The 50 Highest Per Year Contracts in Salary Cap Sports

How much would you pay, Evan Fournier, a two-way NBA player with four years experience and whose career per game averages were: 11.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists? If you look at the league as a whole, you would be paying him in the $10-15 million range for 3-4 years. But that would be based on potential, and not so much performance, as are most of the NBA contracts, or sports in general.

What about, Allen Crabbe, a shooting guard averaging 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game who has only been around three years and doesn’t even average 20 minutes a game? You wouldn’t think about giving him more than the league minimum unless you saw him as a potential future star, right?

So why did the Orlando Magic sign Evan Fournier to a 5-year, $85 million contract? Or why would Portland sign Allen Crabbe to a 4-year, $74.8 million contract? It’s all thanks to the deal the NBA signed in 2014 with ESPN and Turner Sports for 9-years, $24 billion. That deal began this summer and the owners around the league have taken advantage of it by not only opening their wallets, they have unleashed the irresponsibility that comes with having too much cash on hand.

The situation is making the entire process a joke and anyone not playing in the NBA isn’t laughing. Players from the NFL have used Twitter as an outlet for their frustration over the contracts and even have gone as far as to consider retiring from football and learning how to shoot a basketball.

Today we’re going to take a look at the largest per year average contract under the salary cap in sports. That means that we are going to look at the NFL, NHL, and NBA because MLB doesn’t currently have a salary cap so it’s probably not fair to compare. How many of the top ten contracts are NBA contracts signed this summer? The answer and names might shock you.

Note: The amount next to each players’ name is the Average per year in USD.

50. Juwan Howard – $15.1 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Washington Bullets
• Position: PF/C
• Years: 7 (1996-2003)
• Total Contract Value: $105.4 million

49. Shawn Kemp – $15.3 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
• Position: PF
• Years: 7 (1997-2004)
• Total Contract Value: $107 million

48. Calvin Johnson – $16.5 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Detroit Lions
• Position: WR
• Years: 8 (2012-2019)
• Total Contract Value: $132 million

47. Michael Vick – $16.7 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Philadelphia Eagles
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2011-2016)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

46. Marcell Dareus – $16.7 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Buffalo Bills
• Position: DE
• Years: 6 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

45. J.J. Watt – $16.7 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Houston Texans
• Position: DE
• Years: 6 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

44. Allan Houston – $16.7 million

• League: NBA
• Team: New York Knicks
• Position: C
• Years: 6 (2001-2007)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

43. Justin Houston – $16.8 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Kansas City Chiefs
• Position: OLB
• Years: 6 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $101 million

42. Fletcher Cox – $17.1 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Philadelphia Eagles
• Position: DT
• Years: 6 (2017-2022)
• Total Contract Value: $102.6 million

41. Shaquille O’Neal – $17.1 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Los Angeles Lakers
• Position: C
• Years: 7 (1996-2003)
• Total Contract Value: $120 million

40. Jason Kidd – $17.3 million

• League: NBA
• Team: New Jersey Nets
• Position: PG
• Years: 6 (2003-2009)
• Total Contract Value: $103.6 million

39. Tim Duncan – $17.4 million

• League: NBA
• Team: San Antonio Spurs
• Position: PF
• Years: 7 (2003-2010)
• Total Contract Value: $122 million

38. Chris Webber – $17.5 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Sacramento Kings
• Position: PF
• Years: 7 (2001-2007)
• Total Contract Value: $123 million

37. Dwyane Wade – $17.9 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Miami Heat
• Position: SG
• Years: 6 (2010-2016)
• Total Contract Value: $107.2 million

36. Tony Romo – $18 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Dallas Cowboys
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2014-2019)
• Total Contract Value: $108 million

35. Jermaine O’Neal – $18.08 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Indiana Pacers
• Position: PF/C
• Years: 7 (2003-2010)
• Total Contract Value: $126.6 million

34. Jay Cutler – $18.1 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Chicago Bears
• Position: QB
• Years: 7 (2014-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $126.7 million

