This page contains the analysis of the lowest-paid players in the NBA league from 1990-91 to 2021-22 season.

This analysis is part of the most comprehensive research of NBA players salaries, available on this page (link to salaries)

See also: Highest-paid NBA players (link to highest paid)

Lowest paid NBA player by year

Demetrius Jackson is the lowest-paid NBA player for the 2021-21 season with $92,857.
16 other NBA players will earn under $1 million in 2022, 14 of whom are rookies.
39 lowest-paid players in 2022 will earn less combined than Steph Curry.
From 1991 to 2022, the lowest-paid players in the league earned $311,358 on average.
In 2018, Alfonzo McKinnie earned $815,615, making the highest amount for a lowest-paid NBA player over the last 32 seasons.

Season	Player	Position	Team	Salary
2022	Demetrius Jackson	PG	BOS	$92,857
2021	Moritz Wagner	C	ORL	$221,995
2020	Juan Toscano-Anderson	SF	GSW	$350,189
2019	Gary Clark	PF	HOU	$596,873
2018	Alfonzo McKinnie	SF	TOR	$815,615
2017	Bryn Forbes	SG	SAS	$543,471
2016	Aaron Harrison	SG	CHA	$525,093
2015	Langston Galloway	PG	NYK	$235,762
2014	Aron Baynes	C	SAS	$788,872
2013	Patrick Beverley	PG	HOU	$281,377
2012	Lance Thomas	PF	NOP	$328,444
2011	Armon Johnson	PG	POR	$473,604
2010	Anthony Tolliver	PF	GSW	$411,529
2009	Anthony Morrow	SG	GSW	$442,114
2008	Aaron Gray	C	CHI	$427,163
2007	Kelenna Azubuike	SG	GSW	$301,657
2006	Alan Anderson	SF	CHA	$398,762
2005	Andre Barrett	PG	HOU	$385,277
2004	Alex Garcia	SG	SAS	$366,931
2003	Rafer Alston	PG	TOR	$37,344
2002	Alton Ford	PF	PHO	$332,817
2001	A.J. Guyton	PG	CHI	$316,969
2000	Greg Buckner	SG	DAL	$47,647
1999	Cedric Henderson	SF	CLE	$250,000
1998	Scott Brooks	PG	CLE	$50,000
1997	Henry James	PF	ATL	$181,100
1996	Chris Carr	SG	PHO	$200,000
1995	Pat Durham	SF	MIN	$126,000
1994	Antonio Harvey	PF	LAL	$150,000
1993	David Wingate	SF	CHA	$129,000
1992	Paul Graham	SG	ATL	$125,000
1991	Jim Les	PG	SAC	$30,000

NBA players with lowest career earnings

During his 5 seasons in the league, Anthony Goldwire earned $911,290 in total, making him the NBA player with the lowest career earnings.
10 other NBA players who spent at least 5 years in the league made under $2 million for a career.
99 lowest-paid NBA players earned less in total than LeBron James did throughout his career.

PLAYER	Seasons	Total earnings
Anthony Goldwire	5	$911,290
Steve Scheffler	5	$1,035,000
Randy Livingston	5	$1,339,200
Jim Les	5	$1,379,000
Anthony Miller	7	$1,551,368
Sean Higgins	5	$1,672,250
Jack Haley	6	$1,697,250
Rafael Addison	5	$1,733,000
Sam Mack	6	$1,877,098
Henry James	5	$1,883,100

Anthony Goldwire also holds the record as the lowest-paid NBA player when it comes to average salary, earning $182,258 annually.
25 other NBA players earned under $500,000 a year during their careers.
116 NBA players averaged under $1 million per year since 1991.
50 players earned under 10% of the salary cap during their career, leading with Goldwire who earned 3% of the salary during 5 seasons.
89 NBA players combined earned less money calculated in salary cap % than Shaquille O’Neal did for his career.
6 NBA players had average annual earnings under 1% of the salary cap.

