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 Grey |
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 centres in NBA history
- Steve Scheffler earned $1.04 million in total during his 5 NBA seasons, making him the lowest-paid centre in NBA since 1991.
- 35 centres in the NBA earned under $10 million for their careers.
- 45 lowest-paid centres in league history earned less than the highest-paid centre, Shaquille O’Neal.
- Steve Scheffler also leads the list of lowest-paid centres when it comes to average salary, earning $207,000 per year.
- 25 centres averaged under $1 million annually during their NBA career.
- Only 7 NBA centres 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 BiedriÅš 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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