NBA: Grading Kobe Bryant and the Top 30 NBA Salaries in 2011
The NBA is full of millionaires and the exorbitant size of some player contracts are mind boggling.
For teams to be competitive, they have to shell out the dough for players they hope will pan out, but there are no guarantees.
Some players get injured, others were overvalued in the first place, while others are just plain lazy freeloaders.
But there are also players who deserve their pay check, because they have both the talent and the heart to help their team's win.
Here is a list of the 30 highest paid players in the NBA during the 2010-11 NBA season.
Research resources: NBA.com and slumz.boxden.com
No. 30: Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers @ $13,520,500
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Brandon Roy was a superstar as recently as the beginning of this year and the key word is “was”. It is unlikely that this super talented young gun will ever again be considered among the best in the league, especially considering the devastating double whammy bone-on-bone knee problem he’s been cursed with.
His explosive game is nothing more than a memory now.
Roy’s misfortune is not a product of being a lazy bum like Vince Carter, or of having the type of injury that can heal with the ability to bounce back from, like Blake Griffin.
Tragedy is the only word that can truly describe poor Brandon Roy’s situation, especially since he had the talent to be a truly great player.
As a result, the future money will slip out of his hands.
Grade: INCOMPLETE
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 47 | 27.9 | .400 | .333 | .848 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 12.2 |
Career | 321 | 35.6 | .460 | .352 | .801 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 19.0 |
No. 29: Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies @ $13, 603,750
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Rudy Gay is an up-and-coming talent, a fringe superstar with the ability to break the top ten player list in the league.
Gay played in only 54 games this season and missed the Grizzlies’ franchise breaking playoff run. He underwent season-ending surgery on his partially dislocated left shoulder and was rehabbing when his team beat the San Antonio Spurs in the first round and scared the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second, before exiting for vacation.
But in the 54 games he did play in, Gay performed admirably.
He will bounce back next season and it's OK to lay the money on Gay.
Grade: A
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 54 | 39.9 | .471 | .396 | .805 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 19.8 |
Career | 372 | 36.0 | .457 | .352 | .768 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 17.8 |
No. 28: Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers @ $13,842,332
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Bynum missed the first part of the season recovering from knee surgery and played in 54 games, averaging 27.8 minutes per game.
Those numbers should be enough to allow Lakers fans to be optimistic over concerns regarding his fragile health.
The young center has made a good argument for making him the L.A. Lakers number one option going forward. He is young and is a dominant center in the league.
He carried the Lakers on his back with unforgettable performances that saw the team win 15 of 16 games.
Staying healthy is the only thing keeping Bynum from becoming great, especially when you look at how dominating he can be--it will be like money in the bank for the Lakers.
Grade: A
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 54 | 27.8 | .574 | .000 | .660 | 9.4 | 1.4 | 11.3 |
Career | 332 | 24.3 | .569 | .000 | .686 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 10.5 |
No. 27: Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics @ $13,876,321
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Paul Pierce is the most solid and consistent of the Big Three and that showed again in the playoffs as both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were again inconsistent.
Pierce’s role as Boston’s catalyst helped the Celtics have a successful regular season, enough in fact, that they were predicted to go deep into the playoffs.
But that didn’t happen as they lost in the Second Round to the Miami Heat.
Pierce is also in decline and it’s highly doubtful that the present group in Boston will win another championship anytime soon. They certainly had their chances over the last couple of years, but seemed to lack the heart.
As a result, the money in Boston is no longer leprechaun green.
Grade: B
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 80 | 34.7 | .497 | .374 | .860 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 18.9 |
Career | 964 | 37.0 | .448 | .369 | .805 | 6.1 | 3.8 | 22.2 |
No. 26: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat @ $14,000,000
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Dwyane Wade is the best shooting guard in the league and it’s not even close. His superior athletic ability combined with awesome talent has made Wade almost unstoppable this season.
There are still countless NBA fans that believe Kobe Bryant is still better than Wade, but they ignore the obvious decline in his game. While Bryant is still a top talent in the league, his consistent drives through the paint are a thing of the past.
