Now that the NBA has set its salary cap for the 2026/27 league year at $164,961,000, we have a clear idea of what maximum-salary contracts will look like for the coming season.
Listed below are the maximum-salary contracts for players signing contracts that start in 2026/27.
The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous team can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.
These figures will apply to a number of players who signed maximum-salary contract extensions that will go into effect in 2026/27: Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams. They’ll also apply to anyone who signs a maximum-salary contract with his own team as a free agent in ’26/27.
A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players.
In the charts below, the “6 years or less” column details the maximum contract for a player like Banchero or Holmgren, as well as what a free agent like Jalen Duren is eligible for. The “7-9 years” column applies to players like Adebayo, Doncic, and Fox. The “10+ years” column applies to the league’s most experienced vets, including Embiid.
Here are the maximum salary figures for 2026/27:
A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):
Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years 2026/27 $41,240,250 $49,488,300 $57,736,350 2027/28 $44,539,470 $53,447,364 $62,355,258 2028/29 $47,838,690 $57,406,428 $66,974,166 2029/30 $51,137,910 $61,365,492 $71,593,074 2030/31 $54,437,130 $65,324,556 $76,211,982 Total $239,193,450 $287,032,140 $334,870,830A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):
Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years 2026/27 $41,240,250 $49,488,300 $57,736,350 2027/28 $43,302,263 $51,962,715 $60,623,168 2028/29 $45,364,275 $54,437,130 $63,509,985 2029/30 $47,426,288 $56,911,545 $66,396,803 Total $177,333,075 $212,799,690 $248,266,305It’s worth noting that none of the maximum-salary figures listed above will apply to extension-eligible players whose new contracts will start in 2027/28.
This group includes maximum-salary rookie scale extension candidates like Victor Wembanyama. It also includes players who signed max extensions in previous years that will begin in ’27/28, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The exact value of those players’ contracts will depend on where the cap lands for 2027/28, which won’t be officially announced until next June.
