15 NBA Players Having Epic Contract Years: Will They Be Worth It Long Term?

The NBA sees a phenomenon every year, a player stepping up and playing well above his previously perceived level of play in the final year of his contract, leading to him getting overpaid and reverting back to his old self by the mid-way point of the following season.

For the guys out there with expiring contracts, this season is a time to put on a show and let the 30 teams out there know what they are capable of in order to try to get a multi-year deal this Summer in free agency.

These guys are in their contract years, but that doesn't just mean they have expiring contracts. To me, a guy like Antawn Jamison is in his contract year because he has to prove that he's worth the money next season, but Dwight Howard is just nearing the end of his contract, because he's going to get paid even if he finishes the season averaging 10 points and nine rebounds.

The most important part to qualify someone as a guy who is in his contract year is that he is stepping his game up compared to the rest of his career in order to show that he's worth another contract.

So here are 15 players out there who are having big contract years in order to give teams a reason to sign then a few months from now when they aren't under contract anymore. 

Daniel Green

How's He Stepping up? Daniel Green has gone from the athletic guy with no discernible skill on the basketball court to the Spurs best spot-up shooter.

The Spurs have taken yet another grimy, nearly out of the league player and turned him not only into a serviceable player, but a pretty damn good shooter at that.

Worth it Long Term? In just his third year in the league, it seems like Danny Green is a great candidate to be a late bloomer.

The shooting stroke he has looks like it's going to be something that he can continue, so for the price, which shouldn't be too high, I'd say he's worth the gamble.

Ian Mahinmi

How's He Stepping up? Ian Mahinmi has far eclipsed the amount of playing time that he had last year already at this point, and that's all he's needed to show that he can play some basketball.

Mahinmi hasn't put up monstrous numbers but he has played great defense and filled in a much-needed role down low for the Mavericks.

Worth it Long Term? Sure, he shouldn't command that much money.

Ian Mahinmi has a team option for the Mavs this season and they can re-sign him for under a million bucks, so he should be back with the team next season.

Brandon Rush

How's He Stepping up? After spending three years on an Indiana Pacers team that didn't really fit his style of play, Brandon Rush is finally playing on a fast-paced team.

Because of that, Rush has become one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA this year, putting in the long ball at a 46 percent clip.

Worth it Long Term? That's an iffy one I suppose.

Brandon Rush is a restricted free agent and a qualifying offer would be just over $4 million. That seems a little pricey for a three-point specialist at this point. If it looks like he's going to be more than that then give him a shot, if not, don't feel to bad if he goes elsewhere.

Goran Dragic

How's He Stepping up? Goran Dragic has turned into one of the best backup point guards in the NBA these days.

He's got the 32nd best PER for point guards in the league, putting him ahead of the likes of Ricky Rubio, Darren Collison, Mario Chalmers and Jrue Holiday.

Worth it Long Term? Dragic has become a very important part of the Rockets, and at a price of just $2 million this year, he's been worth the money.

If they can get him for a similar deal in the future then there's no reason not to keep the guy.

JaVale McGee

How's He Stepping up? Believe it or not, this is actually JaVale McGee's best year so far in the NBA, despite the fact that he's become the laughing stock of the league.

I can't imagine that many teams would like to have him on their roster, but the fact remains that he's one of the few big men in the league with the tools to become a good player.

Worth it Long Term? As bad as it sounds, yea, he's worth the money.

For one thing, McGee is a good player from the shoulders down, it's just that ten inches of noggin that keep him from being a real center in the NBA.

The man can block shots and he can score, and yes, he's a head case, but with good centers so hard to come by in the league you've got to stick with him until he gives you no other option.

Jordan Farmar

How's He Stepping up? Let's just say he shot 39 percent last year and he's shooting 47 percent this year.

Hell, beyond that, Farmar is on the cusp of having a 50-40-90 shooting season as he's just under three percent away with his field goal percentage.

Worth it Long Term? Probably not.

Jordan Farmar is a player that survives in an offense centered around a dynamic player. He was decent in his years with Kobe Bryant on the Lakers as a shooter for the team and now that Deron Williams is the Nets point guard he is playing well again.

The only way I would think about giving him a long-term deal is if he is going to be playing with a dynamic point guard. As of right now, however, he'll probably go ahead and exercise his player option with the Nets.

D.J Augustin

How's He Stepping up? D.J Augustin is the perpetual NBA backup point guard who will have a good game every once in a while making people think that he could be more.

Augustin is a decent backup, and he can shoot a bit and pass a bit, but nothing more than that is ever going to come of the guy.

Worth it Long Term? Don't be fooled, he's still D.J Augustin.

He's still going to shoot at or below 40 percent, take too many shots and not pass the ball enough. I'll pass on this fellow.