A big concern this year was whether or not Wade and LeBron James could share the ball. But fhe dynamic duo have proved that they could, almost all season long.
The Heat are in everyone’s crosshairs after losing the finals to the Mavericks and Wade, despite having dominant performances, showed a rare immaturity, by assuming a win in game two and taunting Nowitzki before game five.
With his endorsements and his contracts, Wade is making money hand over fist.
Grade: A+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 76 | 37.1 | .500 | .306 | .758 | 6.4 | 4.6 | 25.5 |
Career | 547 | 37.6 | .485 | .292 | .769 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 25.4 |
No. 25: Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls @ $14,400,000
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Carlos Boozer was one of the big free agents of last summer and moving from Utah to Chicago seemed to give the Bulls immediate contender status.
The power forward started the season on the disabled list and didn’t play his first game until the month of December.
Boozer became Derrick Rose’s right hand man and helped the Bulls to the best record in the NBA with 62 wins.
But Boozer’s playoff impact leaves much to be desired as exhibited in both his Utah days and in this season’s playoffs against the Miami Heat.
He is always a threat to go off in the playoffs with an exceptional double-double in both points and rebounds, but Boozer is also known for not showing up to play in critical playoff games—a concern that was confirmed in the series versus the Miami Heat.
It is the latter that makes Boozer a dead weight and incapable of helping any team to win a championship.
The money on Boozer may not be very smart.
Grade: D-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 59 | 31.9 | .510 | .000 | .701 | 9.6 | 2.5 | 17.5 |
Career | 569 | 32.6 | .537 | .111 | .725 | 10.1 | 2.5 | 17.3 |
No. 24: Jason Richardson, Orlando Magic @ $14,444,444
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Richardson was having a decent season with the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Magic in December and was averaging 19.3 points per game.
But the Jason Richardson experience was a sobering one for Magic fans, whom have been bitten by numerous bad deals with players expected to help them win a championship.
Richardson’s efficiency in Phoenix can be explained as a result of playing with Steve Nash. Without Nash, Richardson (who was brought to Orlando to score) declined dramatically and he only averaged 13.9 points per game.
Richardson did not help Dwight Howard take the Magic deep into the playoffs and is most certainly not a championship type player.
Richardson is making easy money without having to lift a finger.
Grade: D-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 80 | 33.9 | .447 | .395 | .730 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 15.6 |
Career | 751 | 35.0 | .442 | .373 | .711 | 5.1 | 2.8 | 18.0 |
No. 23: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat @ $14,500,000
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Chris Bosh has had more than his fair share of criticism after leaving the protection of the Toronto Raptors for the cold beaches of South Florida. He has drawn the disdain of fans and NBA players alike from his lackluster performances and candid ability to put his foot in his mouth.
But Bosh has shrugged off most of that criticism by being a key part of the Miami Heat’s success. After the crying game, Bosh was able to inject substance into his game on both ends of the floor.
Bosh benefits from playing with two of the best players in the league, as opposing defenses concentrate most of their energies on double teaming Dwyane Wade or LeBron James—a huge benefit for him.
But nevertheless, Bosh still lacks a tough post presence but deserves his money.
Grade: B+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 77 | 36.3 | .496 | .240 | .815 | 8.3 | 1.9 | 18.7 |
Career | 586 | 36.9 | .493 | .290 | .798 | 9.2 | 2.1 | 20.0 |
No. 22: LeBron James, Miami Heat @ $14,500,000
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LeBron James was an absolute lightening bolt of controversy to start the season, a result of how he played out his infamous decision.
And the most loved player in the NBA quickly found himself as the most hated in all of sports. James could not lift a finger without the media blitz being all over his tail and he really did nothing to help deter the hazing. Immaturity is the main thing from keeping James from becoming great.
After another fine season, one that should have seen him receive his third straight MVP, James dominated the first three rounds of the playoffs, before being effectively stopped by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks in the finals.
James is the ultimate tweener who can fill up the stat sheet on a nightly basis, despite drawing constant double teams—a prospect that helps make his teammates better by leaving them open.
