Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto was always expected to come with a long-term commitment. The seven-time All-Star has agreed to a two-year, $115 million extension with the Raptors, securing his future with the franchise after his blockbuster return. He also gave up roughly $11 million compared with his maximum extension. Yet even after taking less, the new contract sends his projected career earnings soaring past several NBA icons.

According to the salary figures through 2028-29, Leonard is projected to reach roughly $541.1 million in NBA earnings. That places him third on the list, behind only Kevin Durant and LeBron James, while moving him ahead of Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and James Harden. There is an important catch, though. The $541.1 million figure is a projection through the 2028-29 season. It does not mean Kawhi Leonard has already collected that amount.

The Raptors’ new commitment adds another major chunk to Leonard’s career total. Leonard’s new contract does more than move him past Curry on the projected earnings list. It puts him among the NBA’s highest-paid players ever.

The Boardroom figures through 2028-29 place Leonard at approximately $541.1 million, good for third behind Kevin Durant at $591.1 million and LeBron James at $589.3 million. Curry follows at $532.7 million, while Joel Embiid sits at $516.9 million. Nikola Jokic is projected at $508.9 million, just ahead of James Harden at $508.2 million.

The rest of the top 10 also clear an extraordinary financial threshold. Anthony Davis is projected to reach $485.7 million, Giannis Antetokounmpo $459.2 million, and Damian Lillard $455.6 million through the 2028-29 season. That puts Kawhi Leonard in a different position from some of the names around him. The Raptors star’s new extension pushes his projected total beyond the half-billion mark. At the same time, Harden’s three-year, $97 million deal with Cleveland also pushes his projected career salary past the $500 million mark.

Kawhi Leonard’s extension is worth $115 million over two seasons, with a player option for 2028-29. He is already set to make $50.3 million during the 2026-27 season, meaning the deal gives him three years and approximately $165.3 million with Toronto if he exercises the option. The decision also came with a significant concession.

The two-time Finals MVP accepted about $11 million less than his maximum extension value. He also waived a $7.45 million trade kicker to help the Raptors with cap space.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Leonard expects to finish his career in Toronto, which could mean the player option ultimately serves as a mechanism for another deal. The 2028-29 player option gives Kawhi Leonard another decision point before he reaches 38.

The NBA’s Over-38 Rule also limits how teams can structure extensions. Now, Stephen Curry has a decision of his own. The Warriors superstar is currently entering the final season of his contract, which pays him $62.6 million in 2026-27.

He became eligible for a maximum two-year extension worth $136.7 million in August, but he has made it clear that he is not rushing into a new agreement.

“I’ve always stated that I wanna be a lifer with Golden State,” Curry previously said. “What we’ve built there, the fact that I get to run it back this year with Draymond [Green] and coach [Steve] Kerr. All the contract stuff, this NBA thing from year to year, is so crazy, things change really fast. But I do know my interest and mission to stay in Golden State and be competitive is there, and the contract stuff will take care of itself.”

That makes Kawhi Leonard’s jump over Curry particularly interesting. The Warriors star has already said he wants to spend the rest of his career with Golden State, and the general manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., has also expressed the same confidence.

So the current earnings ranking may not remain the same. If Curry signs the full $136.7 million extension, his projected total would rise considerably. For now, though, Kawhi Leonard has moved ahead of him on the projection.