10 Most Overpaid NBA Players of the 2011-12 Season

Not every team gets it right when they sign a player to a multimillion dollar deal. Many times in the NBA, players get overpaid because of what they've done in the past, but they fail to reach that level again.

This can sometimes ruin a franchise, putting them in a dire financial situation where they might not be able to make moves to help the team out.

Here are the 10 most overpaid players of 2011-12 NBA season.

Rashard Lewis

Rashard Lewis was paid 22 million this year and is nowhere near worth that money. In fact, he is the second-highest paid player in the league after Kobe Bryant. He averaged 7.8 points per game (his second lowest in his career) in only 28 games this season.

Kevin Garnett

KG is the fourth-highest paid player in the NBA despite being nearly 36 years old and a shell of a player he once was. He averaged 18 points per game this season for the Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics but should be getting half that money with his age and production on the court.

Baron Davis

B. Diddy is the 20th-highest paid player in the NBA, raking in $15 million this year despite being the third string point guard on the New York Knicks.

Davis hasn't made an All-Star team or done anything significant with his career since leading the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors to an upset victory in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs over the Dallas Mavericks.

He also went to the Clippers in what was a bad free agent move on his part and suffered what looked to be a career-ending injury in this year's playoffs against the Heat.

Elton Brand

Elton Brand is the 12th-highest paid player in the NBA, taking home $17 million this season thanks to his 2008 contract he signed with the Sixers.

Brand hasn't been the same player since leading the Clippers to the playoffs in 2006 and had one of his worst statistical seasons in 2011-12 by averaging only 11 points per game.

Antawn Jamison

Antawn Jamsion was once a 20-10 player and All-Star during his days with the Washington Wizards. He was traded for Vince Carter in the 1999 Draft and has had a good pro career to date.

However, he is not deserving of a $15 million salary in 2011-12 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With that money, he was the 23rd-highest paid player in the league this past season. 

Chris Kaman

Making $14 million this past year, Chris Kaman was the 27th-highest paid player in the league. He was traded to the Hornets as part of the Chris Paul deal and has been a reliable center in the NBA since his debut in 2003.

That kind of money puts him in top five centers in the league and he isn't even in that category.

Chauncey Billups

Mr. Big Shot  was the 26th-highest paid player in 2011-12 and was making $14 million.

But he was hurt in the beginning of the year, and Billups' best days are behind him. He is still a valuable asset on the bench, helping the young players on the team succeed.

Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer was the 30th-highest paid player in the league this past year, making $13.5 million. This is kind of a joke considering his teammate, Derrick Rose, makes less than him as last season's MVP.

Boozer hasn't been anywhere near the force he was in Utah though he is still a contributor on a smaller level. He could have earned his money with a first round win over the Sixers in this year's playoffs.

Joe Johnson

Making $18 million this past season, Joe Johnson was the was the 10th-highest paid player in 2011-12. He has turned himself into an All-Star shooting guard with Atlanta since earning his keep at the beginning of his career with the Suns.

It's great to see guys transform into really good players, but Johnson may not even be the best player on his team with Josh Smith also being a major reason for their success.

Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce made $15 million in 2011-12, putting him at No. 19 on the highest paid NBA players' list.

He had a a good year in 2011-12, scoring nearly 19 points a game, but there are so many NBA players that deserve his kind of salary. Guys like Derrick Rose and Kevin Love deserve a mention here.