do it all, but he does it in such a non-flashy way that his immense talent is often overlooked.
Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns made a tidy sum of $51.1 million, and his team didn’t even make the playoffs. Durant remains an amazing player, and he can’t be blamed for the Suns’ mediocrity. In fact, the Suns tried to deal him to an NBA playoff contender but could not find a trade partner. This was in part to the next player on the highest-paid list
While we are singing the praises of local product Tatum, we must take a somber tone when realizing that our own Bradley Beal just cashed in to the tune of $50.2 this season. The contract carries a no-trade clause, which Beal used to block deals that could have helped the Suns and Durant reach the playoffs.
If Kawhi Leonard had not found the fountain of youth this season, I would have considered him overpaid at $49.3 million. Like other underachievers, injuries plagued him in the last few seasons. But he sparked a L.A. Clippers turnaround, and they made the playoffs before being dismissed by Denver.
How the Suns have three of the top 10 largest contracts, and do not make the playoffs is beyond me. Yet, Suns guard Devin Booker made a cool $49.2 million this year. He earned it, though, playing at an NBA All-Star level.
Also coming in at $49.2 million are Paul George of the 76ers, Karl Anthony-Towns of the New York Knicks, and Jaylen Brown of the Celtics.
I think the future NBA salary leader will be Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He makes ‘just’ $42.17 million but his next deal will see his salary skyrocket.
The Reid Roundup
I saw the Cincinnati Reds host the Washington Nationals last Saturday at Great America Ballpark. Reds’ shortstop Elly De La Cruz had two hits and drove in a run in an 11-6 loss…22-year-old James Wood of the Nationals collected four hits and scored a pair of runs. Demoted for staying out until 5 a.m. before a day game last year, Woods is a rising Black star that hopefully learned his lesson…Reds’ pitcher Hunter Greene is having the best season of his career. On Friday, Greene moved to 4-2 with a tidy 2.52 earned run average as the Reds won 6-1… St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn has heated up. Winn bashed two home runs in the Cards’ 6-0 win over the Reds last Wednesday, collected three hits in a Friday loss to the New York Mets, and is hitting .268.