Analyzing the 2023-2024 NBA season’s coaching elite. Discover the league’s highest-paid bench leaders and their impact on the court.

During the offseason and when free agency kicks off, NBA player salaries become a hot topic of discussion. People love to talk about how much players are making, especially when they’re not living up to expectations or when they sign new contracts.

There are even a handful of superstars who hit the jackpot and join the elite club of NBA players with $200 million contracts.

On the other hand, NBA head coaches make a pretty penny too. On average, they earn around $3.5 million, and even the lowest paid coaches still bring in a minimum of $2 million per year.

Here’s a list of the top five highest-paid NBA coaches in the 2023-24 season.

Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs: $16 million

For the 2023-2024 season, the title of the highest-paid NBA coach goes to Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

He commands a whooping salary of $16 million owing to a recently extended five-year contract worth at least $80 million.

Popovich, famous for his impressive track record that includes five NBA titles and three NBA Coach of the Year awards, has earned the most wins in NBA coaching history.

Although the Spurs have been facing some recent difficulties, the franchise is expected to recover with the incoming top draft pick, Victor Wembanyama.

2018: Gregg Popovich moves past Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley for fourth on the all-time victories list. pic.twitter.com/06hK4AHtWJ

— hoopsjunky (@hoopsjunky54491) December 11, 2023

However, as Popovich turns 75 this season, questions regarding the length of his stint are rising, despite his current contract guaranteeing his place as the highest-paid NBA coach until the 2027-28 season.

Monty Williams Detroit Pistons: $13.05 million

The fact that Monty Williams commands the second-highest coaching salary in the league, despite the Phoenix Suns’ struggles in the NBA Playoffs over the past two years, still takes many by surprise.

The Suns, under his coaching, have experienced disappointing losses in the conference finals each year, culminating in a heavy defeat at home in their elimination games.

However, there remain many admirers of Williams’ basketball intellect.

His reputation was built on the solid foundation of his role as an assistant to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers, not to mention several successful stints as a head coach.

Monty Williams stated the Pistons’ losing streak ‘bothers’ him:

“It bothers me because it’s my job to figure it out. I’ve lost my wife and I’ve had two close family members deal with cancer. So that’s a perspective that I always have. But this is my body of work and [to] come… pic.twitter.com/f9M9PDyTe6

— OutOfSightSports🚀™️ (@OOSSports) December 18, 2023

With an annual pay packet of $13.05 million, there’s mounting pressure on Williams to revive the fortunes of the Detroit Pistons.

This beleaguered team has suffered through a 65-loss season and hasn’t secured a playoff series win since 2008.

Steve Kerr Golden State Warriors: $9.5 million

Even though Kerr is currently one of the highest-paid coaches, there is an expectation that he may soon rise to become the highest-paid NBA coach, potentially earning up to $20 million yearly.

He has a successful track record of winning, having guided Golden State to four NBA championship victories in the last nine years and winning 99 playoff games in the process.

“My favorite thing about Steph is that when we were in the locker room after the game you never would have known in a million years that a streak ended…Looked like any other win where he’s just happy for everybody.”

Steve Kerr on Steph Curry’s 268 game 3-point streak ending pic.twitter.com/WCbHjsOpSP

— KNBR (@KNBR) December 20, 2023

To give a clearer picture, before he joined in the 2014-15 season, Golden State had only scored 15 playoff victories in the previous 24 years.

Looking forward, although Kerr has a year left on his existing contract, many expect that he will get an extension during the 2023-24 season.

Following the recent departure of the long-serving general manager Bob Myers and a disheartening second-round withdrawal in the NBA playoffs, the Warriors will be keen to maintain stability on their bench, regardless of the cost.

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat: $8.5 million

Spoel is seriously one of the most underrated head coaches in professional sports. It’s an absolute understatement to say that he’s overlooked. His journey started back in 1995 when he worked as the video coordinator for the Miami Heat.

Erik Spoelstra calls it a "very productive 48 hours" as the Heat bounce back from their loss to the Timberwolves with a W over the Magic

Listen to his full postgame presser… 🔊@MiamiHEAT | #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/uzXXt8dDXg

— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) December 21, 2023

Now, since the 2008-09 season, he serves as Miami’s head coach and has guided the team to the playoffs, except for five occasions. Within this period, they’ve clinched two NBA championships along with six trips to the finals.

Spoelstra’s achievements are truly impressive, and it’s worth mentioning that he rakes in a whopping $8.5 million as his salary. This just goes to show how much he has contributed and succeeded as the head coach of Miami.

At 52, Spoelstra, a native of Illinois, is far from reaching his peak. He holds a track record of 704 regular-season victories and holds a .602 winning percentage in the playoffs.

Last season, he guided the Heat, a No.8 seed, to the NBA Finals. Surely, a significant salary bump isn’t far away for him.

Nick Nurse Philadelphia 76ers $8 million

Nurse’s tenure as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors ended abruptly after an underwhelming 2022-23 season.

“Just a high IQ guy. And if you’re around him, you know he’s an unbelievably classy person, outstanding in the locker room and a teammate.”

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse on former Hornet Nicolas Batum: pic.twitter.com/vsRppn7Q3g

— Shane Connuck (@shane_connuck) December 16, 2023

The franchise’s decision to part with the man who navigated them to an NBA championship and greater prominence in the league was a surprise. But that’s the brief lifespan of NBA head coaches these days.

Currently, Nurse is with the Philadelphia 76ers, earning about $8 million a year, with the hefty burden of delivering the NBA championship.

Philadelphia is bouncing back after an unseemly second-round departure from the Eastern Conference Playoffs, courtesy of the Miami Heat.

The team features the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid, and while James Harden’s fate remains uncertain, there’s little doubt that Daryl Morey and his executive team have big hopes for Nurse, given the hefty contract they offered him.

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