Ranking the 5 Most Overpaid NBA Rosters Right Now
Even though the 2023 NBA free-agency period has yet to begin, some teams are already in financial trouble.
Of the 30 NBA franchises, 13 are over the $136 million projected salary-cap line, with six crossing the $165 million luxury-tax line before free agency even kicks off.
A second tax apron has been implemented in the new CBA to try to discourage lavish spending. While the Phoenix Suns don't seem to care, we've already seen two big financial moves with the Golden State Warriors flipping Jordan Poole for Chris Paul and his expiring contract, and the Atlanta Hawks giving John Collins to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick.
While paying for a championship roster is one thing (something the Denver Nuggets did), other franchises are facing financial trouble for teams that missed the playoffs altogether or failed to get out of the first round.
These are the teams that could use some reshuffling heading into free agency, either by dumping salary on a franchise with cap space or at least moving long-term contracts for an expiring deal.
While these aren't necessarily the most expensive rosters in the NBA, they are the most overpaid given the amount of talent and level of success reached this past season.
Note: Team salary numbers and estimated luxury-tax bills via Spotrac.
No. 5: Minnesota Timberwolves
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Current Team Salary: $156.9 million ($29.1 million over the cap, $8.1 million under the tax)
Estimated Tax Bill: N/A
Total Team Cost: $156.9 million
The Timberwolves only rank ninth in active team salary, putting them far below others on this list.
Following a modest 42-40 season and a spot in the play-in tournament, though, Minnesota didn't yield a very good return on the investment Alex Rodríguez and Marc Lore are making as future majority owners. The Wolves can't even use their full $12.4 million mid-level exception without crossing into the luxury tax.
With Russell Westbrook and John Wall's max contracts now over, Rudy Gobert's remaining three-year, $131.4 million deal will soon be in the conversation for the NBA's worst. Minnesota was even better with just Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor by himself (plus-4.0 net rating) than when both big men shared the court (plus-0.9).
Speaking of Towns, the 27-year-old will begin his supermax contract in 2024-25. His $36 million salary this season will jump to $52.4 million the year after, leading to a $65 million player option in 2026-27. As it stands, that number ties Devin Booker for the highest contracted salary in NBA history.
Anthony Edwards is in the final season of his rookie deal, and he will almost certainly sign a max five-year, $207.4 million extension that could reach $248.8 million if he makes an All-NBA team this season. Key defensive forward Jaden McDaniels will need an extension as well.
This Timberwolves team is quickly becoming one of the most expensive in all of basketball, yet it may not even make the playoffs next year with teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz all improving behind it.
No. 4: Boston Celtics
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Current Team Salary: $173.2 million ($37.2 million over the cap, $8.3 million over the tax)
Estimated Tax Bill: $13.2 million
Total Team Cost: $186.4 million
The Celtics would rank far higher on this list if they weren't also really good, although losing Marcus Smart as a vocal leader and arguably the team's best passer hurts them both on the floor and in the locker room.
Already owners of the NBA's fourth-highest payroll entering free agency, Boston's team salary is set to explode over the next two years.
Jaylen Brown is in the final year of a team-friendly contract and is eligible to sign a five-year, $295 million extension after making the All-NBA second team. Jayson Tatum is just a year behind and can earn $318 million over his own five-season max. While this kind of money was already putting pressure on Boston's books, the recent trade for Kristaps Porziņģis adds yet another player who needs to get paid.
The 27-year-old needed to opt in to his $36 million player option in order to facilitate the trade to Boston. ESPN's Bobby Marks notes that he is now eligible to sign a two-year extension up to $77 million in total value. Even if he doesn't sign a max deal, Boston will have to re-sign the veteran forward after parting with Smart to get him.
The Celtics also have four players earning between $10 million and $22 million next season, and this is before factoring in a new contract for Grant Williams.
This Boston team simply has to win a championship (or two) over the course of Tatum and Brown's tenure, given how expensive the roster is becoming.