James is being blamed for the Heats inability to beat the Mavericks in the finals and that includes his poor fourth quarter performances--the only thing preventing him from getting an A+ grade.
Maybe James should have stayed in Cleveland. Instead, he took the money and ran.
Grade: A
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 79 | 38.8 | .510 | .330 | .759 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 26.7 |
Career | 627 | 40.1 | .479 | .329 | .744 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 27.7 |
No. 21. Predraq Stojakovic, Dallas Mavericks @ $14,896,000
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Stojakovic is a below average NBA player who certainly does not deserve his highly paid contract that makes him the Mavericks second highest player.
He has flopped around from team to team and was lucky to land with the Mavs before the trade deadline.
Now he has an NBA title, after contributing next to nothing and at the age of 34, he says he has no intention of retiring.
Stojakovic gets his money for nothing and his chicks for free--(Dire Straits).
Grade: F
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 33 | 18.7 | .441 | .419 | .920 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 8.5 |
Career | 804 | 33.5 | .450 | .401 | .895 | 4.7 | 1.8 | 17.0 |
No. 20: Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets @ $14,940,152
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It’s been another eventful year for New Jersey Nets’ point guard, Deron Williams. After being the face of the Utah Jazz and the instigator of legendary coach Jerry Sloan’s firing, he found himself displaced on the east coast.
Williams is one of a handful of pure point guards in the league that also include Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo, and Jose Calderone.
Williams’ accomplishment of the 20 point and 10 assist milestone this year has gone almost unnoticed. Chris Paul is the only other active player to have accomplished the feat (twice) since Tim Hardaway, back in the early 1990s.
If you're strapped for cash, you could ask this stellar passer to give you a financial assist.
Grade: A+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 65 | 37.9 | .439 | .331 | .845 | 4.0 | 10.3 | 20.1 |
Career | 451 | 35.7 | .463 | .355 | .808 | 3.2 | 9.2 | 17.2 |
No. 19: Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets @ $14,940,152
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CP3 is the best point guard in the league and he has never shied away from a challenge. He is a pure point guard that has the ability to take over the offense when his team needs him, and he has done just that on many occasions, by literally putting the Hornets on his back.
A clear example of this was in the first round of the playoffs in which Paul carried his team to two wins against the L.A. Lakers. David West was out of the lineup due to injury, yet Paul scored points by the bunch, grabbed rebounds like he was a dominant center, dished out assists like it was nobody’s business and single-handedly increased the potential limits of his talent deficient teammates.
But it’s the last accomplishment that makes CP3 great. Rebounds and scoring is just the gravy on his incredible game.
Unfortunately, there is only so much Paul can do with that Hornets’ squad.
But the smart money is always on Chris Paul.
Grade: A+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 80 | 36.0 | .463 | .388 | .878 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 15.9 |
Career | 425 | 37.1 | .471 | .359 | .853 | 4.6 | 9.9 | 18.7 |
No. 18: Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers @ 15,959,099
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Brand was a superstar whose game was directly affected for the better part of three years by an injury to his Achilles heel. He also did not play well in Philly under inept coach, Eddie Jordan.
When Jordan was fired in favor of Collins this past season, Brand and the 76ers began to shine again by making a strong surge for the playoffs.
Brand played well in the First Round against the Miami Heat, who eventually eliminated the overachieving 76ers.
If Brand remains in Philly next season, there is no reason to believe that his resurgence under Collins will not continue.
Philly fans were concerned that the 76ers threw good money after bad, but Brand's resurgence should provide them with some comfort.
Grade: A-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 81 | 34.7 | .512 | .000 | .780 | 8.3 | 1.5 | 15.0 |
Career | 800 | 36.9 | .502 | .133 | .739 | 9.6 | 2.4 | 18.8 |
No. 17: Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets @ 15,959,099
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The former number one draft pick has yet to make a big splash in the NBA. Martin’s production last season declined considerably and can be explained from knee problems.
K-Mart does not have the attitude of a winner but can have an impact on a contending team as the number three or four option.
Martin has indicated that he wants to play for a winner next year and has made no commitments to re-signing with the Nuggets.
