NBA coaches play a significant role in maximizing their team’s talents that hopefully convert to regular season wins leading to the playoffs and eventually to an NBA championship.
However, coaches can only do so much to teach their players and improve the team’s morale, especially if they earn much less than the average NBA player.
So, how much does an NBA coach make per year?
According to sources, NBA head coaches earn a salary of $2 to 4 million per year, depending on various factors like prior coaching experience. Currently, the highest-paid head coach is Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, with an $11 million per year salary.
We’re sure you’re curious about the salary of other coaches which is what this post is about.
What’s the Average Salary of an NBA coach?
Similar to the NBA Players, NBA coaching is also an exclusive club since only thirty slots are filled as quickly as they open.
However, unlike NBA players whose NBA contracts are publicly available and are dictated by the salary cap, the NBA coaching staff’s salaries are not as readily accessible, so it is harder to identify. The good thing is there is no limit on how much teams can pay their coaches.
According to league sources, the average salary of NBA coaches is hovering between $2 to 4 million annually. Coaching contracts can also include bonuses depending on their season and post-season performance.
One similarity to NBA Players is that coaches are also not secured with their position since many firings happen during the season or in the off-season if a team does not perform as expected.
Below are the current salaries of NBA head coaches. Please note that coaches’ contracts are not publicly available and are primarily from reliable personalities and websites.
| Coach/Team | Annual Salary | Contract | Coaching Experience |
| 1. Nate McMillan (Atlanta Hawks) | Undisclosed | 4 years | 18 Seasons |
| 2. Ime Udoka (Boston Celtics) | Undisclosed | 1 Season | |
| 3. Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets) | $8,700,000 | 4 years | 2 Seasons |
| 4. Kenny Atkinson (Charlotte Hornets) | Undisclosed | 4 years | 3 Seasons |
| 5. Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls) | $6,000,000 | 4 years | 7 Seasons |
| 6. J.B. Bickerstaff (Cleveland Cavaliers) | Undisclosed | 5 years | 6 Seasons |
| 7. Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) | $7,000,000 | 6 Seasons | |
| 8. Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) | Undisclosed | 9 Seasons | |
| 9. Dwane Casey (Detroit Pistons) | $7,000,000 | 5 years | 13 Seasons |
| 10. Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) | $9,500,000 | 8 Seasons | |
| 11. Stephen Silas (Houston Rockets) | Undisclosed | 2 Seasons | |
| 12. Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers) | $7,250,000 | 4 years | 20 Seasons |
| 13. Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) | $7,000,000 | 5 years | 6 Seasons |
| 14. Darvin Ham (Los Angeles Lakers) | Undisclosed | 4 years | First Head Coaching Job |
| 15. Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies) | $2,500,000 | 3 Seasons | |
| 16. Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) | $8,500,000 | 14 Seasons | |
| 17. Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee Bucks) | Undisclosed | 3 years (extension) | 9 Seasons |
| 18. Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves) | Undisclosed | Multiyear Extension | 2 Seasons |
| 19. Willie Green (New Orleans Pelicans) | Undisclosed | 1 Season | |
| 20. Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks) | Undisclosed | 5 years | 10 Seasons |
| 21. Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder) | Undisclosed | 2 Seasons | |
| 22. Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic) | Undisclosed | 4 years | 1 Season |
| 23. Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers) | $8,000,000 | 5 years | 23 Seasons |
| 24. Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) | $2,700,000 | 5 years | 8 Seasons |
| 25. Chauncey Billups (Portland Trail Blazers) | Undisclosed | 5 years | 1 Season |
| 26. Mike Brown (Sacramento Kings) | Undisclosed | 4 years | 9 Seasons |
| 27. Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) | $11,500,000 | 26 Seasons | |
| 28. Nick Nurse (Toronto Raptors) | $8,000,000 | 4 years | 4 Seasons |
| 29. Vacant (Utah Jazz) | – | – | – |
| 30. Wes Unseld Jr. (Washington Wizards) | Undisclosed | 4 years | 1 Season |
Who are the highest-paid NBA coaches?
Below is the list of the current highest-paid NBA Coaches from the available data.
| Team | Annual Salary | Coaching Experience |
| 1. Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs | $11,500,000 | 26 Seasons |
| 2. Steve Kerr Golden State Warriors | $9,500,000 | 8 Seasons |
| 3. Steve Nash Brooklyn Nets | $8,700,000 | 2 Seasons |
| 4. Erik Spoelstra Miami Heat | $8,500,000 | 14 Seasons |
| 5. Doc Rivers Philadelphia 76ers | $8,000,000 | 23 Seasons |
| 5. Nick Nurse Toronto Raptors | $8,000,000 | 4 Seasons |
| 7. Rick Carlisle Indiana Pacers | $7,250,000 | 20 Seasons |
| 8. Jason Kidd Dallas Mavericks | $7,000,000 | 6 Seasons |
| 8. Dwane Casey Detroit Pistons | $7,000,000 | 13 Seasons |
| 8. Tyronn Lue Los Angeles Clippers | $7,000,000 | 6 Seasons |
1. Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) – $11,500,000 per year
As of the 2021-22 NBA Season, it is reported that Gregg Popovich is the highest-paid NBA head coach. The 73-year-old coach has been with the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and has five NBA championships. His coaching success has been partly due to the Spurs Big 3, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. He also led the development of Kawhi Leonard, which led to their last championship in 2014.
