NBA Free Agency 2012: How Much Money Each Available Star Is Really Worth

We all know the free-agent market isn't about what this league's talent actually deserves.

It's a game of supply and demand, and each player's price tag is ultimately a function of what his suitors are willing and able to pay. Sometimes that figure corresponds to reality, but sometimes desperation kicks in and organizations wind up paying a bit too much.

Sometimes, you can even sign LeBron James at a discount, so long as it means playing on an All-Star team.

Given the difficulty associated with finding and actually acquiring proven athletes, it's not hard to understand why they become such hot commodities. 

It will take some deep pockets to sign this summer's top free agents, sometimes for good reason. Here's a look at what a few of those guys should be paid.

Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn's highly sought-after floor general earned over $16 million last season, a figure that probably wouldn't surprise many. He's consistently ranked among the most elite point guards in the game, thanks largely to his unique combination of size, strength, speed and skill. 

Williams is also a top-shelf scorer and passer alike, defying the conventional distinctions between shoot-first and pass-first point guards. He does plenty of both and has the ball in his hands as much as anyone in the league.

Though his efficiency has taken a hit both in terms of shooting and ball control, chances are, those will improve with a better supporting cast. Will it improve enough to justify the max contract he's almost sure to receive?

Probably not.

Williams is on the verge of turning 28 years old, and it's a bit hard to imagine him remaining at top form into his 30s. He's already becoming more and more of a jump-shooter, and that trend will likely continue as he loses a step. 

With comparable point guards like Tony Parker making $12.5 million, Williams would ideally make a bit less. He certainly shouldn't be making more than LeBron James. 

Real Worth: $13 million per season, give or take.

Steve Nash, PG, Phoenix Suns

If anyone is willing to take a pay cut, it's two-time MVP Steve Nash. He earned just a hair over $11.6 million this year, and that was probably just about right.

He's still one of the game's very best passers, and he's a ridiculously efficient shooter from the perimeter. 

That said, Nash is already 38 and becomes a greater injury risk with every passing day. He's held up pretty well thus far, but assuming that will continue could be fool's gold. He's also just as much of a defensive liability as he ever was.

Thanks to his sterling reputation, postseason experience and incomparable ability to make those around him so much better, those things will be overlooked. Whether they should is another question.

Real Worth: $7.5 million per season (for another two or three seasons at most).

Eric Gordon, SG, New Orleans Hornets

Gordon may not have an extensive track record of success, but he has plenty of years ahead of him to fix that. He'll turn 24 on Christmas Day, and he's already shown he has the goods to become a big-time star.

The undersized shooting guard improved in each of his first three seasons before an injury sidelined him for all but nine games this year. If there's one concern about Gordon, it's that the injury bug hasn't been kind. He played just 62 games in 2009-10 and 56 games the year after that.

But, he averaged over 22 points a game in 2010-11, and he's consistently shot the ball around 45 percent in each of his four campaigns.

Until Gordon proves he can remain healthy, he probably deserves something just short of a maximum deal.

Real Worth: Long-term deal starting at $10 million in the first year and escalating from there.

O.J. Mayo, SG, Memphis Grizzlies

While Mayo hasn't shared Gordon's injury struggles, he's had his share of problems. After averaging 18.5 and 17.5 points in his first two campaigns, he's averaged just 11.3 and 12.6 in the last two. Since being relegated to sixth-man duty, he just hasn't lived up to the promise he once showed.

Despite his potential to be an electric scorer, his efficiency has waned and he's become a fairly one-dimensional three-point threat. Mayo's best days may well be ahead of him, but it will likely take a change of scenery to make that happen.

Real Worth: A deal starting at around $7.5 million. Mayo may be best-served by a short-term deal that gives him the opportunity to prove himself.

Kevin Garnett, PF, Boston Celtics

There aren't many 36-year-olds who remain one of the best players at their position, but then again, Kevin Garnett has always been something of a rarity. He still has one of the best mid-range jumpers of any big guy in the game, and though he's certainly lost some of his athleticism, he's still better off than most forwards his size.

The question mark with KG will be how much longer he can remain as mentally engaged as he's been for so long. His intensity is a huge part of his game, and it's hard to imagine him being nearly as effective without it.

If he returns for another couple of seasons, all parties involved will need to make sure he absolutely wants to. If so, he's worth a pretty penny.

Real Worth: Two- or three-year deal for $10 million a season.