Martin is an underachiever with money to burn.
Grade: C
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 48 | 25.7 | .511 | .222 | .583 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 8.6 |
Career | 654 | 32.2 | .482 | .235 | .639 | 7.2 | 2.1 | 13.5 |
No. 16: Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks @ $16,324,500
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Johnson's production across the board this season (including PPG, RPG and APG) were his lowest in several years.
Johnson battled knee, elbow and thumb injuries this season that could explain his decline and he wasn’t an extreme disappointment—unless you are a fantasy owner.
His attitude seems to have improved greatly from last season and he should continue to be an impact player for the Hawks—who really need a good point guard and a center to get the most out of Johnson and the rest of their squad.
Johnson signed a mammoth contract to start the season that shocked many who thought he robbed the bank--but now they know that he became the bank.
Grade: B-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 72 | 35.5 | .443 | .297 | .802 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 18.2 |
Career | 771 | 36.8 | .443 | .366 | .793 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 17.7 |
No. 15: Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks @ $16,486,611
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We learned this season that Stoudemire loves to run his mouth and he’s not afraid to call people out, especially when criticizing the likes of Chris Bosh and Pau Gasol.
Stoudemire helped put the Knicks back on the map this season, but his play declined noticeably after Carmelo Anthony came to town in the blockbuster trade with the Denver Nuggets.
He is a scorer who could use a little work on his defensive game.
And although he can play center, he would do much better at his natural power forward position.
The value of the Knicks franchise has sky rocketed this year, because Amare is bringing the money back to New York.
Grade: A
| G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
2010-11 Season | 78 | 36.8 | .502 | .435 | .792 | 8.2 | 2.6 | 25.3 |
Career | 594 | 34.6 | .537 | .245 | .762 | 8.8 | 1.5 | 21.9 |
No. 14: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic @ $16,509,600
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Howard worked on his offensive game in the off season with Hakeem the Dream and it showed, as his 22.9 points per game was a career high.
He shot an impressive .593 from the field, but his free throw shooting is absolutely putrid (.596) and he still has a tendency to pick up fouls.
The major critique on Howard, however, still holds true--he tends to disappear from critical games for long periods of time.
Howard was one of the most efficient players in the league and proved that this Superman deserves to get paid.
Grade: A
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 78 | 37.6 | .593 | .000 | .596 | 14.1 | 1.4 | 22.9 |
Career | 567 | 36.0 | .578 | .038 | .598 | 12.9 | 1.5 | 18.2 |
No. 13: Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks @ $17,149,243
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The melodramatics caused by Anthony’s trade rumors this past season were extremely nauseating.
Anthony has been perceived as a superstar throughout his career, but he can’t get a top five team like the Denver Nuggets past the first round, with the exception of only once in seven years.
Melo’s bread and butter is his scoring ability in the one-on-one game. Although his play improved noticeably after relocating to New York, Amare Stoudemire’s declined.
It will be interesting to see how the Knick's newest stars can coexist.
The two biggest knocks on Melo are his lack of desire in playing defense, and his lack of motivation to play well in games versus opponents that don’t excite him.
Some New Yorkers are scared that Melo's lack of defense will cause a Wall Steet collapse.
Grade: B
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 77 | 35.7 | .455 | .378 | .838 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 25.6 |
Career | 591 | 36.4 | .459 | .320 | .806 | 6.3 | 3.1 | 24.8 |
No. 12: Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies @ $17,333,333
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Kevin Durant called Randolph the best power forward in the league during their Second Round playoff series.
He surly is one of the best and has been extremely underrated.
Certainly, 20.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game is nothing to scoff at.
Randolph is still in his prime and has the capability to help the Grizzlies or any strong contender win a title.
Randolph puts his money where his mouth is.
Grade: A+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 75 | 36.3 | .503 | .186 | .758 | 12.2 | 2.2 | 20.1 |
Career | 662 | 31.7 | .474 | .276 | .769 | 9.2 | 1.7 | 17.6 |
No. 11: Vince Carter, Phoenix Suns @ $17,300,000
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Vince Carter started the season with the Magic, who finally gave up on him after realizing the obvious and traded him to the Phoenix Suns.