However, the Spurs are currently in a three-year playoff drought. They hadn’t won a playoff series since the 2016-17 Season when they were swept by the eventual champion, Golden State Warriors.
2. Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) – $9,500,000 per year
The second-highest-paid NBA head coach is Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors, with a reported annual salary of $9.5 million. His yearly salary had close to a 100% increase from his previous 5-year, $25 million contract after leading the Warriors to multiple NBA Championships in the past decade.
In Kerr’s head coaching career in the Warriors, he is fortunate to have multiple all-stars on his team, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant. His latest coaching success was his 2021-22 Season, where the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games.
3. Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets) – $8,700,000 per year
Nash is a 2x NBA MVP and one of the greatest point guards of all time. His accolades as a player played a role in leading to his coaching duty. He is currently the Brooklyn Nets head coach and the third highest-paid coach in the NBA, with $8.7 million per year.
However, his first two seasons in Brooklyn were not as successful as one would hope since the furthest they reached was the Eastern Conference Semifinals in his first year. The following year, his team was swept by Boston Celtics, even with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the team.
4. Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) – $8,500,000 per year
Spoelstra has been with the Miami Heat since 1997, serving as the assistant coach to Pat Riley, and has been the head coach since 2008. He is currently earning $8.5 million per year.
He led the Miami Heat Big 3 of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances, winning two. After the Big 3 Era, the Heat had another spark in the post-season since the arrival of Jimmy Butler.
Tie-5. Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers) – $8,000,000 per year
Doc Rivers is currently the second longest-tenured head coach in the NBA, next to Gregg Popovich, and the fifth highest-paid NBA coach. His coaching success peaked during the Boston Big 3 Era of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen when they won the 2008 NBA Championship against rival Los Angeles Lakers.
Since 2008, he had coached the Clippers with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and the 76ers with Joel Embiid and James Harden. However, the furthest his teams ever reached was in the conference semifinals.
Tie-5. Nick Nurse (Toronto Raptors) – $8,000,000 per year
Nick Nurse gained immediate coaching success when he guided the Raptors to the team’s first NBA championship in franchise history during his first year of coaching in 2019. His coaching prowess has been handsomely rewarded by his team when they offered him $8 million per year.
7. Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers) – $7,250,000 per year
In the 2021-22 Season, Rick Carlisle returned to Indiana after spending 13 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks – winning an NBA Championship in 2011 with Dirk Nowitzki against the Miami Heat. His current contract amounts to $7.25 million.
His coaching experience is expected to lead Indiana Pacers in the post-season after the team failed to win a playoff series since the 2013-14 Season.
Tie-8. Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) – $7,000,000
Kidd, like Nash, is one of the greatest point guards in NBA History, which led to his calling to the coaching arena. He took the reins to the Mavericks from Rick Carlisle, along with the responsibility to develop the young core centered around Luka Doncic. They made it to the Conference Finals in their first season together, losing them to the eventual champion, Golden State Warriors.
Tie-8. Dwane Casey (Detroit Pistons) – $7,000,000
Dwane Casey coached the Toronto Raptors for seven years during the DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry Era, where they annually underperformed in the playoffs after a great regular season. He was then fired in the 2017-18 Season, which, ironically, he won the Coach of the Year Award.
He was recruited by the Detroit Pistons for $7 million a year during the offseason but is still looking for their first playoff appearance.
Tie-8. Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) – $7,000,000
Like Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse, Tyrone Lue also achieved immediate success in coaching after reaching the NBA Finals three straight years and winning the NBA championship in his first year with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
After four years with the Cavs, he was recruited by the Clippers for $7 million annually. He is now in charge of coaching the injury-ridden stars of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
What factors contribute to the salaries of NBA coaches
NBA Coaches are selected through various criteria that the team’s executives believe will help their team maximize their talents and hopefully win the most coveted NBA Title. However, choosing the right coach is difficult, especially with many qualified coaches who will be paid millions of dollars annually.
1. Coaching Experience
One of the most significant contributing factors for NBA coaches is their previous coaching experience. Experienced head coaches are more likely to be offered a higher salary than those with no coaching experience.
Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, and Rick Carlisle are three of the most-tenured NBA Coaches, which also translated into their higher-than-average salary.
2. Winning Percentage
Another factor for coaching salary, especially for experienced coaches, is their winnability. Coaches with a higher winning percentage during the regular season that leads to a playoff appearance can contribute to a higher salary.
3. Playoff Performance
Aside from regular-season performance, a coach should also lead his team deeper into the playoffs leading to the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Seven of the ten highest-paid coaches in the NBA have won at least one NBA Championship.
Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Dwane Casey are the three highest-paid coaches with no championships under their belt yet.
4. Coaching Potential
Aside from coaching experience and winnability, NBA Teams sometimes hire coaches with no NBA experience who showed much promise and potential in that area. The best example is Brad Stevens, previously the head coach for Boston Celtics, before taking over the executive role. He was recruited after taking the Butler Bulldogs to two consecutive NCAA Finals Appearances.
However, since coaching potential is difficult to quantify, there are a lot of misses in hiring the right coach for the team.
5. Individual Success as an NBA Player
Aside from the other criteria mentioned, NBA Teams put a higher premium on players with a decorated NBA Career entering the coaching ranks, like Steve Nash and Jason Kidd, both superstar point guards in the NBA.
Former NBA Players are also more likely to reach the coaching position. More than a third of the current NBA coaches were also NBA Players. Some played a short NBA stint, while some played longer. Some learned coaching through their time on the bench.
How to Become an NBA Coach?
Becoming an NBA Coach is a long process. Some spend years doing video or scouting works before getting a promotion to an assistant coach. However, getting one slot out of the thirty NBA Coaching posts is incredibly difficult. Here are some factors to becoming an NBA Coach.
1. You should have at least a bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree, while not required, increases your chances of starting your NBA coaching career. Some degrees specifically target coaching training and sports development that can help jumpstart your career.
2. You should have played collegiate or professional basketball
Becoming an NBA coach who never played in the NBA or any professional basketball league is uncommon. If you look at the resumes of the current NBA head coaches, 13 have played in the NBA, even if only as role players.
However, some never entered the NBA but played in the NCAA. Taylor Jenkins is the only current NBA head coach who never played basketball, at least at the collegiate level.
3. You should have prior coaching experience
Jumping straight from no coaching experience to becoming an NBA head coach is nearly impossible. Even the NBA coaches spent some time doing the minor work for their respective head coaches during their coaching journey.
NBA Coaches who were previously NBA Players
Here are the 13 NBA coaches who were former NBA Players. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd are part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, while Doc Rivers and Chauncey Billups were former all-stars.
| Team | Coach |
| 1. Atlanta Hawks | Nate McMillan |
| 2. Boston Celtics | Ime Udoka |
| 3. Brooklyn Nets | Steve Nash |
| 4. Chicago Bulls | Billy Donovan |
| 5. Dallas Mavericks | Jason Kidd |
| 6. Golden State Warriors | Steve Kerr |
| 7. Indiana Pacers | Rick Carlisle |
| 8. Los Angeles Clippers | Tyronn Lue |
| 9. Los Angeles Lakers | Darvin Ham |
| 10. New Orleans Pelicans | Willie Green |
| 11. Philadelphia 76ers | Doc Rivers |
| 12. Phoenix Suns | Monty Williams |
| 13. Portland Trail Blazers | Chauncey Billups |
Other Coaches in an NBA Team
Depending on the organization, NBA Teams can have more than ten coaches of different titles besides the head coach. There are also required coaches under the NBA Collective Bargaining, like the strength and conditioning coach. Here are some.
1. Assistant Coach
NBA Assistant Coaches are usually next in line for the head coaching position. However, the competition for the next head coaching job is fierce since there are multiple assistant coaches in an NBA Team. According to the NBA Rule Book, only a maximum of three assistant coaches can occupy the bench during a game.
Depending on their experience and past success, they can earn an annual salary of less than $50,000 to more than $1 million, which is relatively less than what head coaches earn.
2. Player Enhancement Coach
Like assistant coaches, player enhancement/development coaches continuously monitor players to improve their game and professional life on and outside the basketball court. They also break down videos and find areas for improvement. While it is not disclosed, player enhancement coaches are estimated to earn around $50,000 per year.
3. Strength and Conditioning Coach
According to the latest NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), an NBA Team must have at least one Strength and Conditioning Coach and designate one Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.
From an internal survey made by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the average salary of a Strength and Conditioning Coach is roughly around $80,000 per year.
However, some players take strength and conditioning seriously to increase their longevity and are willing to pay a premium for such service. LeBron James is a prime example. He is reported to pay $1.5 million per year to his personal strength and conditioning coach.
Conclusion
NBA Coaches can earn millions of dollars, but the competition for the head coaching job is challenging because the career ladder is high, and the opportunities are low – since there are only 30 NBA Teams.
But suppose someone checks the proper criteria like earning a bachelor’s degree, playing basketball professionally, and earning coaching experience. In that case, getting into the elite group of basketball coaches is possible.