A.M. As GM: The Best Team Money Can Buy

When you look across the NBA and see insanely wealthy teams like the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks struggling you may wonder to yourself, 'How can they spend that much money and be that bad?'

Teams in this era do not know how to spend their money efficiently.

Any team who gives Jason Kidd $21.3 million or Stephon Marbury $19.8 million obviously has some front office issues,

The average team payroll in the NBA this season was $71,846,551 and I plan on showing you the best 12 man rotation that this money can buy.

Point Guard

First of all, as I have stated previously, I believe a great point guard is overrated in the NBA. Rajon Rondo was not great last season for the Celtics win they won the title, Jason Williams definitely was not great for the 2004 Miami Heat and this list goes on and on.

Since I am playing GM, I want a point guard who can distribute and play some defense. My point guard must be young because the trend over the past few years on successful teams has been a young point guard.

I decided to take Rajon Rondo as my starting point guard for $1.6 million per season.

Rondo is known as an incredible defender as well as being a great passer and play maker in the open floor. He is improving every game it seems and the fact that he has already won an NBA title and started for a successful team for two consecutive seasons is a positive.

Amount left: $71.8 million - $1.6 million = $70.2 million

Shooting Guard

Just about every great team has an above average shooting guard in this day and age. I wanted a player who could lead my team in the locker room as well as someone who would not point the finger at anyone else. This ruled out Kobe, Allen Iverson, and Vince Carter right off the bat.

Like every other position I want someone who has proved something, yet has enough left in the tank to play at the top of their game.

At my starting shooting guard spot I took Brandon Roy because of his diversity on the offensive end of the floor and the hustle and heart he plays with every game.

Roy has improved on just about every part of his game over his three year NBA career and he still has limitless potential. Within three years I see Brandon Roy being one of the top five players in the NBA.

The best part is that Roy is only due $3.0 million this season, making him the most cost efficient star in the NBA by far.

Amount left: $70.2 million - $3.0 million = $67.2 million

Small Forward

Although he is due to get the biggest contract in NBA history after next season, LeBron James still has to be considered under paid until he in fact is the highest payed player in the league.

James is the best player in the league by my estimation and no one will deny he is the one player you would pick if you were starting a team right now.

Being only 24 years old, LeBron still can improve that iffy jumper and become even more intimidating on defense and truly become perhaps the best player to ever play the game. Based solely off statistics LeBron could be the best player since Wilt Chamberlain if he can put up 30-8-8 per game.

James made $14.1 million dollars this past season and would be worth every penny if he were to play with a star like Brandon Roy and a point guard as flawless in the open court as Rajon Rondo.

Amount left: $67.2 million - $14.1 million = $53.1 million

Power Forward

The power forward position was the hardest one to choose. There were many valuable and worthy candidates but I was looking for someone with experience and leadership.

Most of the top power forwards are young and athletic so I broke my own mold and picked the highest paid player in the league, Kevin Garnett.

Garnett may be the best leader in the sport and he gives his all literally every single game. Garnett will do anything to win, even if that means sacrificing his own statistics—see the last two seasons with Boston.

Garnett is a force on both ends of the floor, being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and owning an MVP trophy from 2004.

On this team Garnett would get to play with his current point guard, Rajon Rondo, as well as two of the top players in the league.

With his passing ability and ability to build team chemistry there is no doubt that he would bring this group of stars together for a deep run in any league.

Amount left: $53.1 million - $24.7 million = $28.4 million

Center

At center we had to choose the most dominant force in the paint, Dwight Howard.

The addition of Howard to this already stacked roster makes them the most dominant starting five in NBA history.

Howard averaged 2.9 blocks per game this season on his way to the Defensive Player of the Year award.

The addition of Howard gives this team the past two Defensive Player of the Year winners as well as this season's runner up—LeBron James. This team also would dominate offensively because it would be impossible to double team any of scoring options.

Can you imagine LeBron James going one-on-one against anyone in the league without any help?!

Amount left: $28.4 million - $13.7 million = $14.7 million

Bench

Sixth Man

Bruce Bowen has been around the league a long time and would be that much needed bench leadership. He would be the guy pushing the rest of the reserves to become better and give their all in practice and on the bench.

Bowen has playoff experience as well, which would help gain him minutes down the stretch of games if Rondo or Roy is not performing.

Bowen has a money three point jumper, especially from the corner, and is still recognized as one of the premiere defenders in the league.

Amount left: $14.7 million - $4.0 million = $10.7 million

Seventh Man

Paul Millsap would be the first big man off the bench for this epic team. Millsap continues to be the most under paid player in the NBA at about $800,000 this season.

Millsap, a three-time rebounding champion in college, grabs rebounds with the best in the league and is a very smart player for his age. He makes tough shots and can guard players much bigger and stronger than he.

Amount left: $10.7 million - $800,000 = $9.9 million

Eighth Man

Although he is seemingly over the hill, it is always necessary to have a player like Lindsey Hunter on your team. Hunter, like Bruce Bowen, brings a toughness to this team and would do a great job teaching the more skilled Rajon Rondo because of his years of experience.

Hunter is a tough-minded player who never gives up and is very crafty in his play.

Amount left: $9.9 million - $1.1 million = $8.8 million

Ninth Man

As GM, I wanted a team that would play defense no matter what five players were on the court. Obviously the starting rotation has great defensive players—Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard—but so does the bench.

Along with Bruce Bowen, Trevor Ariza would make perhaps the second best defensive team in the league, behind their starters.

Ariza hits the three well and is a fabulous on-ball and off-ball defender. He plays pretty smart throughout games and is a great team player.

Amount left: $8.8 million - $2.9 million = $5.9 million

Tenth-Twelfth Men

The tenth man on this historic team would be Drew Gooden. Gooden is cost-efficient—$1.4 million—and becomes the first reserve big man who can consistently knock down the mid range jump shot

Amount left: $5.9 million - $1.4 million = $4.5 million

The eleventh man on my team would be the only rookie on the team. Courtney Lee has been playing unbelievably well for the Orlando Magic in these playoffs and brings a certain swagger to this team.

Maybe it was dunking on LeBron James or hitting clutch jump shots but something about Lee makes me want him on my team more and more every time I watch him.

I would not feel nervous putting Lee in the game late in the fourth quarter, something not often said about the eleventh man on a team.

Amount left: $4.5 million - $1.2 million = $3.3 million

The last player I would have off the bench would be Yi Jianlian. Yi is still very raw but has the potential to be a Dirk Nowitzki-type player. He has the length, quickness, and jump shot to be a factor in the NBA and would have time to learn on a team featuring so many great big men, especially Kevin Garnett.

Garnett would be able to teach Yi about the game of basketball and give him pointers on improving his game.