class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>During the NBA’s Western Conference Finals, some people declared Dallas Mavericks guards Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving the greatest offensive backcourt in NBA history. They did combine to average 59.4 points and 12.8 assists per game in the series, but that statement is overly dismissive of other duos such as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, who have won four titles together and are first and second all-time in playoff 3-pointers.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>Dončić and Irving, however, may indeed retire as the highest-paid backcourt in NBA history.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>After their next contracts are completed, the pair will likely have earned more than $1 billion combined in their careers. In the summer of 2025, the Mavericks will be able to offer Dončić the most expensive contract extension in league history, projected to be worth roughly $346 million over five years, per Spotrac. The same offseason, if Irving declines his player option and becomes a free agent, he could re-sign with the Mavs for a four-year deal worth approximately $240 million.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>Irving’s deal would end after the 2028-29 season, when he’d be 36 years old (career earnings, $553 million), but Dončić would only be 31 years old by the time he hits the $500 million career earnings mark ($544 million).
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>For perspective, LeBron James is currently the highest-paid NBA player in history at $479 million, and no other player will cross the half-billion threshold by the time their current contract is up.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>The potential Dončić deal demonstrates just how much money will be available for players when checks from the league’s upcoming new media rights deals come in. Contract values are determined as percentages of the salary cap, which is in turn determined based on league revenues.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>The NBA is reportedly close to striking long-term broadcasting agreements with Disney, NBC and Amazon that will pay the league more than $70 billion over 11 years. The package would earn the league more than 2.5 times annually what it currently brings in. The maximum the cap can rise in one year will be 10%, but compound those increases over several years, and pretty soon the top NBA players will be earning close to nine figures per season.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>Opposing the Mavs’ billion-dollar backcourt in the Finals is the Celtics’ near billion-dollar frontcourt. Jaylen Brown has already inked the richest deal in league history: a five-year agreement worth a projected $286 million. Jayson Tatum will be eligible to sign for the same 35% of the cap this summer. Those deals will take them within the neighborhood of $950 million combined, which is a lot of cash, but doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as $1 billion.
class=”paragraph larva // lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-a-font-body-m “>What has an even better ring to it? NBA champion. A title would help any of the aforementioned players pad their endorsement totals, which Dončić and Irving don’t even need to get to $1 billion, but aren’t too shabby on their own. The guards earned $12 million and $7 million, respectively, off the court last year
