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 crew handouts, as a substitute selecting to make each penny potential, which he was properly inside his proper to do, as he just about all the time lived as much as his max contracts.
Properly, 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 largest share of crew payrolls within the NBA over the previous 40 years, even after we factored within the first 4 seasons of his profession during which he was on his rookie-scale contract, and the final marketing campaign of his profession when he was on a minimal deal.
Regardless, you’ll be able to simply make the argument that O’Neal was price each greenback because the large man had one of the vital illustrious careers in NBA historical past, one headlined by his successful 4 NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, one regular-season MVP and his making 15 All-Star appearances and 14 All-NBA groups.
In response to our analysis, different NBA stars come near O’Neal on this train, particularly David Robinson and Michael Jordan, who took up giant shares of their groups’ payrolls all through their careers. Jordan truly completed No. 3 on this checklist, however that’s largely due to the 2 last years of his cope with the Bulls, which have been the largest salaries in NBA historical past if we regulate to inflation.
Beneath, try the NBA gamers who took the most important share of crew payrolls all through their careers.
Brian Bahr/Getty Pictures
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 by way of Getty Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Images-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 by way of Getty Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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
Concentrate on Sport/Getty Pictures
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 Pictures)
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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 Pictures
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