Carter’s game has declined considerably to the point that he was benched by the Suns.
The once explosive superstar never had a well rounded game during his career and has always been overrated because of his jaw dropping dunking ability.
Carter’s best years were definitely those which he spent in Toronto, but for both the Magic and the Suns, he has been a major rip-off.
Grade: D-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 73 | 28.1 | .437 | .361 | .740 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 14.0 |
Career | 925 | 36.4 | .445 | .374 | .797 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 22.2 |
No. 10: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks @ $17,300,000
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Dirk Nowitzki has been a perennial superstar in the NBA for years and the seven foot power forward is considered the best big shooter in the game.
After taking a two game lead in the 2006 NBA finals versus the Miami Heat and unable to seal the deal, Nowitzki and the Mavs have finally won a championship against their nemesis, the Heat.
Despite battling the flu and shooting horribly, Dirk came through for the Mavericks with incredible clutch performances in the fourth quarters of the series.
Dirk proved his critics wrong. He’s not soft and he is certainly capable of winning the big one.
That accomplishment has vaulted him into the top 20 greatest players of all time.
Mark Cuban was right to show Dirk the money.
Grade: A+
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 73 | 34.3 | .517 | .393 | .892 | 7.0 | 2.6 | 23.0 |
Career | 993 | 36.5 | .476 | .381 | .877 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 23.0 |
No. 9: Gilbert Arenas, @ $ 17,730,694
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Gilbert Arenas was a low draft pick when he started his career, but quickly showed that he can play ball well enough to be considered a superstar.
That was several years ago and a distant memory. Unfortunately (while with the Wizards), Arenas morphed into a walking, talking cancer. His attitude both on and off the court left much to be desired and his play declined.
Arenas has been unable to find his superstar game after a season ending knee injury while with the Wizards that caused him to miss a huge amount of time.
He has been extremely mediocre with his new team, the Orlando Magic.
It’s hard to believe that this guy makes more than his teammate, Dwight Howard.
Arenas' employers had money to burn and he has made sure that they burnt it.
Grade: F
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 70 | 25.7 | .366 | .297 | .784 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 10.8 |
Career | 535 | 35.8 | .421 | .351 | .804 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 21.2 |
No. 8: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets @ $17,636,100
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Yao Ming is the most popular basketball player in the world—thanks to his huge following in China. But he has also been extremely popular among NBA fans in North America.
When Ming came into the league, it seemed a foregone conclusion that he would bring multiple championships to Houston, especially when he was paired with Tracy McGrady.
But that hasn’t happened and Ming has been the victim of chronic season ending injuries that have people wondering if he can ever play at least 50 games in a season.
Ming has become a sad situation for Houston fans, but he's still cashing in on the Chinese market.
Grade: Incomplete
No. 7: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz @ $17,822,187
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Kirilenko has decent ball control, can block shots, steal and pass well, but is a below average shooter.
He is injury prone (missing an average of 19 games over the last six seasons) and as a result, is always a nightmarish fantasy pick.
He can be a force on defense and played fairly well last season.
His value would increase with his health, but that might be asking too much.
Kirilenko is definitely making good on the greenback on the Russian money exchange.
Grade: C+
| G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
2010-11 Season | 64 | 31.2 | .467 | .367 | .770 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 11.7 |
Career | 681 | 30.8 | .470 | .312 | .763 | 5.6 | 2.8 | 12.4 |
No. 6: Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers @ $17,822,187
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Gasol started the season on a tear and was a leading MVP candidate before Christmas.
He has also filled in admirably for the injured Andrew Bynum, playing center instead of his natural power forward position.
The amount of minutes Gasol has played was over the top and few fans will use this as a defense for him.
Although his play declined during the second half of the season, he still remained one of the most efficient players in the league and the most efficient Laker.
Many are calling Pau soft, but there are other issues in play. Was he burned out because he was driven like a workhorse? Why was the high chemistry between him and Kobe not present during the Mavericks series in which the Lakers were swept?
