Highest Paid NBA Small Forwards: The small forward position was home to some of the best overall players in NBA history. Greatness is typically rewarded with a large salary, as our rankings of point guards and shooting guards demonstrate. The two highest-paid players in NBA history, along with nine other players who have made an incredible $200 million or more in their NBA careers, are all small forwards.
The 25 highest-paid NBA small forwards in history are listed below, arranged into tiers according to their cumulative earnings throughout their playing careers. From the stars who changed the course of sports history and player compensation to the veterans who amassed $100 million over the years, these 25 highest-paid NBA small forwards made sure that their families would have a stable financial future for future generations.
Sorting All-Time Highest Paid NBA Small Forwards Into Tiers
Tier 6 – $100 Million-$149 Million
Brandon Ingram – $145,606,392
Grant Hill – $141,008,544
Otto Porter Jr. – $138,816,877
Shawn Marion – $134,936,762
Chandler Parsons – $126,998,999
Bojan Bogdanovic – $123,629,296
Trevor Ariza – $118,962,219
Richard Jefferson – $116,683,643
The eight small forwards in Tier 1 who earned between $100 million and $149 million during their careers come first. Brandon Ingram, who was once with the Los Angeles Lakers and is presently with the New Orleans Pelicans, is currently leading this tier. Throughout his eight-year NBA career, Ingram has averaged 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He has also been selected to one All-Star team. Having made $145.6 million in his career to date, Ingram is expected to earn $36 million with New Orleans in the upcoming season, which will propel him into Tier 5 at that point.
One of the biggest NBA history’s “what-ifs” is Grant Hill. Hill was a five-time All-Star with the Pistons in his early career, averaging 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in his first six seasons. Despite dealing with ailments that kept him off the floor more often than not, Hill made between $10 million and $16.5 million a year with the Orlando Magic between 2002 and 2007. Ultimately, Hill was a Hall of Famer who won five All-NBA Team choices, seven All-Star selections, and the 1995 Rookie of the Year award.
Despite being an unusual inclusion on this list, Otto Porter Jr. had the good fortune to play during a period of exorbitant contracts. Porter has played for the Wizards, Warriors, Bulls, Raptors, and Magic across his 11-year NBA career. Throughout his career, he has averaged just 10.2 points and 5.0 rebounds, and he has never been named an All-Star. Porter’s salary with the Wizards, Bulls, and Magic ranged from $24 million to $28.5 million between 2018 and 2021.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Shawn Marion, sometimes known as “The Matrix,” was an underappreciated star forward for the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. Marion’s defensive prowess played a significant role in the Mavericks’ eventual 2011 NBA championship victory. Though Marion was only selected to the All-Star team twice and as a four-time All-Star, he made the most money of his career with the Suns, Heat, and Raptors from 2004 to 2009, earning $10 million to $17.8 million a year.
Chandler Parsons, who made $126.9 million throughout his NBA career, also breaks Tier 6 despite being frequently cited as one of the most overpaid players in NBA history. Parsons averaged 12.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while playing for the Rockets, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and Hawks across his nine NBA seasons. With one of the worst contracts in NBA history, Parsons made at least $22 million per season for the final four years of his career while playing for the Grizzlies, earning $94 million in total over the course of four years.
Another active NBA player to join this tier is Bojan Bogdanovic, whose $123.6 million lifetime earnings put him in second place. Bogdanovic, an NBA veteran of ten years, has played for the Nets, Pacers, Jazz, and Pistons, averaging 15.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest. Bogdanovic has earned at least $10.5 million per season since 2017–18. In 2023–24, he will make $20 million, and in 2024–25, he will also be owed $19 million.
Over the course of his 18-season NBA career, Trevor Ariza played for 10 different clubs as a journeyman. Ariza did not make it to the All-Star team, but he did lead the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title in 2009. The only other season he ever made over $10 million was from 2019 to 2021 with the Wizards, Trail Blazers, and Heat, when he made $12.2 million or more. This is despite his long history of playing for many clubs.
Richard Jefferson, a former NBA small forward, completes Tier 6. With the Nets, Bucks, Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Nuggets, Jefferson spent 17 seasons as a player in the NBA. Throughout his career, Jefferson averaged 12.6 points per game while playing for the Cavaliers, the 2016 NBA Champions who pulled off one of the greatest upsets in NBA history. Regardless of the stage of his career he was in, Jefferson received a substantial reward for his accomplishments on the court: $10 million or more every season from 2006 to 2014.
