These days, NBA players who have proven their worth on the court are rewarded with contracts that span years and yield a bonkers amount of money for them. This led to one-time champion Dwight Howard expressing his shock over these modern contracts and how much they’re going for today.
Howard began his NBA career in 2004 after being selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. During his time with the team, the big man became an eight-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA First Team honoree, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals.

After eight seasons in Orlando, the center was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012 and had subsequent stints with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers over the years. The culmination of his career came in 2020 when the big man became a champion.
In 2022, Howard signed with the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan, where he was named a T1 All-Star and the T1 League’s Most Valuable Import in his first season. Even though he hasn’t played in the league for years, he has established himself as one of the most decorated centers in NBA history.
Former NBA Champion Dwight Howard In Shock Over Modern Contracts in the League

Just recently, the former Lakers star shared his thoughts about how much players are earning these days. In a video shared on his official X account, the big man expressed his shock at the contracts being handed out by teams.
The contracts now 😮💨 I think I came in the game in the wrong era pic.twitter.com/oTQbxZT4Gx
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) July 1, 2024
During the past years, players have been bestowed with supermax contracts. The biggest one out there belongs to All-Star forward Jayson Tatum and his $314 million extension with Finals MVP Jaylen Brown coming in at second, thanks to his $285 million contract. Meanwhile, the former champion’s biggest paycheck was $88 million from the Houston Rockets more than a decade ago.

With salaries projected to go up more in the coming years, the next batch of supermax contracts will only go higher. Too bad for former Los Angeles star because there’s little chance he can earn that money now from playing in the league.

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