In today’s post, I take a detailed look at NBA coach salaries.
There are only 30 head coaches in the NBA. So, technically, coaching is an even more elite position than an NBA player (450+ players).
That’s why top coaches like Gregg Poppovich, Monty Williams, and Erik Spoelstra actually get paid more than the average player!
Currently, NBA head coach salaries range from around $2 million to over $15 million per year.
Read on to learn more detailed facts, like:
Let’s get started:
💰 Update March, 2024: Steve Kerr becomes highest paid coach ever with 2-year, $35 million extension.
—-
💰 Update Jan 30, 2024: Doc Rivers is back with a 4-year, $40 million contract
—-
💰💰 Update Jan 10, 2024: Erik Spoelstra signed an 8-year, $120+ million contract extension with the Miami Heat. This is the largest overall coaching contact in NBA history! Congrats!
Average NBA coach salary (2023-2024)
The average NBA coach salary for the 2023-2024 season is approximately $6,000,000.
This number was calculated from various sources online. Most NBA teams do not officially release coaches salaries or contract info, so some sources may be more reliable than others.
Here is the full list of salary data:
Full NBA Coach Salary List (2023-2024)
| Team | Coach | Salary 2023-2024 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | Quin Snyder | $8,000,000 | RealGM |
| Boston Celtics | Joe Mazzulla | $2,500,000 | En.as |
| Brooklyn Nets | Jacque Vaughn | undisclosed | |
| Charlotte Hornets | Steve Clifford | $4,000,000 | Charlotte Observer |
| Chicago Bulls | Billy Donavan | $6,000,000 | NBC |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | J.B. Bickerstaff | undisclosed | |
| Dallas Mavericks | Jason Kidd | $8,500,000 | The Richest |
| Denver Nuggets | Michael Malone | $2,000,000 | (unreliable) En.As (new deal around $10million+ will not start until 2025) |
| Detroit Pistons | Monty Williams | $13,083,333 | SB Nation |
| Golden State Warriors | Steve Kerr | $9,500,000 | SB Nation. Recent $17.5 million/year extension next season. |
| Houston Rockets | Ime Udoka | $6,750,000 | Chron |
| Indiana Pacers | Rick Carlisle | $7,250,000 | Yahoo |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Tyronn Lue | $7,000,000 | Yard Barker |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Darvin Ham | undisclosed | |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Taylor Jenkins | $2,500,000 | (unreliable) ABTC |
| Miami Heat | Erik Spoelstra | $8,500,000 | Yahoo |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Adrian Griffin | $4,000,000 | The Athletic |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Chris Finch | undisclosed | |
| New Orleans Pelicans | Willie Green | $3,000,000 | Forbes |
| New York Knicks | Tom Thibodeau | $8,000,000 | (unreliable) based on previous T-Wolves contract |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Mark Daigneault | undisclosed | |
| Orlando Magic | Jamahl Mosley | undisclosed | |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Nick Nurse | $8,000,000 | (based on previous Raptors contract) |
| Phoenix Suns | Frank Vogel | $6,200,000 | Bleacher Report |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Chauncey Billups | $2,000,000 | (unreliable) Blazers Edge |
| Sacramento Kings | Mike Brown | $5,000,000 | Sports Brief |
| San Antonio Spurs | Gregg Popovich | $16,000,000 | Yahoo |
| Toronto Raptors | Darko Rajakovic | undisclosed | |
| Utah Jazz | Will Hardy | undisclosed | |
| Washington Wizards | Brian Keefe | undisclosed |
I was only actually able to find salary data on 22 of the 30 coaches. Some of the sources are also not super reliable, so these numbers with a grain of salt.
The unknowns include some of the younger, less experienced coaches like Mark Daigneault, Will Hardy, and Darko Rajakovic.
It is probably safe to assume that these young coaches have salaries on the lower end of the scale. This would bring the average NBA coaching salary down a bit.
In any case, a good estimate for the average NBA coaching salary ranges from $4,000,000 – $6,000,000.
Typically, only the highest paid NBA coaches get their salaries and contract details released / leaked.
Let’s take a look at the top 5:
5 Highest-paid NBA coaches
Note: Nuggets coach Michael Malone recently signed an extension that would make him one of the “highest paid” coaches in the league, according to reports. The actual salary amount is not yet known, but it is probably around $10 million+. His new contract also doesn’t start for another couple of seasons, so he is not on this top 5 list (yet).