Alonzo Gee

How's He Stepping up? After being on three teams in two years, Alonzo Gee has earned the starting small forward spot on a surprisingly good Cleveland Cavaliers team.

Gee is scoring well and in bunches and he's been playing great defense, getting a hand on every errant pass he possibly can.

Worth it Long Term? Sure thing, compadre.

I have watched Alonzo Gee play quite a bit this season and I've got to say, I think this fellow is the real deal.

Gee has turned into a very good defender and is learning to play as a part of an offensive system, rather than just an athletic guy who can dunk every once in a while.

Antawn Jamison

How's He Stepping up? He's actually trying when he's on the court.

I know that sounds like a very small thing to do when you're an NBA player, but if you were to compare any game from last year to any game from this year then you would see a huge difference in the way that Antawn Jamison plays.

Rather than standing in a corner and shooting on offense, he actually runs around and participates in plays. And instead of loafing on defense he puts his hands up and does a little bit of guarding.

Worth it Long Term? He's going to be a lot cheaper, so sure.

Antawn Jamison isn't going to be commanding $15 million this year, probably more like a third of that, so somebody could give this guy a two-year deal or so.

Jamison has it in his body to play for another two years, four if he's just going to stand in the corner and shoot threes.

Nicolas Batum

How's He Stepping up? Batum has been better in pretty much every aspect of the game compared to last season. In fact, I would go as far as to say that after LaMarcus Aldridge, Batum would be the only other player that Portland would be hesitant to trade as the deadline comes up on Thursday.

Batum has played better defense, he's shot better and he's become one of the lone bright spots on Portland's roster as they've struggled since their hot start.

Worth it Long Term? Sure, why not?

Batum could end up getting overpaid by a bit, but not everyone in this league can score 15 points a game while giving you good defense and shooting well from most parts of the floor.

Ersan Ilyasova

How's He Stepping up? Have you been under a rock for the past few weeks? Ersan Ilyasova is hotter than Hansel right now.

Ilyasova is shooting like he never has before and has turned into a rebounding machine this season, which is surprising to everyone who saw him play over the past few years.

Worth it Long Term? I'll say yes, tentatively.

Ilyasova seems like he could be a late bloomer, especially since his rebounding numbers have skyrocketed, as that's not usually something you forget how to do.

If his ability to shoot the ball sticks around then I don't see any reason why he can't continue to be productive after this season.

Danilo Gallinari

How's He Stepping up? As the Nuggets continue to be a very dynamic team, Danilo Gallinari is the second leading scorer for the team that lost a franchise player, and you know what, that team just may be better off than they were with that player.

Gallinari has not only become a good scorer for the Nuggets, but he's also become a good passer for a fellow his size and he's been a pretty good defender for the team as well.

Worth it Long Term? Absolutely, without a doubt.

At this point I'm sure Knicks fans are lamenting the departure of the big Italian, as he's become a very dynamic player and looks to stay that way for some time.

Roy Hibbert

How's He Stepping up? While Roy Hibbert is on the cusp of being a legitimate star player, I would still consider what he's doing this year as being in a contract year.

Hibbert is about the same in terms of being a scoring threat, but he's doing it in fewer shots. Beyond that, he's become a much better rebounder and a much more physical defender, holding down the frontcourt for the Pacers.

Worth it Long Term? Give this man whatever money he wants.

A qualifying offer for him next season is going to be just over $3.5 million, but he's going to command much more than that in terms of signing an offer sheet with another team. Considering the fact that he has become a legitimate center in this league, anything short of a max deal should be matched.

Ryan Anderson

How's He Stepping up? Ryan Anderson is a man who should be in the thick of the Most Improved Player Award race, which looks to be a crowded field this year.

Anderson has become the second-best player on the Magic, a team sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference with his long-ball shooting and his rebounding ability.

Worth it Long Term? You know what, I do think he'll be worth it down the road.

Last year I gave Kris Humphries a lot of crap for over-performing in his contract year and though there was no way he would replicate it this year. Well, Hump has been better this year compared to last year.

It seems to me that Anderson is even better than Humphries, so why not give him some money.

Jeremy Lin

How's He Stepping up? Seriously, do I really need to answer that question for you?

Despite the Knicks struggles recently, Jeremy Lin is still the reason that the Knicks season didn't die over a month ago, coming in and rejuvenating the team that needed rejuvenated more than any other.

Worth it Long Term? I'll say yes for the time being.

Jeremy Lin has still been playing well, but the Knicks have been struggling so Linsanity has cooled off.

The fact remains that he is the tenth best point guard in terms of PER and he continues to play like a man who wants to stay in the league.

He'll be here for another few years at the very lest.