These coaches have the top-five highest annual salaries in the league with reason. All five are leading teams that have enjoyed great success in the past few years and are set up to continue to be some of the top squads in the league for years to come. Gregg Popovich is in the conversation of the best coaches in NBA history, and he is deservedly the highest-paid coach in the league.
1. Gregg Popovich – $11 million
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 73 years old
Years’ Experience: 26 years
Contract Expiration: 2023
2. Doc Rivers – $10 million
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Age: 60 years old
Years’ Experience: 23 years
Contract Expiration: 2025
3. Steve Nash – $8.7 million
Team: Brooklyn Nets
Age: 48 years old
Years’ Experience: 2 years
Contract Expiration: 2024
4. Steve Kerr – $8.7 million
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 56 years old
Years’ Experience: 8 years
Contract Expiration: Unknown
5. Nick Nurse – $8 million
Team: Toronto Raptors
Age: 54 years old
Years’ Experience: 4 years
Contract Expiration: Unknown
There are a total of eight new coaches this year, with five being first-time head coaches. The search for fresh, young coaches has become the trend in the last few years after coaches such as Kerr and Nurse enjoyed such early success. The two coaches who were in the NBA finals last year, Buck’s Mike Budenholzer and Suns Monty Williams, earn roughly $2 million and $2.7 million annually, respectively.