Stephen Curry James Harden
In this picture, Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks to pass against James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets in the second quarter during the NBA All-Star game as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, Feb. 17, 2019. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Going into the 2019-20 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, Stephen Curry is the current highest-paid player in the league.

Two years back, Curry agreed to a five-year, $201 million extension with the Golden State Warriors and that made him the first-ever NBA player to sign a supermax contract worth over $200 million. Curry, who has won three championships with Warriors since 2015, is paid an average annual salary of more than $40 million. It is believed that his annual value will increase to more than $45 million by 2021.

Year after year, the NBA salaries continue to rise as Curry's salary has gone up to $40 million from previous season's $35 million.

According to the Basketball Reference, the average NBA player salary has risen from last season's $6.4 million to $7.7 million for the ongoing season, which started on Tuesday and will go on till June 2020.

After Curry, next in line are Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul of Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder respectively. The two are leveled for the second spot as they earn $38.5 million, according to Spotrac.

Three players earn the joint-third highest salary - Houston Rockets' James Harden, Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant and Washington Wizards' John Wall - with annual pay of $38.2 million.

The new season kicked off Tuesday night as the defending champion Toronto Raptors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 130-122. The match featured one of NBA’s 10 highest-paid players - Toronto’s Kyle Lowry - before two more were in action later in the day in Los Angeles when LeBron James and the Lakers commence their season with a 112-102 victory over Paul George and the Clippers.

Here is a list of 10 highest-paid NBA players ahead of the 2019-20 season:

  • Stephen Curry (Point Guard) - $40,231,758
  • Chris Paul (Point Guard) and Russell Westbrook (Point Guard) - $38,506,482
  • Kevin Durant (Small Forward), John Wall (Point Guard) and James Harden (Shooting Guard) - $38,199,000
  • LeBron James (Small Forward) - $37,436,858
  • Kyle Lowry (Point Guard) - $34,996,296
  • Blake Griffin (Point Forward) - $34,449,964
  • Paul George (Small Forward) - $33,005,556
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