Who Is The Lowest Paid NBA Player
Charles Bassey of the San Antonio Spurs, for instance, was the lowest-paid player in the 2022-23 NBA season, earning less than $74,742. Despite this, Bassey recently signed a four-year, $10.2 million deal with the Spurs, which includes a guaranteed $5.2M.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is renowned for its high-earning athletes, with players like Steph Curry earning a staggering $48,070,014 a year. However, not all players in the league are raking in such vast amounts of money. The gap between the highest and lowest-paid players is indeed surprising. So, who is the lowest paid NBA player?
The Underdogs of the NBA
As of the 2022-2023 season, the dubious honor of being the lowest-paid player in the NBA is held by Ishmail Wainright of the Phoenix Suns, who earns a total of $633,891. However, there are other players who earn significantly less than the minimum salary due to multiyear deals that net them a lower salary per year.
Charles Bassey of the San Antonio Spurs, for instance, was the lowest-paid player in the 2022-23 NBA season, earning less than $74,742. Despite this, Bassey recently signed a four-year, $10.2 million deal with the Spurs, which includes a guaranteed $5.2M.
Factors Determining NBA Salaries
A player's salary in the NBA is determined by a combination of experience, performance, and accomplishments. Points, player experience (years in the league), assists, rebounds, and fouls are statistically significant factors in determining player salary. However, even with these factors, some players still find themselves at the bottom of the pay scale.
Notable Low-Paid NBA Players
Apart from Ishmail Wainright and Charles Bassey, there are several other notable examples of low-paid NBA players. These include Malik Fitts of the Boston Celtics earning $555,217, Chima Moneke of the Sacramento Kings with a paycheck of $500,000, and D.J. Augustin of the Houston Rockets earning $333,333 this season.
The Reality of NBA Salaries
While the NBA is known for its high salaries, it's important to remember that not all players earn millions. The league minimum is around $40,000 a year, and some players even make less than $75,000 a season. However, these figures can be misleading as they often do not include additional earnings from endorsements and other sources.