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Tier 5 – $150 Million-$199 Million
Nicolas Batum – $199,123,175
Andrew Wiggins – $195,171,611
Paul Pierce – $195,132,032
Andre Iguodala – $185,219,886
Harrison Barnes – $183,158,501
Rudy Gay – $181,260,320
Luol Deng – $166,056,673
Rashard Lewis – $151,217,496
The following eight players comprise Tier 5, which is made up of small forwards with NBA career earnings ranging from $150 million to $199 million. Nicolas Batum tops Tier 5 with $199.1 million in lifetime earnings. He was recently traded to the 76ers in the transaction that sent James Harden to the Clippers. Despite playing in the NBA for 16 years, Batum has never been selected as an All-Star or All-NBA Team player. Under a horrible contract that is still discussed today, Batum was paid between $20.9 million and $25.6 million a year with the Hornets from 2017 to 2020.
Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors is barely behind Batum with $195.2 million in lifetime earnings. Having been taken as the first overall pick once, the ten-year veteran has averaged 19.0 points per game in his career and has been in one All-Star Game. Wiggins has made at least $25.5 million per season since 2019. He is projected to earn nearly $24 million a season through 2025–2026, with a $30.1 million player option for 2026–2027, when he will be 32.
The most skilled player we have seen today, regardless of level, is Paul Pierce. Pierce, who played for the Boston Celtics for 19 seasons from 1999 to 2017, is the all-time top scorer for the team and a past Finals MVP. In his heyday, the former 10-time All-Star made between $10.1 million and $19.8 million each season from 2003 to 2014, making him one of the highest-paid NBA Small Forwards in the league. In addition to winning Finals MVP, Pierce would assist the Celtics in 2008 in winning their first championship since Larry Bird’s retirement.
A lengthy and distinguished career was also had by Andre Iguodala with the 76ers, Nuggets, Warriors, and Heat. Throughout his career, Iguodala would win four NBA titles with the Warriors, including the 2015 championship for which he was named Finals MVP. Iguodala received compensation ranging from $11.3 to $17.1 million each season from 2009 to 2021. Along with his four championships and MVP award from the 2015 Finals, Iguodala would go on to be selected twice for the All-Defensive Team and once for the All-Star Team.
With a lifetime earnings of $183.2 million, Harrison Barnes is another tiny forward who is now lucky enough to break through to Tier 5. After playing for the Warriors and Mavericks in the past, Barnes is presently in his 12th NBA season with the Kings in 2023–24. Barnes earned between $20 and $24.1 million a year from 2–17 until 2022, and over the next three seasons, he will make $54 million with Sacramento.
Rudy Gay is one of those guys who, despite being paid accordingly, everyone expected would become a superstar but who never quite lived up to that expectation. Gay has played for the Grizzlies, Raptors, Kings, Spurs, and Jazz throughout his 17 years as an NBA veteran. Although he has never been selected for anything other than the All-Rookie Team, he has been rewarded with ten seasons in which he has made at least $10.1 million, which has earned him a position in Tier 5.
Lakers fans, turn away now. The athlete with the highest lifetime earnings on our list, Luol Deng, has made $166.1 million. During his career with the Bulls, Cavaliers, and Lakers from 2005 to 2019, Deng was selected as a two-time All-Star and once for the All-Defensive Team. Throughout his career, Deng earned at least $10 million in nine separate seasons, including his 2017 final Lakers deal. The Lakers had offered him a contract that would pay him $5 million a season through 2021–2022 even after he retired.
Rashard Lewis, a player who ranks in the top 25 in his career three-pointers made, two-time All-Star, and 2013 NBA champion, is the last member of Tier 5. From 1999 to 2014, Lewis participated in 16 NBA seasons with the SuperSonics, Magic, Wizards, and Heat. Throughout his career, he averaged 14.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, earning between $13.7 and $21.2 million per year between 2008 and 2013.
Tier 4 – $200 Million-$249 Million
Khris Middelton – $223,072,156
Danilo Gallinari – $201,736,696
throughout Tier 4 of our list, there are just two NBA players who have made between $200 million and $249 million throughout their careers. If both athletes remain active in 2023–2024, they will undoubtedly continue to rise in this ranking. The first of these sportsmen is forward Khris Middleton of the Bucks, an NBA player for 12 seasons who split his time between Detroit and Milwaukee. Middleton had a significant role in the Bucks’ 2021 championship win. Middle’s current contract requires him to make at least $30 million every season through 2025–2026. He made $30.6 million or more in pay from 202–2023.
