What you need to know about the NBA season: highest paid players, stats, and plenty of talent
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The NBA is back, baby!
The official regular season tipped off Tuesday.
The 2023 Western Conference Playoffs featured these featured the Nuggets, Suns, Lakers and Warriors.
The reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, played the Los Angeles Lakers while the Phoenix Suns took on the Golden State Warriors for an epic opening night.
The Nuggets beat the Lakers and the Suns outshined the Warriors for the win.
So, what else is there to look forward to this season? Lots of money, stats, and a great amount of talent.
First, let’s break down the big bucks.
The teams with the six biggest payrolls going into this season, according to the Associated Press: the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Miami,
Now to the highest paid players in the league. For the seventh straight season, Warriors guard Stephen Curry will have the largest salary. Marking a first for the NBA, as Curry’s salary is higher than $50 million.
More players will join Curry in the years to come, as salary caps open.
Below are the NBA’s Top 10 highest paid players.
- Stephen Curry – $51.9 million
- Kevin Durant – $47.6 million
- Lebron James – $47.6 million
- Nikola Jokic -$47.6 million
- Joel Embiid – $46.9 million
- Bradley Beal – $46.7 million
- Giannis Antetokounmpo -$45.6 million
- Damian Lillard – $45.6 million
- Kawhi Leonard- $45.6 million
- Paul George – $45.6 million
Here are some important milestones to watch for.
- LeBron James becoming the first player to reach 40,000 points. If this milestone is reached, James will do it as the oldest player currently in the league. The 38-year-old has been playing in the NBA for the last 20 years.
- Kevin Durant entering the top 10 in career scoring
- Russell Westbrook becoming the first player with 200 triple-doubles
- Steph Curry becoming the first player with 3,000 3-pointers
Here in Indiana, the Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle enters this season with 896 wins. He has a shot to move up the All-Time list this season. He’s currently in fourteenth place, 39 wins behind No. 13 Dick Motta.
The NBA says this season will see a record 125 international players from 40 countries and territories on the opening-night rosters.
There’s a lot to look forward to with this new season. In just a few months. The Circle City will be hosting a fan favorite league event, and will host the NBA 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 18.