Warriors Already Have Largest Payroll in NBA History

The NBA instituted a second tax apron that ramps up penalties on teams that go well beyond the luxury tax line. And apparently, the Warriors don’t really care.

At least, not yet. Things may change once those massive financial penalties start kicking in.

As relayed by Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype, Golden State is projected to pay out $411 million in salary this season — surpassing last season’s team salary of $352 for an NBA record. So that means the Warriors will have set a new record in each of the past two seasons.

And that $411 million projection stands regardless of who makes the 14th roster spot, Gozlan added.

Now, there are several things to consider with all this, the most obvious being that Klay Thompson is eligible for a contract extension. Otherwise, he will enter free agency after the season. It’s hard to envision the Warriors jumping on that right away — despite what they might say. The wise move would be to wait to see how Thompson plays and how the season goes overall.

And when it comes to the offseason, the Warriors have only gotten older by adding the likes of Chris Paul, Rudy Gay, Cory Joseph, Dario Saric and Rodney McGruder.

In other words, not only will they have the most expensive roster in NBA history, but they are highly likely to also have the oldest roster entering the season.

Now, if the Warriors reclaim their glory and win another championship, well, then it’s probably well worth it. But is this team the same as those from the dynasty era of the past decade? Or is it just being paid like it is?

The Golden State Warriors are projected with a $411 million team this season regardless of who makes the 14th roster spot ($209 million payroll, $202 million luxury tax).

It’s the most expensive roster in NBA history surpassing last year’s Warriors ($352 million). https://t.co/WdlBQUELWH

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) September 27, 2023