There is plenty of buzz heading into the 2026-27 NBA season and there’s almost as much off the court as there is on it. Teams are bumping against or exceeding the salary cap, ducking the first and second aprons and trying to avoid costly luxury tax penalties.
You have to spend money to win games in the NBA, and after an offseason filled with free agent signings, contract extensions and league-altering trades, it’s time to see which teams are spending big in pursuit of a championship.
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Highest Payrolls for all 30 NBA Teams
The Golden State Warriors enter the 2026–27 season with the NBA’s highest payroll at nearly $225 million, followed closely by the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, both spending more than $223 million. The Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves round out the top five as teams continue to invest heavily in their rosters in pursuit of a championship.
The Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers also rank among the league’s biggest spenders, each carrying a payroll of more than $211 million. At the other end of the rankings, the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies have the league’s three lowest payrolls.
| Rank | Team | Active Players | 2026–27 Payroll | 2026–27 Active Player Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | 18 | $224,944,198 | $224,944,198 |
| 2 | Denver Nuggets | 18 | $223,512,779 | $222,846,112 |
| 3 | New York Knicks | 15 | $223,318,094 | $223,303,094 |
| 4 | Orlando Magic | 17 | $222,782,125 | $214,782,125 |
| 5 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 18 | $217,433,406 | $215,378,406 |
| 6 | Phoenix Suns | 18 | $216,948,826 | $193,751,775 |
| 7 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 18 | $216,316,138 | $216,316,138 |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 17 | $211,119,993 | $208,875,884 |
| 9 | Philadelphia 76ers | 17 | $209,313,722 | $209,313,722 |
| 10 | Miami Heat | 17 | $209,018,830 | $209,018,830 |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | 18 | $208,971,708 | $208,971,708 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Lakers | 19 | $205,594,516 | $205,594,516 |
| 13 | Houston Rockets | 17 | $204,325,077 | $203,463,103 |
| 14 | Toronto Raptors | 19 | $203,385,878 | $203,294,878 |
| 15 | Boston Celtics | 19 | $201,590,304 | $199,617,438 |
| 16 | Sacramento Kings | 17 | $200,391,498 | $197,058,165 |
| 17 | San Antonio Spurs | 14 | $200,153,591 | $200,153,591 |
| 18 | Atlanta Hawks | 17 | $198,290,158 | $193,132,078 |
| 19 | Detroit Pistons | 17 | $195,855,942 | $192,040,081 |
| 20 | New Orleans Pelicans | 17 | $194,669,048 | $194,520,220 |
| 21 | Washington Wizards | 19 | $193,370,868 | $193,370,868 |
| 22 | Portland Trail Blazers | 16 | $192,772,355 | $192,504,323 |
| 23 | Dallas Mavericks | 17 | $192,262,795 | $181,391,262 |
| 24 | Milwaukee Bucks | 19 | $189,918,865 | $167,941,145 |
| 25 | LA Clippers | 19 | $184,424,317 | $182,273,400 |
| 26 | Utah Jazz | 16 | $181,873,444 | $181,873,444 |
| 27 | Charlotte Hornets | 18 | $175,905,735 | $166,865,498 |
| 28 | Chicago Bulls | 18 | $167,633,718 | $166,558,259 |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets | 15 | $162,093,164 | $162,093,164 |
| 30 | Memphis Grizzlies | 18 | $161,877,955 | $127,656,671 |
Highest Spend on Top 3 Players for all 30 NBA Teams
No team is spending more on its three highest-paid players than the Philadelphia 76ers. Following an eventful offseason that brought Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to Philadelphia, the 76ers are going all-in on a championship run, with Joel Embiid, Brown and Tyrese Maxey accounting for nearly $156 million in salary.
The Golden State Warriors aren’t far behind, committing more than $147 million to their top three players. With Stephen Curry leading the way and Jimmy Butler expected to return from injury later in the season, the Warriors are hoping to make another title run.
The remade Boston Celtics enter a new era with the same championship aspirations. With Jayson Tatum back on the court following his Achilles injury, Boston is looking to compete for another title with newcomers Paul George and Mitchell Robinson joining Derrick White and the rest of the Celtics core.
| Rank | Team | Top 3 | Top 3 % of Active Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | $156,492,622 | 74.8% |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | $147,098,502 | 65.4% |
| 3 | Boston Celtics | $142,930,946 | 71.6% |
| 4 | Denver Nuggets | $141,116,779 | 63.3% |
| 5 | Miami Heat | $138,114,510 | 66.1% |
| 6 | New York Knicks | $137,318,249 | 61.5% |
| 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | $130,858,875 | 62.6% |
| 8 | Minnesota Timberwolves | $126,195,144 | 58.6% |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors | $124,554,690 | 61.3% |
| 10 | Oklahoma City Thunder | $123,286,650 | 57.0% |
| 11 | Washington Wizards | $122,692,866 | 63.4% |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | $122,441,030 | 57.0% |
| 13 | Los Angeles Lakers | $120,837,371 | 58.8% |
| 14 | Sacramento Kings | $119,350,094 | 60.6% |
| 15 | Indiana Pacers | $118,191,388 | 56.6% |
| 16 | Phoenix Suns | $116,155,981 | 60.0% |
| 17 | Utah Jazz | $109,792,166 | 60.4% |
| 18 | New Orleans Pelicans | $108,996,223 | 56.0% |
| 19 | Detroit Pistons | $107,266,271 | 55.9% |
| 20 | Houston Rockets | $104,544,641 | 51.4% |
| 21 | LA Clippers | $98,827,346 | 54.2% |
| 22 | Portland Trail Blazers | $97,055,797 | 50.4% |
| 23 | San Antonio Spurs | $94,988,300 | 47.5% |
| 24 | Brooklyn Nets | $89,639,484 | 55.3% |
| 25 | Milwaukee Bucks | $80,074,316 | 47.7% |
| 26 | Dallas Mavericks | $76,567,910 | 42.2% |
| 27 | Atlanta Hawks | $76,000,000 | 39.4% |
| 28 | Chicago Bulls | $69,820,738 | 41.9% |
| 29 | Charlotte Hornets | $68,212,455 | 40.9% |
| 30 | Memphis Grizzlies | $61,056,658 | 47.8% |
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Frequently asked questions
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