Here’s who Booker beat: These are the richest contracts in NBA history
Having agreed a two-year contract extension with the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker has surpassed a record set just days ago.
Devin Booker’s big-money contract extension makes the Phoenix Suns guard the highest-paid player in NBA history by average annual contract value (AAV).
How much is Booker’s new Suns contract worth?
ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania revealed on Wednesday that Booker has agreed a two-year, $145 million maximum extension with the Suns, tying him to the Arizona franchise through the 2029-30 season.
With an AAV of $72.5m, Booker’s extension surpasses the record yearly average set by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just days ago.
Last week, Gilgeous-Alexander was rewarded for leading the Thunder to the NBA title when the league MVP was handed a four-year, $285 supermax extension worth $71.25m a year.
BREAKING: Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker has agreed to a two-year, $145 million maximum contract extension with the franchise through the 2029-30 season, the highest annual extension salary in NBA history, CAA’s Jessica Holtz and Melvin Booker told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/A5U5VPlSgx
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2025
Comparing the NBA’s richest ever contracts
According to data compiled by the sports-finance specialists Spotrac, Booker and Gilgeous-Alexander are joined on the all-time AAV podium by the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, who is poised to miss most or all of next season after rupturing his Achilles tendon, stands to bank an annual average of $62.8m as part of a five-year Celtics extension that kicks in from the 2025-26 season.
Per Spotrac, the $314m overall value of Tatum’s Boston deal is the highest in NBA history.
Biggest ever NBA contracts by annual value:
- 1. Devin Booker, Suns: $72.5m
- 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: $71.25m
- 3. Jayson Tatum, Celtics: $62.8m
- 4. Joel Embiid, 76ers: $62.5m
- 5=. Anthony Davis, Mavericks: $58.5m
- 5=. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $58.5m
Booker’s Suns career so far
Selected by the Suns in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft, Booker has just completed his 10th season with the franchise. A four-time All-Star, the 28-year-old has made a total of 673 appearances for the Suns, averaging 24.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds.
In 2020-21, Booker helped Phoenix to its first NBA Finals appearance in 28 years - but the franchise is coming off a disappointing 2024-25 season. In Frank Vogel’s sole campaign as head coach, the Suns were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, suffering a 4-0 whitewash at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In May, it was announced that Vogel had been replaced by Mike Budenholzer, the coach who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 championship at the Suns’ expense.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment