The NBA minimum salary for 2026-27 starts at about $1.36 million for a player with no NBA experience and rises to about $3.88 million for a veteran with 10 or more years, according to two sources that list matching figures. The NBA’s own salary-cap release does not publish player minimums, so these numbers come from sports outlets that cite the collective bargaining agreement.
This guide gives the full table, explains the veteran-minimum cap rule, and flags a third source that shows slightly different figures.
Quick answers
- Rookie minimum (0 years): $1,357,763.
- 10+ years of experience: $3,876,529.
- Cap hit for a veteran one-year minimum deal: $2,449,421, with the league covering the difference.
- Increase from last season: about 6.7%, matching the cap increase, per Yardbarker.
NBA Minimum Salary 2026-27 by Years of Experience
Yardbarker and Salary Sport list the same amounts:
| Years of experience | 2026-27 minimum salary |
|---|---|
| 0 (rookie) | $1,357,763 |
| 1 | $2,185,116 |
| 2 | $2,449,421 |
| 3 | $2,537,526 |
| 4 | $2,625,627 |
| 5 | $2,845,883 |
| 6 | $3,066,143 |
| 7 | $3,286,399 |
| 8 | $3,506,659 |
| 9 | $3,524,115 |
| 10 or more | $3,876,529 |
Where Sources Differ
BetMGM, published on June 30, 2026, lists slightly different numbers, for example, $1,358,084 for rookies and $3,887,445 for players with 10 or more years. Its own text also gives last season’s rookie minimum as $1,361,969, which would make the 2026-27 figure lower, and it does not explain why. Because two sources agree with each other and one differs, we use the table above. The NBA CBA is the final authority.
How Years of Experience Are Counted
Yardbarker says a player earns one year of experience for each season he spends on an NBA team’s active regular-season roster. A player with zero years has not yet made his NBA debut.
The Veteran Minimum Cap Rule
Yardbarker reports that when a team signs a player with three or more years of experience to a one-year minimum contract, the team is charged only $2,449,421 against the cap and team finances, and the league covers the rest. Salary Sport says the same cap-hit amount applies. The rule does not apply to multiyear deals.
Yardbarker’s example: a player with 18 seasons of experience signing a one-year minimum would earn $3,876,529, while his team would be charged $2,449,421.
Mid-Season Signings and Existing Deals
- Signing after the season starts: the player earns a prorated portion of these amounts (Yardbarker).
- Existing minimum contracts: the figures apply only to new contracts. Players in the second through fourth year of a minimum deal earn a predetermined amount instead. One example in Yardbarker is a second-year salary of $2,150,917.
- 10-day contracts: BetMGM says these are prorated versions of the minimum.
- Two-way contracts: none of the sources we reviewed gave their terms, so we do not cover them.
How the Minimum Compares With the Cap and Rookie Pay
The NBA salary cap for 2026-27 is $164.961 million; see our salary cap guide. A rookie on the minimum earns about 0.82% of that figure (our arithmetic: $1,357,763 ÷ $164,961,000). A first-round No. 1 pick earns far more, as we show in our AJ Dybantsa contract breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NBA minimum salary for 2026-27?
$1,357,763 for a player with no NBA experience, up to $3,876,529 for 10 or more years.
What is the NBA rookie minimum salary?
$1,357,763 in 2026-27, per Yardbarker and Salary Sport.
How does the veteran minimum rule work?
For a one-year minimum deal with a player who has three or more years of experience, the team is charged $2,449,421, and the league pays the difference.
How much did the NBA minimum salary go up?
About 6.7%, matching the cap increase, according to Yardbarker.
Do these numbers apply to every NBA contract?
No. They apply to new contracts. Existing minimum deals follow predetermined amounts.
NBA Minimum Salary 2026-27: Summary
The NBA minimum salary for 2026-27 ranges from $1,357,763 for rookies to $3,876,529 for players with 10 or more years of experience, per two sources that agree. A third source shows slightly different amounts. For one-year minimum deals with veterans of three or more years, teams are charged $2,449,421.
