Highest-paid NBA shooting guards in 2025-26: Harden 6th but who's No.1?

The shooting guard position tends to be the lowest paid out of any role in the NBA, with players there paid the least on average in comparison to other positions for the past eight seasons.

The salaries paid to the best players in the position are still high, though.

Here, we have looked into the 10 highest-paid NBA shooting guards for the 2025-26 season.

1. Devin Booker

A 20-year-old Booker scored 70 points in a single game against the Boston Celtics in 2017, and he has risen with the Phoenix Suns since then.

Having only ever played for the Suns, who have been happy to have Booker around since drafting him in 2015, the guard’s salary has increased markedly since his start in the professional game.

After his rookie and rookie extension contracts, Booker is now on a designated veteran contract, earning him $53.1million for the season.

It’s estimated that Booker’s upcoming extension will see him earn $64million in 2028-29, likely extending his gap as the highest-paid shooting guard in the NBA.

2. Paul George

George signed a maximum veteran extension when he was with the LA Clippers, which saw him earn $44million per season on average.

He was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers and is on an even larger max contract.

This season, the guard will make $51.66million for the season, which comes in just under the highest-paid shooting guard in the NBA.

3. Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell signed a three-year, $150million maximum veteran contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of this season.

In the first season, he’ll earn $46.4million, and that sum is deserved given Mitchell has been an All-Star in each of the last six seasons, and has also twice been voted in the top six for the MVP award in the last three seasons.

4. Zach Lavine

The Sacramento Kings picked up Lavine’s maximum contract from the Chicago Bulls, where he had spent more than seven years.

This season, Lavine earns $47.5million from the Kings, putting him just ahead of Edwards on the shooting guard list.

5. Anthony Edwards

Edwards is a three-time All-Star in five years, and has been voted in the top seven for the MVP award in both of the last two seasons.

It is unsurprising that after his rookie contract was up, the Minnesota Timberwolves gave Edwards a large salary.

His rookie extension sees him earn $45.5million for the season, and in three years’ time, he’ll earn $55.7million – more than any shooting guard in the league currently makes.

6. James Harden

It is perhaps surprising that a man who has won an MVP award and has been named an All-Star in 11 seasons is not close to being the highest-paid player in his position in the league.

Picked up as a free agent, Harden is being paid $39.2million for the season by the LA Clippers.

That is more than he was earning per season with his last team, the Philadelphia 76ers ($34.3million), but less than his biggest contract, a veteran deal with the Houston Rockets which saw Harden average $42.8million per season in what was one of the most shocking NBA trades of all-time.

7. Desmond Bane

Bane is approaching his first season as an Orlando Magic player, having been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies, where he was drafted.

In his final season as a Grizzlies player, Bane was handed a rookie extension, earning him $35million that season, and he’ll now earn $36.7million in his first season with the Magic.

That sees him out-earning fellow Magic shooting guard Suggs by just under a couple of million dollars.

8. Jalen Suggs

Able to play as either a point guard or shooting guard, Suggs is one of two Orlando Magic players very close together on this list.

Drafted fifth overall in 2021, Suggs saw out his rookie contract with the Magic, and this will be the first year on his rookie extension.

He has gone from earning just over $7million last season to $35million this season.

9. Jalen Green

Green is one of two Phoenix Suns players in the top 10 highest-paid shooting guards in the NBA this season.

After a blockbuster trade, the second pick in the 2021 draft left the Houston Rockets for the Suns.

He had signed a three-year, $105million contract with the Rockets in 2025, so in his first season with the Suns, Green is earning $33.5million.

10. Jordan Poole

Poole has been part of two big trades in his six-year career so far. The guard left Golden State Warriors for Washington Wizards in 2023 after a bust-up with Draymond Green.

After two years as a Wizard, Poole was then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.

This season with the Pelicans, still on a rookie extension contract, Poole will make $31.8million, though there are extra incentives for Poole to be named MVP, defensive player of the year, get named to an All-NBA team, and for progress in the playoffs.