LeBron James drops to No. 289 in NBA salary rankings

His first-year salary falls from $52.6M to $3.9M.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 271 min read

t-289 The salary rank of LeBron James among the 436 players on active contracts. Via @BobbyMarks42 on X

What happened: LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million Philadelphia contract with a player option. The veteran-minimum deal follows his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Why it matters: The discount gives Philadelphia a decorated veteran at a fraction of his previous cap charge. His full salary still counts against the cap, tightening the club's first-apron position.

By the numbers: James ranks behind 288 of the NBA's 436 players on active contracts, with 147 below him. His $3.9 million first-year salary represents a drop of about $48.7 million, or 93%, from last season.

What to watch: Philadelphia's remaining offseason moves will show how it manages the first-apron squeeze before 2026-27.

Sources

@BobbyMarks42 2026-07-27T07:17:35.200291+00:00

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