The current 5 highest paid NBA coaches are Gregg Popovich, Monty Williams, Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, and Doc Rivers:
| Coach | Team | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors | $17,500,000 |
| Gregg Popovich | San Antonio Spurs | $16,000,000 |
| Erik Spoelstra | Miami Heat | $15,000,000 |
| Monty Williams | Detroit Pistons | $13,083,333 |
| Doc Rivers | Milwaukee Bucks | $11,500,000 |
Four of the top five highest paid coaches (Kerr, Spoelstra, Popovich, Rivers) are part of the top 15 coaches in league history. Kerr, Spoelstra, and Pop have also each won multiple NBA championships, so seem worthy of their contracts.
Monty Williams has been one of the winningest coaches in recent seasons, and was Coach of the Year in 2021-2022 (with the Phoenix Suns).
Let’s take a closer look at the top 5 paid coaches:
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors ($17,500,000)
Steve Kerr has been one of the most successful coaches the past decade.
For his efforts, he was recently rewarded with largest head coaching contract (by annual salary) in NBA history — a 2-year, $35 million extension.
Since taking over the Warriors head coaching job in 2014, the team has won 4 championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), and attained the best regular season record in NBA history (i.e. 73 wins; 9 losses) in 2015-2016.
Kerr won Coach of the Year in 2016, is a 2x NBA All-Star Game head coach, and is part of the Top 15 Coaches in NBA History.
He was an assistant on the gold-medal winning USA Olympic team in 2020, and is currently the team’s head coach.
Steve Kerr also has 5 championships as a player, and still holds the record for highest 3-point shooting percentage in NBA history.
The current Warriors team seems to be nearing the end of their era, but we’ll see if Kerr and Curry can squeeze out another championship before then.
Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs ($16 million)
Popovich has been the coach of the Spurs for 26 seasons, and recently signed a new 5 year, $80 million dollar contract extension.
This was the richest coaching contract in NBA history (by annual salary), before recently being surpassed by Steve Kerr’s deal (above). It was also the largest contract (by total salary), until Erik Spoelstra’s recent 8-year, $120 miillion deal ($15 million per year).
The 74 year old Popovich is the most decorated coach currently still working in the NBA. Here are just a few facts:
- NBA’s all time win leader
- 3x Coach of the Year (2003, 2012, 2014)
- 5x NBA Champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
- 4x NBA All-Star Game head coach
- Top 15 Coach in NBA History
- Team USA Olympic Gold Medal (2020)
If any coach deserves the money, it’s Pop!
The Spurs are currently in rebuild mode, and recently drafted ultra-hyped prospect Victor Wembanyama. It will be interesting to seem if Pop can help turn him into the next legend or not.
Interesting: The only current Spurs player with a higher annual salary than Coach Pop is Keldon Johnson ($20 million).
Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat ($15 million)
Erik Spoelstra recently signed the largest coaching deal in NBA history — an 8-year, $120+ million deal ($15 million / year). It is also the largest contract ever for a coach in North American sports history!
Erik Spoelstra started off his career with the Miami Heat as a video coordinator in 1995. He worked his way up to assistant coach, then Director of Scouting, before eventually becoming the head coach in 2008.
He is now one of the most successful coaches ever:
- 3x NBA Champion: 2006, 2012, 2013 (one as an assistant)
- 2x NBA All Star Game Head Coach
- Coach of the Year (2017)
- Top 15 Coach in NBA History
Spoelstra is also the first Asian-American coach in NBA history, as well as the first in any of the four major sports leagues (i.e. NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL).
The Miami Heat made the NBA Finals last season (2022-2023), but lost to the Denver Nuggets. They have a good chance to win it all next season if they can add a couple more pieces.
Monty Williams, Detroit Pistons ($13 million)
Monty Williams recently signed a record 6 year, $78.5 million contract with the Detroit Pistons.
It was the biggest contract ever for an NBA head coach at the time (since surpassed by Popovich, Spoelstra, and Kerr).
Williams was extremely successful the last few seasons as the coach of the Phoenix Suns (2019-2023). He had a .628 winning record (194 wins, and 115 losses) in the regular season, and .587 winning record in the playoffs (27 wins, 19 losses). He led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021, and was coach of the year in 2021-2022.
Unfortunately, the Suns were never able to win the championship, and Monty was fired at the end of last season (2022-2023).
We will see what he can do with a young Pistons team this season.
(Update 01/11/2024): Things are not going so well in Monty’s first season. He has led the Pistons to the longest losing streak in NBA history.
Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks ($11.5 million)
Doc Rivers is back in the NBA after recently signing a deal with the Bucks worth around $40 million for 3.5 years (approx. $11.42 million/year).