Another NBA small forward who has made over $200 million in salary over the course of his 16-year career is Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari has played for the Knicks, Nuggets, Clippers, Thunder, Hawks, and Wizards during his NBA career, yet he has never been selected to the All-Star or All-NBA Team team. Gallinari has managed to earn over $20 million in four of his professional seasons and at least $10 million in six more, despite his lacklustre performance.
Tier 3 – $250 Million-$299 Million
Kawhi Leonard – $276,566,211
Gordon Hayward – $268,384,749
Jimmy Butler – $263,249,191
Carmelo Anthony – $262,523,093
Tier 3 is where some of the greatest small forwards in NBA history start to appear, along with an impostor whose rise is still a mystery to me. Over the course of his 13 seasons with the Spurs, Raptors, and Clippers, Kawhi Leonard has developed into an outstanding two-way player and has amassed $276.6 million in career earnings. In addition to earning two Defensive Player of the Year titles, Leonard has guided two separate teams to NBA titles and been named Finals MVP both times. Leonard has a $48.8 million player option for 2025–2026 in addition to his existing $45.6 million deal with the Clippers until 2023–2024.
The phoney I mentioned before, Gordon Hayward, deserves daily gratitude from his agent for the $268.4 million he has made in his career. Hayward is a 14-year veteran who spent much of the previous ten years dealing with injuries. He was an All-Star once. With the Celtics and Hornets since 2018, Hayward has earned at least $29.7 million a year. In 2023–24, he will also earn $31.5 million with Charlotte.
It seems wrong that Jimmy Butler is ranked lower than Hayward in terms of lifetime earnings, yet here we are. With $263.3 million in his pocket over the past 13 seasons, I’m sure Butler isn’t grumbling. In his career, Butler has earned a minimum of $20.4 million since 2019. He is a six-time All-Star, five-time selection to the NBA Team, and five-time selection to the All-Defensive Team. Butler has a player option worth $52.4 million in 2025–2026 and is owed up to $45 million every season through 2024–2025.
The last player in Tier 3 is among the NBA’s all-time top 10 scorers and also one of the most hated players in history. Carmelo Anthony may not have ever been in a position to win a championship, but throughout his 19-year career, he produced big plays everywhere he went. With ten All-Star appearances and six All-NBA Team choices during his career, Anthony made $262.5 million on average while averaging 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Tier 2 – $300 Million-$399 Million
Kevin Durant – $396,705,024
Paul George – $305,332,086
There have only been two small forwards in NBA history to make between $300 million and $399 million. They include Kevin Durant, who has proven to be one of the best offensive players in basketball history. In his seventeen-year NBA career, Durant has been chosen for ten All-NBA teams and thirteen All-Star teams. In addition, he has two NBA championships, two MVP honours from the Finals, one MVP crown, and two scoring crowns collected. Among the nine players who will earn at least $50 million in 2024–25 is likely to be Durant of the Phoenix Suns. All nine of the preceding seasons have seen him earn over $30 million.
With $305.3 million in lifetime earnings throughout a 14-year career, Paul George also just manages to make it into Tier 2. For a considerable amount of time, George has been regarded as one of the NBA’s most talented small forwards, despite experiencing health issues during his final few seasons with the Clippers. during his career, averaging 20.7 points per game. With the Thunder, George has earned at least $30.6 million in each of the last nine seasons. In 2023–2024, he will earn $45.6 million, and in 2024–2025, he will have a $48.8 million player option.
Tier 1 – $400 Million+
LeBron James – $479,466,457
LeBron James has spent most of his 21 NBA seasons getting paid like a superstar. On the court, he embodies the pinnacle of genius. After winning four titles and being awarded MVP of the Finals, James is not only one of the highest-paid NBA small forwards in NBA history, but he also owns the record for the highest-paid NBA player in terms of contracts. As one of just three NBA players in history, he is the first to become a billionaire while still competing. At least $31 million has been earned by James every season since 2017. He is projected to earn $47.6 million with the Lakers in 2023–2024. In the event that James chooses to exercise it, he will also have access to a $51.4 million player option in 2024–2025.
These are all-time highest-paid NBA small forwards into tiers. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