No. 3: Golden State Warriors
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Current Team Salary: $181.1 million* ($45.1 million over the cap, $16.1 million over the tax)
Estimated Tax Bill: $48.6 million*
Total Team Cost: $229.6 million*
While the current team salary and luxury-tax bill seem high now for these Warriors, this is before factoring in a new contract for Draymond Green, who just turned down a $27.6 million player option.
The 33-year-old could re-sign on a multi-year deal with a contract starting at a lower number than this player option, although pressure from the Sacramento Kings in free agency could lead to him getting a bigger deal than the Warriors were originally hoping for.
Swapping out Jordan Poole for Chris Paul was a smart move. The former's raw numbers are going to look a lot better than the latter's in 2023-24, but the veteran point guard makes the Warriors the better team now while his $30 million for 2024-25 is completely non-guaranteed. If Klay Thompson re-signs at a significantly lower number than his $43.2 million salary this season, Golden State has a chance to get back under the second apron.
For now, the team is going to comfortably top the second apron tax line of $182.5 million.
What Donte DiVicenzo does with his player option will make a difference as well. The 26-year-old guard has until Thursday to decide if he wants to stay with the Warriors for $4.7 million or test unrestricted free agency. Following a strong season, he'd almost certainly make more money elsewhere.
If the Warriors can re-sign Green, integrate Paul into the rotation and see a leap from young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, they are still in the mix for another title.
With the core of Stephen Curry, Thompson, Green and Paul averaging 34.8 years in age, though, this thing has the potential to go south quickly.
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No. 2: Phoenix Suns
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Current Team Salary: $175.1 million ($39.1 million over the cap, $9.9 million over the tax)
Estimated Tax Bill: $16.4 million
Total Team Cost: $191.5 million
In 76 years of existence, the NBA has never had a single player earn more than $50 million in a season.
By 2024-25, the Suns will have three.
Trading for Bradley Beal wasn't just pushing all of their chips to the middle of the table. New owner Matt Ishbia pushed his chips in, flipped the table and set the room on fire by giving up Chris Paul, four first-round pick swaps and six second-round picks.
What looks like an expensive roster now pales in comparison to the next few years, however.
Devin Booker's supermax extension kicks in during the 2024-25 season, as his salary will jump from $36 million this year to $52.4 million next. By 2025-26, the Suns will be paying Booker, Beal, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton roughly $200 million and still have 11 roster spots left to fill.
The title window is as open now as it ever will be, especially with Durant turning 35 around the time training camps open.
The Golden State Warriors will be more expensive in 2023-24, but at least they have some relief coming from Chris Paul and Klay Thompson's expiring contracts next summer.
This year's Suns team will only grow in cost as Phoenix fills in free agents around its stars, with things only getting worse over the next three seasons.
No. 1: Los Angeles Clippers
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Current Team Salary: $201.8 million ($65.8 million over the cap, $36.8 million over the tax)
Estimated Tax Bill: $155.5 million
Total Team Cost: $357.3 million
No team has a more expensive roster or faces a bigger luxury-tax bill than these Clippers, a team that again battled injuries only to go 44-38 and win just a single playoff game last year.
Despite crossing the $200 million threshold already, Los Angeles doesn't even have a starting-caliber point guard on its roster. Russell Westbrook is an unrestricted free agent, and while he is essentially guaranteed a starting job and a large role if he re-signs, the Clippers only have a veteran's minimum salary to offer.
Mason Plumlee, the team's primary backup for Ivica Zubac, is a free agent as well.
There is some minor relief in sight, both in the short and long term, though.
The Clippers can shave $20.9 million instantly by waiving Eric Gordon, who has a non-guaranteed contract for 2022-23. Veterans like Marcus Morris Sr. ($17.1 million), Nicolas Batum ($11.7 million) and Robert Covington ($11.7 million) are all on expiring deals as well.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both rank in the top-10 highest paid players in the league with salaries north of $45 million this upcoming season. Both are worth it when healthy, but if history repeats itself, this won't be the case.
With two injury-riddled stars, no point guard and the oldest roster in the NBA, the Clippers have the most overpriced team in the league.
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