Klay Thompson's Largest NBA Contract Overview
Klay Thompson's biggest contract is the four-year, $190 million maximum extension signed with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2024, which includes a player option for the final season and a full guarantee structure via ESPN. The deal pays him an average annual value of roughly $47.5 million, making it one of the largest guard contracts in NBA history and the largest single transaction in his career.
The contract was officially announced after Thompson was traded from the Golden State Warriors to Dallas in a package centered around the Mavericks' pursuit of a championship-caliber backcourt, with the salary cap space created by the Mavericks' prior signings and trades on NBA.com. The terms include standard NBA guarantee language, with the first three seasons fully guaranteed and the final season a player option that Thompson can decide to activate or decline after the 2026-27 season.
Contract Structure, Salary, and Financial Breakdown
Annual Salary and Cap Hits
The first season of the Klay Thompson biggest contract carries a salary of approximately $43.3 million, with the second and third seasons projected at roughly $45.5 million and $47.7 million respectively, following the NBA's tiered max contract rules for players with 7-9 years of service per Spotrac. The final season, which Thompson can opt into or out of, is projected at around $49.9 million, representing the highest single-season salary of his career.
Guarantees and Incentives
The entire contract is structured with a full guarantee on the first three seasons, meaning Dallas is obligated to pay the full salary even if Thompson suffers a major injury or performance decline, while the player option for the fourth year shifts the risk and reward entirely to Thompson per Forbes. There are no trade kickers or no-trade clauses in the deal, giving the Mavericks full flexibility to move the contract in future trades without requiring Thompson's consent.
Comparison to Previous Contracts and Career Earnings
Prior Golden State Deals
Thompson's previous contract with the Warriors was a five-year, $190 million supermax extension signed in 2019, which paid him an average of $38 million per year and included a full guarantee structure with a player option for the final season per ClutchPoints. That deal made him one of the highest-paid guards in the league at the time, but the 2024 Mavericks contract significantly raises his annual salary and total earnings over the life of the deal.
Total Career Earnings and Ranking
With the Dallas contract, Thompson's total NBA earnings are projected to exceed $350 million over the life of his current deal, placing him among the top 20 highest-earning players in NBA history by total contract value per Basketball-Reference. The deal also cements his position as one of the