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Highest Paid NBA Players By Year 

It’s always difficult to compare eras and salaries, not least because of inflation and other economic factors that play its role in depreciation.

One also can’t compare the NBA of the 1980s or 90s to today’s NBA in terms of value, especially on a global scale. 

But since the sheer numbers alone are always fascinating, here’s a list of the highest paid NBA players by year ever since 1983-84, when the first revenue-sharing CBA was signed between players and teams, so that players started earning 53% of all league income.

1983 CBA

• 1984: Magic Johnson $2.5 million (Salary Cap: 3.6 million)

• 1985: Magic Johnson $2.5 million (Salary Cap: 4.233 million)

• 1986: Magic Johnson $2.5 million (Salary Cap: 4.945 million)

• 1987: Patrick Ewing $2.75 million (Salary Cap: 6.164 million)

• 1988: Patrick Ewing $3.25 million (Salary Cap: 7.232 million)

• 1989: Patrick Ewing $3.75 million (Salary Cap: 9.802 million)

• 1990: Patrick Ewing $4.25 million (Salary Cap: 11.871 million)

• 1991: Larry Bird $7.07 million (Salary Cap: 12.5 million)

• 1992: David Robinson $5.72 million (Salary Cap: 14 million)

• 1993: David Robinson $5.74 million (Salary Cap: 15.175 million)

• 1994: Magic Johnson $14.66 million (Salary Cap: 15.964 million)

• 1995: Patrick Ewing $18.724 million (Salary Cap: 23 million)

• 1996: Michael Jordan $30.140 million (Salary Cap 24.363 million)

• 1997: Michael Jordan $33.140 million (Salary Cap: 26.9 million)

• 1998: Patrick Ewing $18.5 million (Salary Cap: 30 million)

NEW CBA

• 1999: Shaquille O’Neal $17.142 million (Salary Cap: 34 million)

• 2000: Kevin Garnett $19.6 million (Salary cap: 35.5 million)

• 2001: Kevin Garnett $22.4 million (Salary cap: 42.5 million)

• 2002: Kevin Garnett $25.2 million (Salary cap: 40.271 million)

• 2003: Kevin Garnett $28 million (Salary cap: 43.840 million)

• 2004: Shaq $27,696,430 million (Salary cap: 43.87 million)

NEW CBA

• 2005: Shaquille O’Neal $20 million (Salary cap: 49.5 million)

• 2006: Kevin Garnett $21 million (Salary cap: 53.135 million)

• 2007: Kevin Garnett $23,751,934 million (Salary cap: 55.63 million)

• 2008: Kevin Garnett $24,751,934 million (Salary cap: 58.8 million)

• 2009: Kobe Bryant $23,034,375 million (Salary cap: 57.7 million)

• 2010: Kobe Bryant $24,806,250 million (Salary cap: 58.044 million)

NEW CBA

• 2011: Kobe Bryant: $25,244,493 million (Salary cap: 58.044 million)

• 2012: Kobe Bryant: $30,453,895 million (Salary cap:58.044 million)

• 2013: Kobe Bryant: $30,453,895 million (Salary cap: 58.679 million)

• 2014: Kobe Bryant $23.5 million (Salary cap: 63.065 million)

• 2015: Kobe Bryant $25 million (Salary cap: 70 million)

NEW CBA

• 2016: LeBron James $30,963,450 million (Salary cap: 94.143 million)

• 2017: Stephen Curry $34,682,550 million (Salary cap: 99.043 million)

• 2018: Stephen Curry $37,457,154 million (Salary cap: 101.869 million)

• 2019: Stephen Curry $40,231,758 million (Salary cap: 109.140 million)

• 2020: Stephen Curry $43,006,362 million (Salary cap: 109.140 million)

Stats provided by Redditor DarkSoulsDarius.