Ex-Hornets center Cody Zeller’s contributions have gone a bit under the radar. He might not have caught the attention like the others in his generation, but his impact on the Hornets for the better part of a decade is undeniable. He’s since had a bit of a journeyman career, playing for the Trail Blazers, Heat, Pelicans, and the Hawks after. He was eventually waived by the Rockets after he was traded to Houston by the Hawks in early February, rendering him a free agent.

But he’s earned enough in his time in the NBA to last a lifetime and then some. We take a look at what his monetary portfolio looked like during his time in the Association.

What is Cody Zeller’s NBA salary? How much does he make a year?

July 2024 saw him sign a 3-year, $11,025,000 contract with the New Orleans Pelicans on the day he was traded to Atlanta. This included a guaranteed $3,500,000 as a base salary, which accounted for 2.49% of the team’s cap. This was essentially a salary-only deal for Zeller, as he agreed to stay away from the Hawks and be used as a salary ballast to account for Dejounte Murray. Word on the street is that he came to the same agreement with the Rockets, and has chosen to not play another game till the end of the season.

But he came into the Association as a hotly tipped youngster. After impressing the country at the Indiana Hoosiers, he got picked up by the Hornets on a 4-year, $17,410,113 as the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. This guaranteed him an average base salary of $4,352,528. But his rookie extension a few years later with Charlotte saw him earning his highest salary to date. On Halloween day 2016, he signed a 4-year $56 million contract extension awarding him an average salary of $14,000,000 which was signed using Bird Rights.

After the 2024-25 season, Zeller would have made $82.5 million in total from the NBA alone. For a man who’s been experiencing a downfall for the last half-decade, he’s done pretty well for himself. This brings his estimated net worth to a whopping $20 million.

What are Cody Zeller’s investments and endorsements?

The Big Handsome isn’t just handsome, he’s also a bit of a financial genius. He was smart enough to invest his money in other areas that could increase his overall net worth. He’s made strategic investments in real estate, acquiring properties that can appreciate and generate rental income. Exact numbers and other details on the deals aren’t of public knowledge, but it’s a fantastic tactic to secure the Zeller family for generations to come.

As for his endorsements, Cody’s made sure to do enough in the league for the biggest of the biggest to rep him when he’s on the floor. His first big deal is with Nike- and he’s used this deal to something better. He’s collaborated with Nike’s Jordan Brand to make custom sneakers for his ‘Kicks for Kids’ campaign, where he donates game-worn sneakers and grants to nonprofits supporting children. “I wanted to do more to give back, not only to just kids at the children’s hospital but kids in general. As adults, we have a lot to learn from kids- their simplicity for life and their joy and their happiness,” said Cody on his inspiration.

But the American footwear giants aren’t the only big company on his CV. He’s also done endorsement deals with sports energy drink company Gatorade. But like most of his other monetary involvements, details of the details aren’t public information.

What car does Cody Zeller drive? What’s in his car collection?

A man of the cloth- Cody’s humble and grounded nature doesn’t have room for expensive automobiles. As of 2016, the Dodge Charger is the only car he’s been seen driving since his inception in the NBA. The estimated current price of the car is around $29,685 to $100,015, but Cody would’ve bought it for around $14,716-$17,149 based on its 2016 valuation.

He might be a free agent now, but his earnings to date, net worth, and deals surrounding his investments and endorsements have put enough dough in his pockets to feed his family for generations to come. Whether he’ll be seen on the floor again is yet to be seen- but if you’re looking strictly on a monetary basis, he doesn’t really need to break a sweat again for the rest of his life.