The first NBA players to reach each major salary milestone

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

As part of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Designated Veteran Extension rule came into effect, allowing players who fit specific criteria to earn an even larger share of the salary cap, up to 35 percent of it on the first year of the players’ new contract. That rule applies as long as the player has between seven and nine years of experience and either was named All-NBA in the most recent season or two of the last three seasons, or was named NBA MVP in any of the three most recent seasons, or if he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the most recent season or two of the last three seasons.

To be clear, a player has to fit just one of those three accolade-related criteria to be eligible for these new super-max contracts.

The first player to sign such a deal was Stephen Curry, meaning he set a lot of salary-related milestones, as you’re about to find out. The Designated Veteran Extension made Curry the first player to earn $34 million, $37 million, $40 million, $43 million, $45 million, $48 million, $51 million and $55 million for a single season. 

Curry signed this monumental contract in the summer of ‘17, a five-year, $201.2 million deal, the biggest contract in league history at the time. (With the way the salary cap is blowing up, though, Curry’s deal might look like chump change in 10 years, but we digress.)

In the first year of Curry’s deal, 2017-18, Curry lived up to his side of the bargain, finishing the season as an All-Star and 3rd Team All-NBAer while winning the third championship of his career.

Can’t ask for much more than that if you’re the Warriors.

Salary adjusted for inflation: $43,548,936