After Altuve's big contract, Astros' MVP joins list of highest paid athletes in Houston
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Jose Altuve will be in Houston a while.
On Monday, he was officially made a tremendously wealthy man by the Astros, signing an extension through 2024 worth more than $163 million.
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That puts him on an average salary of $30 million a year.
The new contract is certainly the richest ever offered by the Astros, but it isn't necessarily the richest salary paid to a Houston athlete.
Here are the top 10 Houston athletes currently raking in a healthy sum of money:
James Harden: Thanks to a four-year extension that locks him up through 2021, The Beard will be paid a salary of $42.3 million by the Rockets. The potential league MVP is not the only NBA player on the top 10, thanks in part to recent collective bargaining incentives and a cap ceiling higher than other pro leagues.
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Jose Altuve: As for the city's current MVP, Altuve is just 27 years old, and the $30 million per season is a far cry from the $15,000 he made signing at 17 years old from Venezuela. Well earned, 'Tuve.
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Justin Verlander: Verlander is under contract through 2020 with a six-year deal worth $162 million, which equates to $27 million per year. He is the clear veteran leader of the Astros starting rotation, and if his 2017 run after his acquisition is any indication, his output is money well spent by the 'Stros.
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Chris Paul: CP3 opted into the final year of his $107.3 million contract that he originally signed with the Clippers. In Houston, he has provided the spark and confidence Houston needed as a floor general and complementary player to Harden. He is being paid a shade north of $24 million before free agency calls in the offseason.
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Ryan Anderson: "Ryno" is one of two beneficiaries of a 2016 offseason that saw NBA free agents get paid. He is being paid an average salary of $20 million on the four-year, $80 million pact he made with the Rockets. The 10-year veteran is a three-point shooting specialist, averaging 39 percent shooting from downtown in his stint in H-town.
Brian McCann: Acquired from the Yankees before the Astros' World Series season, McCann was one of the veteran leaders in the Houston clubhouse during the championship run. Of course, McCann was drawn to big money Yanks through their five-year, $85 million contract. McCann will earn $17 million per year through 2019.
J.J. Watt: As the only NFL player in the top 10, Watt also has the distinction of being the highest paid Texan this season. Taking into account base salary and bonuses, Watt will command a 2018 salary of $16.6 million. The Texans have the former two-time defensive player of the year locked up through 2021.
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DeAndre Hopkins: "Nuk" is among the highest paid wideouts in the NFL after signing a six-year, $88 million extension before 2017. The Clemson product will earn $16.2 million this season.
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Jadeveon Clowney: Watt's partner on the defensive line has a year left on his current contract worth $13.85 million. With Watt absent most of 2017, the former overall top pick provided to be the defensive anchor for the Texans that season.
Eric Gordon: "Splash" Gordon is commanding a $13.2 million salary this season with the Rockets. EG10 has become a perfect off-the-bench scoring option for Houston and could be a key player in Houston's postseason run.