33. Chris Bosh – $18.3 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Miami Heat
• Position: C
• Years: 6 (2010-2016)
• Total Contract Value: $110 million

32. LeBron James – $18.3 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Miami Heat
• Position: SF
• Years: 6 (2010-2016)
• Total Contract Value: $110 million

31. Gilbert Arenas – $18.5 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Washington Wizards
• Position: PG
• Years: 6 (2008-2013)
• Total Contract Value: $111 million

30. Ndamukong Suh – $19 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Miami Dolphins
• Position: DT
• Years: 6 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $114 million

29. Von Miller – $19.1 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Denver Broncos
• Position: MLB
• Years: 6 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $114.5 million

28. Andy Dalton – $19.2 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Cincinnati Bengals
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $115 million

27. Kobe Bryant – $19.5 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Los Angeles Lakers
• Position: SG
• Years: 7 (2004-2011)
• Total Contract Value:

26. Kevin Garnett – $20 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
• Position: PF
• Years: 5 (2004-2009)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

25. Shaquille O’Neal – $20 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Miami Heat
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2005-2010)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

24. Drew Brees – $20 million

• League: NFL
• Team: New Orleans Saints
• Position: QB
• Years: 5 (2012-2016)
• Total Contract Value: $100 million

23. Joe Flacco – $20.1 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Baltimore Ravens
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2013-2018)
• Total Contract Value: $120.6 million

22. Joe Johnson – $20.6 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Atlanta Hawks
• Position: F
• Years: 6 (2010-2017)
• Total Contract Value: $123 million

21. Matt Ryan – $20.7 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Atlanta Falcons
• Position: QB
• Years: 5 (2014-2018)
• Total Contract Value: $103.8 million

20. Cam Newton – $20.7 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Carolina Panthers
• Position: QB
• Years: 5 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $103.8 million

19. Rashard Lewis – $21 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Orlando Magic
• Position: SF
• Years: 6 (2007-2013)
• Total Contract Value: $126 million

18. Colin Kaepernick – $21 million

• League: NFL
• Team: San Francisco 49ers
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $126 million

17. Kevin Garnett – $21 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
• Position: PF
• Years: 6 (1999-2005)
• Total Contract Value: $126 million

16. Chris Paul – $21.4 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Los Angeles Clippers
• Position: PG
• Years: 5 (2013-2018)
• Total Contract Value: $107.3 million

15. Aaron Rodgers – $22 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Green Bay Packers
• Position: QB
• Years: 5 (2015-2019)
• Total Contract Value: $110 million

14. Marc Gasol – $22.6 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Memphis Grizzlies
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $113.2 million

13. Kevin Love – $22.6 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2015-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $113.2 million

12. Andrew Luck – $23 million

• League: NFL
• Team: Indianapolis Colts
• Position: QB
• Years: 6 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $139 million

11. Chris Bosh – $23.6 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Miami Heat
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2014-2019)
• Total Contract Value: $118 million

10. Nicolas Batum – $24 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Charlotte Hornets
• Position: G/F
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $120 million

9. Carmelo Anthony – $24.8 million

• League: NBA
• Team: New York Knicks
• Position: SF
• Years: 5 (2014-2019)
• Total Contract Value: $124 million

8. Bradley Beal – $25 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Washington Wizards
• Position: SG
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $127 million

7. Andre Drummond – $25 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Detroit Pistons
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $127 million

6. Anthony Davis – $25 million

• League: NBA
• Team: New Orleans Pelicans
• Position: C
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $127 million

5. DeMar DeRozan – $27.8 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Toronto Raptors
• Position: SG
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $139 million

4. Damian Lillard – $27.9 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Portland Trail Blazers
• Position: PG
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $139.8 million

3. Al Horford – $28 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Boston Celtics
• Position: C
• Years: 4 (2016-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $113 million

2. James Harden – $29.5 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Houston Rockets
• Position: SG
• Years: 4 (2016-2020)
• Total Contract Value: $118 million

1. Mike Conley – $30 million

• League: NBA
• Team: Memphis Grizzlies
• Position: PG
• Years: 5 (2016-2021)
• Total Contract Value: $153 million