Fans may call him soft, but Pau's currency is defintiely hard.
Grade: A-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 82 | 37.0 | .529 | .333 | .823 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 18.8 |
Career | 731 | 35.9 | .522 | .224 | .751 | 9.1 | 3.2 | 18.8 |
No. 5: Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks @ $18,300,000
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Michael Redd is a talented player and the face of the Bucks franchise. He has a great attitude and has represented his country in international competition whenever called upon.
Redd, however, has not led the Bucks to the Promised Land and Milwaukee fans are getting a little impatient with their expensive, underachieving team.
Redd went down for the count in January 2009 with a severely injured knee that required surgery, and he missed the rest of the season. Less than one year later he reinjured the knee and has been out since.
The injuries have prevented Redd from giving the Bucks a run for their money.
Grade: Incomplete
No. 4: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs @ $18,700,000
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Tim Duncan has won four championships for San Antonio and only one other player on this list has done as much or more than him.
He has always exhibited great fundamental skills and is already considered one of the ten best players to ever play the game.
This season, Duncan and his Spurs were on a tear (winning 61 games) before shocking the NBA with their first round elimination at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Duncan is no longer in his prime, but can still play at a high level. His numbers are down across the board this season, but that has been the result of a drastic reduction in minutes—an attempt to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
Duncan is a class act that earns his pay check each and every year.
Grade: B
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 76 | 28.4 | .500 | .000 | .716 | 8.9 | 2.7 | 13.4 |
Career | 1053 | 35.8 | .508 | .182 | .688 | 11.4 | 3.1 | 20.6 |
No. 3: Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics @ $18,800,000
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Kevin Garnett is supposed to be a money player who comes through in critical games, but age has declined his game.
When the Big Three in Boston got together, experts thought they would nab at least a couple of championships.
In the playoffs this year versus the Heat and in the finals last year versus the Lakers, both Garnett and Ray Allen virtually disappeared.
At this point in his career, despite the fact that he has decent seasons, his vanishing act in the playoffs makes Garnett both overrated and overpaid.
Grade: B-
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 71 | 31.3 | .528 | .200 | .862 | 8.9 | 2.4 | 14.9 |
Career | 1195 | 36.7 | .498 | .282 | .788 | 10.7 | 4.1 | 19.5 |
No.2: Rashard Lewis, Washington Wizards @ $20,514,000
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How on earth does a guy like Lewis get a contract like this? He isn’t even a top 100 player in the league.
Lewis seems to have no desire to live up to this immense contract—but the guy is not even worth a tenth of it.
Now that’s what you call robbing the bank.
Grade: F
| G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
2010-11 Season | 57 | 32.0 | .433 | .357 | .802 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 11.7 |
Career | 906 | 34.3 | .455 | .390 | .807 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 16.3 |
No. 1: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers @ $24,806,250
30 of 30
Bryant is the most accomplished player in the league, having brought five championships to Tinsel Town.
He has had an amazing career that puts him in the top ten greatest players of all time.
But Bryant is 32 years old and in decline, not so much because of his age, but because of his injuries. While it’s admirable that Bryant played all 82 games last season and is, undoubtedly, an iron man of legend—it seems unnecessary to force himself to play without giving his body the chance to recover.
Despite his aches and pains, Bryant averaged 25.3 points per game, matching his career average. He has admirably adapted his game to more of a perimeter player--a far less punishing style than constantly driving to the rim.
The Lakers surprising sweep and Second Round elimination at the hands of the Mavericks showed cracks surfacing in Bryant’s game, especially in the final two games of the series—where his desire seemed lacking.
Was he tired? Was his knee bothering him? Was it the chemistry issues the Lakers were having?
It was probably a little of everything.
But with those five championships, Bryant has been able to take the money to the bank.
Grade: A
Season & Career | ||||||||
G | MPG | FG% | 3p% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
2010-11 Season | 82 | 33.9 | .451 | .323 | .828 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 25.3 |
Career | 1103 | 36.4 | .454 | .339 | .837 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 25.3 |
