LeBron is ranked by Forbes as the top NBA earn over the past year bringing in over $71 million in salary and endorsements.
LeBron is a big time brand and he is going to be top 5 on this list for a very long time, but here is why #2 on the list is more interesting.
Kevin Durant is bringing home $56 million in salary and endorsements. Why is this important? He is the only player besides LeBron & Harden who brings in more money from endorsements than salary.
Durant is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the year. He can get a max deal wherever he goes, but the most NBA salary he can get is from the Thunder. Unlike most players though, he can afford to take a shorter deal somewhere else because he has so much money in guaranteed endorsement money.
Rings are what define legacies, not cash, so don’t be shocked if KD takes a short-term deal with a team like a Warriors to try to secure his titles and just hit the free agent market again down the road.