NBA Maximum Salaries For 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):

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

It’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.