Lowest paid NBA players by position

Lowest paid point guards in NBA history

Anthony Goldwire is the lowest-paid point guard in the NBA since 1991, earning $911,290 during 5 seasons.
48 point guards in the NBA earned under $10 million for a career.
51 lowest-paid PGs in the NBA earned less money combined than the highest-paid point guard, Chris Paul.

Goldwire is the lowest-paid point guard in the league when it comes to average salary with $182,258 annually.
23 point guards earned less than $1 million per year since 1991.
4 of those 23 played more than 10 seasons in the NBA.
11 point guards earned under 10% of the salary cap for their whole career.
3 of them earned under 1% of the cap annually.

Lowest paid shooting guards in NBA history

Von Wafer is the lowest-paid shooting guard in the NBA since 1991, with career earnings of $2.93 million.
39 shooting guards in the NBA earned under $10 million for their career.
40 of them earned less combined that highest-paid shooting guard in NBA history, James Harden.

Mitchell Butler earned $506,472 per year over his 8 years in the league, making him a shooting guard with the lowest average annual salary in the league history.
15 other SGs earned under $1 million per year during their careers.
2 of them played in the league for more than 10 seasons.
9 NBA shooting guards earned under 10% of the salary cap for a career, leading with Damion Lee with 4%.
Damion Lee is the only shooting guard in NBA history with average annual earnings under 1% of the salary cap.

Lowest paid small forwards in NBA history

Sean Higgins leads the list of lowest-paid small forwards in the NBA since the 1990-91 season, earning $1.67 million over his 5 years in the league.
40 NBA small forwards made under $10 million for a career.
52 lowest-paid SFs in the NBA earned less combined for a whole career than the highest-paid small forward in the NBA history, LeBron James.

Sam Mack is a SF with the lowest average annual salary in the NBA, earning $312,850 per year during 6 seasons.
19 small forwards averaged under $1 million per year in the NBA.
12 of them earned under 10% of the salary cap during their career, with Rodney Buford topping the list with 4%.

Lowest paid power forwards in NBA history

With $1.55 million earned over 7 years in the NBA, Anthony Miller is the lowest-paid power forward in the league since 1991.
50 NBA power forward earned under $10 million during their NBA career.
53 lowest-paid power forwards earned less combined than the highest-paid power forward, Kevin Garnett.

Anthony Miller also leads the list of lowes paid NBA power forwards when it comes to average salary, earning $221,624 per year.
33 PFs averaged under $1 million per year for their career.
Jeff Adrien earned 5.6% of the salary cap for his career, the lowest among NBA power forwards.
10 other players earned under 10% of the cap throughout their careers.

Lowest paid centers in NBA history

Steve Scheffler earned $1.04 million in total during his 5 NBA seasons, making him the lowest-paid center in NBA since 1991.
35 centers in the NBA earned under $10 million for their careers.
45 lowest-paid centers in league history earned less than the highest-paid center, Shaquille O’Neal.

Steve Scheffler also leads the list of lowest-paid centers when it comes to average salary, earning $207,000 per year.
25 centers averaged under $1 million annually during their NBA career.
Only 7 NBA centers earned under 10% of the salary cap for a career.

Lowest paid NBA players by points scored

In the 2020-21 season, Moritz Wagner earned $175 for every point scored in a season, which is the lowest amount earned per point.
Khem Birch is the only other player who earned under $1,000 per point in 2021.
Jim Less earned only $76 for each of his 395 points scored in 55 games in the 1990-91 season, the lowest all time.
597 NBA players made less per point score combined than a player who earned the most per point in league history, Andris Biedriņš in 2013.
In 1991, Vernon Maxwell earned $179 for each of 1,379 points scored while playing all 82 games. This is the lowest earned amount per point scored for a player who played all games in a season.
Anthony Goldwire earned $682 for each point scored during his NBA career, the lowest since 1991.
29 lowest-paid player per point earned less combined than highest-earning NBA player per point scored, Michael Stewart.

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