Dwight Howard Reacts to State of NBA Contracts After Dyson Daniels’ $100M Hawks Deal

The NBA is handing out big-money contracts more frequently than ever, and one former player has a gripe with the league’s booming finances.

Basketball Hall of Famer Dwight Howard took to social media with a reaction to Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels’ $100 million rookie contract extension, pointing out that he never signed a contract worth $100 million during his illustrious NBA career:

While Howard never saw a contract offer in the triple digits, he doesn’t have much to complain about. After he departed from the NBA following the 2021-22 season, Scott Davis of Business Insider reported in January 2023 that his $245.1 million in career earnings ranked ninth all-time in league history. The fact that he was able to make that much during his 18-year career without ever signing a $100 million deal was a testament to his longevity.

Still, Howard does have a point that the league’s financial state has reached new heights. Per Spotrac, the NBA salary cap for the 2025-26 season is $154.6 million with a luxury tax second apron threshold of $207.8 million. When Howard was last in the league in 2021-22, the salary cap was $112.4 million, and there was no second apron as the first apron threshold was just $143 million.

Daniels is far from the only player ever to be paid above his perceived worth, but the 22-year-old is a rising star who the Hawks chose to invest in as a major part of their future core. He’s coming off a stellar 2024-25 campaign in which he earned NBA Most Improved Player honors and was named to the All-Defensive first team after league in steals.

Howard remained active after leaving the NBA by playing overseas and in exhibitions. At 39 years old, he’s a year younger than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, so perhaps he should try to make his way back into the league to take advantage of the rising economy.

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