Juan Soto just pulled off a financial moonshot that makes even Hollywood’s most elaborate heists look tame. Signing a 15-year $765 million with the New York Mets, the Dominican outfielder didn’t just break records—he shattered them, becoming the highest-paid athlete in sports history! But here’s where it gets fascinating: how does Soto’s mega-deal compare to the NBA’s financial landscape, where shorter contracts dominate but jaw-dropping extensions keep rolling in?

In this article, we’ll break down how Juan Soto’s deal stacks to the NBA’s richest contracts, explore the impact of shorter agreements and uncover who might truly emerge as the bigger financial winner.

Baseball contracts are the stuff of fantasy leagues. And Soto’s $765 million deal is the ultimate jackpot! How, you ask? Well, The Athletic has provided a sample for our understanding. To give us an idea of just how truly massive the 4x MLB All-Star’s contract is. His monumental deal with the Mets isn’t just the largest in baseball history—it’s larger than what 22 MLB owners paid for their teams.

“Juan Soto’s new $765 million contract is worth more than what 22 MLB principal owners paid for their franchises.”

This comparison isn’t just for the eye-popping effect (although it’s hard not to pop those eyes!); it emphasizes how vast the financial landscape has become for top athletes in sports. Soto’s deal is clearly more than what some teams are worth, a direct reflection of his elite status in Major League Baseball.

Now, how does this compare to the NBA’s top three earners as of now?

How do Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum’s contracts compare to Juan Soto’s $765M?

In 2024, the NBA’s richest players are pushing the boundaries of what was once thought to be possible in sports salaries. And who else, but Stephen Curry to redefine the landscape of basketball contracts. The 4x champ signed a one-year $63 million extension with the Warriors this off-season, that guarantees him nearly $178 million over the next three years.

And this includes $55.8 million this year, $59.6 the coming year, and nearly $63 in 2026-27 –  the highest the Dubs could offer the ‘Chef’ under league rules. But what really blew the minds of basketball fans across the world was when Jaylen Brown signed a massive $304 million deal for five years. It gives him an average annual income of $60.8 million.

The reigning Finals MVP’s rare achievement, though, was short-lived. His teammate and Boston’s superstar, Jayson Tatum, was soon offered a supermax extension – a whopping $315 million! This deal, which spans over five years, means that the 26-year-old will earn an average of $63 million annually. And Juan Soto?

The 2019 World Series Champion’s 15-year contract meant that he would be receiving $51 million for the foreseeable future. Another aspect that ESPN’s Jess Passan noted on X was that “Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets includes no deferred money, according to sources, and has escalators that can reach above $800 million.”

While Juan Soto’s contract is certainly historic, its structure could be seen as a double-edged sword. While the deal guarantees Juan a substantial amount of money upfront, it also locks the Mets into a hefty financial commitment, leaving them with less flexibility to make future roster moves. In contrast, NBA contracts like those of Steph and JT offer a more strategic structure that balances immediate earnings with long-term flexibility.

Moreover, the absence of deferred payment in Soto’s contract, while ensuring a massive payday now, could ultimately limit his ability to negotiate future flexibility as he ages. Particularly, compared to Tatum and Curry, whose deals—though high—are designed to maintain their marketability and maximize future earning potential. Even if Soto’s deal could climb to $800 million, his annual earnings of $53 million still fall behind the more agile, higher-earning contracts seen in the NBA.

NBA’s record-breaking salaries in 2024

While Soto’s MLB deal is impressive, NBA players continue to rack up massive earnings. According to a late October Forbes article, LeBron James continues to grace the top position for the 11th straight year, earning a total of $128.7 million—marking the highest-ever earnings in the 15-year history of Forbes’ NBA ranking. This sum, though, is broken down into $48.7 million in salary and an estimated $80 million in off-court endeavors like endorsements and business ventures.

Now, that’s where NBA and MLB players have the greatest difference. The former tend to earn much more from endorsements and other off-court ventures due to their global visibility. The latter, on the other hand, while popular, generally don’t achieve the same level of international visibility as their basketball counterparts. Or even soccer, for that matter.

Before diving deep into another aspect here, let me quickly give you the top-5 highest-paid NBA players of 2024. Just on the basis of their on-court earnings. For your reference, there will also be an additional off-court income column.

The other factor here is that as the NBA’s revenue keeps soaring (about $13 billion last season), player earnings also grow proportionally. The CBA ensures that roughly 50% of this income goes to players. And that results in enormous contracts across the league. Additionally, the NBA’s new media rights deal, worth $76 billion over 11 years, has significantly boosted revenue, ensuring even higher salaries in the coming years.

Meanwhile, as the salaries rise, so does the luxury tax threshold. In fact, it has risen over 122% from a decade ago, helping to make these mega deals possible. And players like Curry have set the bar, becoming the first to earn a $50 million annual income.

The verdict—Soto’s stability vs. NBA’s annual windfalls

While Juan’s $765 million deal may appear to put him at the top of the salary food chain, the reality is that players like Steph and Jayson rake in more on an annual basis. The key point here is that the NBA stars are making a calculated bet on their future earning potential through shorter contracts. It thereby offers them the flexibility to re-sign for more money as the salary cap continues to grow.

While Curry and Tatum have the opportunity to earn more annually in the future, Juan Soto will remain on his $51 million (or $53M, if those escalators hit) for the next decade and a half! The flexibility of the NBA’s contract structure and the explosive rise in the league’s revenues mean that the next wave of basketball players could outpace Soto in terms of lifetime earnings—at least in the short term.

Would you bet on the long-term security of Juan Soto’s deal or the annual windfalls reaped by NBA stars? The answer may depend on whether you prefer a marathon or a sprint when it comes to earning potential.