Where does Erik Spoelstra's contract rank among NBA head coaches with most expensive deals? Taking a closer look at $120 million plus signing

The Miami Heat has agreed with coach Erik Spoelstra on a new multi-million contract, the team announced on Tuesday. Spoelstra is among the best coaches in the NBA and has been with the Heat since 1995, starting as a video coordinator. So, where does Spoelstra's new deal rank among the most expensive in NBA history?

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Heat and Spoelstra agreed an eight-year, $120 million contract extension. His current deal would have expired next season, but the new deal means he will be in charge of the Heat until the 2032-33 season.

The 53-year-old coach is now the highest-paid in NBA history based on total value, as per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. His new deal surpassed Gregg Popovich's five-year, $80 million extension with the San Antonio Spurs last summer.

Monty Williams held the record for less than two months back in May when he signed a six-year, $78.5 million deal with the Detroit Pistons.

In terms of annual value, Popovich is still the king with a salary of $16 million per season. He's followed by Williams with $13 million and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors at $9.5 million per year.

Erik Spoelstra was earning around $8.5 million per season in his current deal. He will get the raise at the start of the 2025-26 season when he receives around $15 million per year.

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Erik Spoelstra contract extension: Looking at his coaching career

Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat signed a new multi-million deal.

Erik Spoelstra started his career with the Miami Heat as a video coordinator in 1995.

He worked his way up the Heat organization and was promoted to assistant coach in 1997 while retaining his video coordinator position. He was promoted again two years later when he was also named as an advanced scout.

Spoelstra continued to serve as an assistant coach for the Heat and was named the director of scouting in 2001. He won an NBA championship as an assistant in 2006 before getting named head coach and Pat Riley's successor in 2008.

While Spoelstra has never won the NBA Coach of the Year award, he has won two NBA championships. He managed the star-studded Heat team featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh from 2010 to 2014.

The Portland product even coached the Heat to NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023, despite not having a superteam. The team's "Heat Culture" has also been famed for finding diamonds in the rough and turning them into solid role players.

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