Throughout his time within the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal was not identified for leaving cash on the desk throughout negotiations to assist his groups out. Not like the Dirk Nowitzkis of the world, O’Neal wasn’t for giving his workforce handouts, as a substitute selecting to make each penny attainable, which he was properly inside his proper to do, as he just about all the time lived as much as his max contracts.
Effectively, our analysis confirms the concept O’Neal drove a tough cut price throughout his time within the NBA, as we discovered that the Large Aristotle owned the most important share of workforce payrolls within the NBA over the previous 40 years, even after we factored within the first 4 seasons of his profession wherein he was on his rookie-scale contract, and the final marketing campaign of his profession when he was on a minimal deal.
Regardless, you possibly can simply make the argument that O’Neal was price each greenback because the huge man had some of the illustrious careers in NBA historical past, one headlined by his profitable 4 NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, one regular-season MVP and his making 15 All-Star appearances and 14 All-NBA groups.
Based on our analysis, different NBA stars come near O’Neal on this train, particularly David Robinson and Michael Jordan, who took up massive shares of their groups’ payrolls all through their careers. Jordan really completed No. 3 on this record, however that’s largely due to the 2 ultimate years of his cope with the Bulls, which have been the most important salaries in NBA historical past if we regulate to inflation.
Under, take a look at the NBA gamers who took the biggest share of workforce payrolls all through their careers.
Brian Bahr/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 29.20 p.c
Largest share: 46.53 p.c in 2004-05 with Miami
Profession earnings: $292,198,327
DAN LEVINE/AFP through Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 27.16 p.c
Largest share: 33.98 p.c in 1998-99 with San Antonio
Profession earnings: $114,448,123
Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 25.97 p.c
Largest share: 54.03 p.c in 1997-98 with Chicago
Profession earnings: $94,022,500
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 24.83 p.c
Largest share: 42.34 p.c in 2002-03 with Minnesota
Profession earnings: $343,862,398
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 23.87 p.c
Largest share: 35.76 p.c in 2013-14 with LA Lakers
Profession earnings: $328,237,108
Jonathan Daniel/ALLSPORT
Share of his groups’ payroll: 23.85 p.c
Profession earnings: $17,244,000
RVR Photographs-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 23.61 p.c
Largest share: 43.21 p.c in 1995-96 with New York
Profession earnings: $125,193,120
Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 23.16 p.c
Largest share: 33.25 p.c in 2018- with LA Lakers
Profession earnings: $531,322,273
Sporting Information through Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 22.59 p.c
Largest share: 42.72 p.c in 1998-99 with Houston
Profession earnings: $110,291,426
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 22.24 p.c
Largest share: 37.79 p.c in 2002-03 with Utah
Profession earnings: $105,933,378
Sarah Stier/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 22.13 p.c
Largest share: 31.29 p.c in 2019-20 with Brooklyn
Profession earnings: $457,119,040
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 21.51 p.c
Largest share: 34.41 p.c in 2022-23 with Houston
Profession earnings: $276,580,866
Rob Carr/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 21.31 p.c
Largest share: 29.82 p.c in 2019-20 with Houston
Profession earnings: $374,374,274
John Hefti-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 21.21 p.c
Largest share: 31.22 p.c in 2024-25 with Golden State
Profession earnings: $413,605,898
Al Bello /Allsport
Share of his groups’ payroll: 20.79 p.c
Largest share: 31.50 p.c in 1995-96 with Washington
Profession earnings: $178,230,697
Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 20.78 p.c
Largest share: 31.53 p.c in 2021-22 with Portland
Profession earnings: $329,998,763
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 20.38 p.c
Largest share: 27.77 p.c in 2019-20 with Boston
Profession earnings: $272,742,175
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.97 p.c
Largest share: 28.47 p.c in 2022-23 with Washington
Profession earnings: $319,772,793
Invoice Streicher-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.95 p.c
Largest share: 26.48 p.c in 2024-25 with Philadelphia
Profession earnings: $356,300,737
Emilee Chinn/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.77 p.c
Largest share: 28.63 p.c in 2023-24 with Philadelphia
Profession earnings: $266,714,364
Stephen Lew-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.62 p.c
Largest share: 23.90 p.c in 2023-24 with LA Lakers
Profession earnings: $311,521,148
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.50 p.c
Largest share: 32.10 p.c in 2020-21 with Phoenix
Profession earnings: $400,637,385
Ronald Martinez/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.39 p.c
Largest share: 30.28 p.c in 2008-09 with San Antonio
Profession earnings: $245,964,351
Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.19 p.c
Largest share: 26.17 p.c in 2024-25 with Miami
Profession earnings: $312,683,265
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.10 p.c
Largest share: 27.66 p.c in 2024-25 with Denver
Profession earnings: $249,759,769
Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 19.06 p.c
Largest share: 23.15 p.c in 1999-00 with Memphis
Profession earnings: $55,638,898
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.89 p.c
Largest share: 28.18 p.c in 2013-14 with Orlando
Profession earnings: $163,061,257
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.89 p.c
Largest share: 28.03 p.c in 2024-25 with LA Clippers
Profession earnings: $328,471,638
Soobum Im-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.61 p.c
Largest share: 26.18 p.c in 2022-23 with Minnesota
Profession earnings: $261,348,195
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.60 p.c
Largest share: 24.72 p.c in 2024-25 with Milwaukee
Profession earnings: $284,880,292
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.48 p.c
Largest share: 25.88 p.c in 2015-16 with Miami
Profession earnings: $242,110,053
Brad Penner-Imagn Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.23 p.c
Largest share: 25.72 p.c in 2024-25 with New York
Profession earnings: $233,178,835
Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports activities
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.04 p.c
Largest share: 26.70 p.c in 2019-20 with Brooklyn
Profession earnings: $315,811,186
Give attention to Sport/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 18.02 p.c
Largest share: 21.07 p.c in 1990-91 with Detroit
Profession earnings: $10,472,000
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Photos)
Share of his groups’ payroll: 17.93 p.c
Largest share: 27.79 p.c in 2008-09 with Houston
Profession earnings: $163,057,818
Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 17.68 p.c
Largest share: 29.17 p.c in 2008-09 with Detroit
Profession earnings: $154,494,445
Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 17.57 p.c
Largest share: 25.20 p.c in 2019-20 with Philadelphia
Profession earnings: $276,450,726
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Photos
Share of his groups’ payroll: 17.18 p.c
Largest share: 26.45 p.c in 2007-08 with Golden State
Profession earnings: $147,692,983