He is taking over for the recently fired Adrian Griffin (who was making around $4 million / year).
Doc himself was fired just last season (2022-2023) by the 76ers, after stumbling in the playoffs.
Despite his playoff struggles, Doc is one of the most experienced coaches in NBA history, having now coached 25 seasons for 5 different teams (Orlando, Boston, LA Clippers, Philadelphia, Milwaukee).
His head coaching resume also includes:
- NBA Champ (2008 – Boston Celtics)
- Coach of the Year (2000 – Orlando Magic)
- 3x All-Star Game head coach (2008, 2011, 2021)
- Top 15 Coaches in NBA History
The Bucks currently have two superstars (Giannis, Lillard), and very high expectations (i.e. championship or bust) over the next couple seasons. If Doc doesn’t get them to the Finals, he may be out of job quickly once again.
🤫 Don’t tell Giannis: Doc is infamous for being the only coach to ever blow three 3-1 leads in the playoffs. He has also blown six series after being up 3-2.
Other notable highly paid coaches
A few notable coaches just outside the top 5 estimated salaries include:
- Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks ($8.5 million),
- Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers ($8 million),
- Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks ($8 million),
- Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers ($7.25 million),
The current salaries of Kidd, Nick Nurse and Tom Thibodeau are very rough estimates, so they could very well be in the top 5.
Former coaches
Some other notable coaches that were very well paid, but recently fired (2022-2023, 2023-2024 seasons) include:
- Steve Nash, Brooklyn Nets ($8 million)
Doc Rivers, Philadelphia 76ers ($10 million)(Doc is back in the league!)- Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks ($8 million)
- Adrian Griffin, Milwaukee Bucks ($4 million)
🦌 Interesting note: The Milwaukee Bucks owe a total of $18 million to their current and former head coaches (1x current – Doc Rivers, 2x former – Budenholzer, Griffin) this season. (2023-2024)
How much do NBA assistant coaches make?
There are currently 203 assistant coaches in the NBA.
Unfortunately, salaries for the majority of assistant coaches are relatively unknown, as this information is not released by teams.
In 2019, the Washington Post estimated assistants make anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000,000.
Sometimes, there are high-profile assistant coach deals that have salary info released. Let’s take a look at a few:
How much does a top NBA assistant coach get paid?
- In 2014, Tyronn Lue was paid $6.5 million over 4 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers
- In 2019, Jason Kidd was reportedly paid more than Lue by the Lakers (though actual terms were undisclosed)
- In 2023, Kevin Young of the Phoenix Suns became the highest paid assistant coach with a salary over $2 million
- David Fizdale is estimated to be making around $1.5 million (also with Phoenix)
From this info, we can assume the top NBA assistant coaches make between $1 million to $2 million.
FAQ
Are NBA coaches’ salaries guaranteed?
It depends on the coach’s contract.
Usually, at least part of the contract is guaranteed.
For example, when Mike Brown was fired one year into his 5-year contract with the Cavaliers, he still got paid the remaining amount, because it was guaranteed.
Two years after getting fired, he got an assistant coaching job with the Warriors, so was earning two salaries at the same time. Nice!
What is the average NBA G League coach salary?
There is no official information on NBA G League coaching salaries.
In my G League Salary post, I estimate that coaches make at least over $50k per year. Using minor league baseball coach salaries as a comparison, G League head coaches probably earn somewhere in the range of $75k to $100k+.
Who are the longest tenured NBA coaches?
The current longest tenured NBA coaches are:
- Gregg Poppovich, San Antonio Spurs, since 1996
- Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat, since 2008
- Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors, since 2014
- Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets, since 2015
No other current NBA coach has been with their team for more than 5 years.
It’s no coincidence that 3 of the 4 longest tenured coaches are also part of the top 5 highest paid coaches (Popovich, Spoelstra, Kerr).
Michael Malone recently helped the Nuggets win their first NBA championship, and his new contract which starts in 2025 will reportedly make him one of the “NBA’s highest paid coaches“.
Does the NBA have a salary cap for coaches?
No, there is no salary cap for coaches.
Unlike players’ salaries salaries, there is no maximum salary a coach can make.
There is also no limit on the contract length. Player’s contract length is limited to 5-6 years (including team options/extensions). Erik Spoelstra recently signed an 8-year extension.
Summary
There are only 30 NBA head coaches, and they all get paid pretty well.
Estimated salaries range from around $2 million to over $15 million per season.
Let me know your thoughts:
Are coaches worth their high salaries?
Who do you think is the best coach in the NBA?
Leave a comment below to let me know what you think:
