NBA Rankings: Ranking the Most Outrageous and Worst Contracts in the NBA

Russell Westbrook is the most recent recipient of an outrageous NBA contract, worth $78 million over the next five years.

While it's up for debate whether or not Westbrook actually deserves all that money or not, it nevertheless brings us back to the fact that some NBA players get payed a ridiculous amount of money.

A lot of NBA players play at a level that makes them worth their ridiculous contracts, but there are a handful of players who are ridiculously overpaid, especially when you look at what they're bringing to the court.

Ahead is a ranking of the 10 most outrageous contracts in the NBA.  The kind of contracts that make franchise owners cringe every time they even think about them. 

Contract values are based solely on the money being payed out for the 2011-12 season.

Honorable Mentions

Los Angeles Lakers PF Luke Walton: $5,680,000 - If the Lakers want to pay a guy that kind of money and get 2.0 ppg and 2.4 rpg in return, I'd at least like to get a tryout.  Luke Walton is one of the most overpaid players in the league, hands down.

Houston Rockets C Hasheem Thabeet: $5,127,720 - It's amazing that Hasheem Thabeet, who was once a second overall pick, made his way to the NBA D-league and is now being payed $5.2 million for 3.0 ppg and 1.5 rpg in return. 

Portland Trailblazers C Marcus Camby: $9,256,500 - While Marcus Camby is a solid, veteran leader for a young Trailblazers team, there's no way his 3.4 ppg and 8.2 rpg is worth the $9.2 million that Portland is paying him this year.  

Philadelphia 76ers PF Andres Nocioni: $6,650,000 - Nocioni has averaged 5.8 minutes per game so far this season, with averages of 2.0 ppg and 1.2 rpg.  If that kind of production is worth $6.6 million, then just imagine how much an average of 20 ppg is worth.   

9. Sacramento Kings SG John Salmons: $8,500,000

John Salmons sure isn't doing anything to help the Sacramento Kings win games.  Salmons is averaging 7.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 1.5 apg with a terrible 35.1 field-goal percentage.  In addition to those abysmal stats, Salmons is also playing at a very inefficient level, as evidenced by his laughable 7.95 PER.

The Kings are wasting their time giving Salmons the nearly 30 minutes per game he is averaging, mainly because they just aren't getting their money's worth out of him.  The Kings should put Jimmer in if Salmons isn't going to step up his game, because at least Jimmer has potential for the future.

The truth is $8.5 million is just way too much to be paying for below-average performance.  

8. Charlotte Bobcats PF Tyrus Thomas: $7,305,785

The main reason why Tyrus Thomas' contract is so bad is because he is playing the game at such an inefficient level.  This season, Thomas has earned a PER of 7.33, which is one of the lowest among players averaging 25 or more minutes per game.

That kind of efficiency is the reason why the Bobcats are so bad, and believe it or not, they're paying $7.3 million for it.

In addition to Thomas' lack of efficiency, he is also averaging below his career averages, with only 6.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg.  The Bobcats would be better off playing second-year small forward Derrick Brown, or even moving guys around to get rookie Bysmack Biyombo more minuets, in hopes that they can both develop into legitimate players.

7. Orlando Magic SF Hedo Turkoglu: $10,600,000

Hedo Turkoglu isn't necessarily having a terrible season production-wise, with averages of 14.5 ppg, 4.9 apg and 3.3 rpg.  The problem with Turkoglu's contract, though, is that the $10.6 million that is locked up in his contract is handcuffing the Magic in their attempts to grab young talent that would entice center Dwight Howard to stay in Orlando.

Turkoglu has done a good job of helping the Magic start off the season with an 11-4 overall record, but the problem is that his contract doesn't help the Magic at all after this season.  If Howard leaves Orlando as a free agent, the Magic will still be stuck with Turkoglu's pricey contract, which is something to be concerned about moving forward.

Is 14.5 ppg, 4.9 apg and 3.3 rpg really worth $10.6 million? 

6. Detroit Pistons SG Ben Gordon: $11,600,000

Things looked promising in Detroit when they signed both Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva in June of 2009.  The only problem is, the Pistons are now realizing just how much they overpaid for two players who will never be more than decent role players.  The Pistons tied up around $19 million per year in both players, but Gordon's $11.6 million contract ties up the majority of it.

Ben Gordon was a solid shooting guard with Chicago, and based on an exciting playoff performance in 2009, the Pistons fell into the trap of overpaying for a hyped-up player.  Since signing with the Pistons, Gordon's production has decreased significantly, from averaging around 19.5 ppg with the Bulls to now averaging around 12.5 ppg.

The problem with Gordon's contract is that the Pistons are paying him "franchise"-level money, and he's not producing at a "franchise" level in any stretch of the imagination.  If I'm paying someone $11.6 million a year, he better be helping my team win, and Gordon's definitely not helping the Pistons do that.  

5. New Orleans Hornets C Chris Kaman: $12,200,000

Chris Kaman isn't necessarily a bad player, but he sure isn't helping the New Orleans Hornets win games this year.  As a part of the trade that created "Lob City," Kaman took his talents to New Orleans and his production has already started to decline.  Kaman is averaging 9.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 1.2 bpg, which are all down from his All-Star production from last year.

The main reason why Kaman's contract is one of the worst in the NBA is that more often than not, Kaman is not able to come close to playing a full season, which makes his $12.2 million contract that much more useless.

The Hornets are currently 3-12, and they appear to be going nowhere fast, which isn't all Kaman's fault.  Kaman, however, isn't doing near enough to at least make the Hornets somewhat competitive, and neither is fellow center Emeka Okafur, who's being payed $12-plus million for similar production to Kaman.  Okafur has a much higher upside than Kaman, and that's the only reason why his name didn't pop up on this list. 

4. Philadelphia 76ers PF Elton Brand: $17,059,726

I know the 76ers are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference with a 11-4 record, but their success isn't a result of Elton Brand playing at a level that warrants a $17.1 million contract.  There's no doubt that Brand is one of the most overpaid players in the NBA, especially when you consider the amount of games he's missed due to knee injuries over the past few seasons.

Brand isn't a bad player, with current averages of 10.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 1.4 bpg, but that kind of production isn't worth $17.1 million.  It's more worth something like $8 or $9 million a year, which is why Elton Brand finds his way onto this list at the No. 5 spot.

Maybe Brand's veteran leadership is why the 76ers payed him so much, but there's no doubt that he needs to pick up his production or help the 76ers keep winning if he wants to truly earn the $17.1 million he's payed every year.  If the 76ers continue to win games at the rate they are this season, and make their way into the Eastern Conference playoffs with a four seed or better, Elton Brand's ridiculous contract won't seem nearly as bad.   

3. Phoenix Suns SF Josh Childress: $6,000,000

Josh Childress showed a great bit of potential in his years with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging around 11.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg, which is the main reason why the Phoenix Suns traded for him in 2010.  Unfortunately for the Suns, Childress has averaged a measly 3.4 ppg and 2.2 rpg in limited minutes since coming to Phoenix, which doesn't come close to warranting the $6 million they are paying him this year.

Childress' contract is such bad news, mainly because throughout the entirety of last year and a few games this year, he's done nothing to provide the Suns with even a slight glimmer of hope that he will ever be worth near that $6 million.

The future of Josh Childress doesn't look very promising, which is bad news for the Phoenix Suns, as Childress is currently signed through the end of the 2013-14 season.  If Childress keeps playing the way he has this season, the Suns would be better off sending Childress home and just throwing $6 million in the trash. 

2. Utah Jazz PG Devin Harris: $9,319,000

Remember the 2009 All-Star version of Devin Harris that averaged 21.3 ppg, 6.9 apg and 3.2 rpg?  The Utah Jazz are wondering where that version of Harris has gone, because ever since putting on a Utah Jazz jersey, specifically this year, he's not been playing anywhere close to that caliber.

In just 14 games this season, Harris is averaging 8.1 ppg, 4.6 apg and 1.4 rpg, and while the Utah Jazz are doing better than expected with a 9-5 overall record, that kind of production certainly doesn't warrant the $9.3 million that he is being payed this year.

The most troubling part of Harris' production this year is the fact that he's shooting 35.0 percent from the field, which is something that will hold the Jazz back moving forward.  While the Jazz aren't struggling as of yet, the fact that Harris is playing incredibly below average has to be a concern, and there's not much the Jazz can do aside from preparing for the worst while hoping that Harris turns things around.

If Harris fails to show improvement before the All-Star break, there's a possibility that the Jazz will look to deal Harris to anyone that's interested, which is the only way the Jazz can come out on top with Harris and his $9.3 million contract.  

1. Washington Wizards SF Rashard Lewis: $22,152,000

In a shocking turn of events, the Washington Wizards thought it would be smart to hold onto aging small forward Rashard Lewis instead of using the amnesty clause to free themselves of his lack of production and his horrific $22.1 million contract.  The Wizards said that Lewis was a "big part of their plans now and in the future," and if that is truly the case, the Wizards must be planning on being a subpar team for the next few years.

Rashard Lewis is in his 14th year in the NBA, and he's currently averaging near career lows in all major statistical categories, with only 8.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 0.9 apg so far this season.  Lewis is also shooting below 40.0 percent from the field for the first time since his rookie season in the NBA, which was back in 1998.

The Washington Wizards sure aren't getting their money's worth when it comes to on-the-court production and veteran leadership in the locker room from Rashard Lewis.

If Rashard Lewis continues to play at the incredibly mediocre level that he is currently playing at, the Wizards don't stand a chance of winning more than 20 games this season, and he surely won't lose his No. 1 spot on this list.