NBA Rumors: 10 Players Who Absolutely Need to Be Amnestied This Offseason

When the players and owners hammered out the details of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, one of the new provisions thrown in was something called an "amnesty clause." It was an idea of pure genius. The "amnesty clause" allowed teams to designate one player whom they would waive and whose contract would not affect their salary cap.

The player would still get paid, but if he were to be picked up by another team before clearing waivers, the two teams would split the bill on the player's salary. During the waiver process, the player would go to the highest bidder, and only teams under the cap could be in the running. This prevented the NBA's elite from picking up formerly high-priced veterans and stashing them on their roster for cheap.

The amnesty hammer came down on seven players this past season. The Indiana Pacers axed forward James Posey. The Cleveland Cavaliers bid adieu to point guard Baron Davis. The New York Knicks, who picked up Davis, dropped guard Chauncey Billups. The then-New Jersey Nets cut forward Travis Outlaw. The Golden State Warriors waived guard Charlie Bell and the Orlando Magic—much to the surprise of no one—sent guard Gilbert Arenas packing.

That leaves 23 teams to decide which bad contract they want to get out of. Today, I list the 10 guys who are in dire need of being served their walking papers this offseason.

Enjoy!

Marvin Williams, SF, Atlanta Hawks

The first name on the list is Atlanta Hawks forward Marvin Williams or—as he should be known to Hawks fans—NOT Chris Paul.

After scouts fell in love with his workouts and the upside he showed in just one season at UNC, the Hawks made Williams the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 Draft. Who was Williams taken ahead of that night? For starters, there were a couple All-Star point guards named Deron Williams and Chris Paul. There was also a small forward out of New Mexico named Danny Granger, who was taken later on that year.

Whoops.

An even bigger whoops is Williams' contract. Atlanta decided to give Williams a five-year, $37 million extension back in 2009, following a season that saw him average 13.9 points and 6.3 rebounds. He's due close to $8.3 million next season, with a player option for the year after at a slightly cheaper price of $7.5 million.

Last season, Williams averaged 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as he made just 37 starts. He followed that up by averaging 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in the playoffs. Those aren't exactly the kind of numbers befitting a former No. 2 pick set to make almost $20 million the next two seasons.

In Williams' defense, his contract isn't the worst one on the Hawks' payroll. Atlanta's still on the hook for another four years of Joe Johnson's contract, in which they'll pay the former All-Star almost $90 million. If there's a saving grace for Williams this offseason, it's that the Hawks may spare him in hopes of using their amnesty clause on Johnson down the road.

The more likely scenario is Williams getting the pink slip this summer. Johnson, while grossly overpaid, is still productive as well as the team's best player. There's still the scant hope a team would take on his contract in a trade.

The Hawks need to free up some space soon. All-Star forward Josh Smith is an unrestricted free agent next summer and, while Smith's tenure with the team has been rocky, they can't afford to lose such a promising young talent.

The same can't be said about Marvin Williams.

Metta World Peace, SF, Los Angeles Lakers

After their second straight second round exit, there's going to be pressure in Los Angeles to make some changes to the purple and gold. After the Lakers were eliminated by the Tunder, former Lakers great Magic Johnson was vocal on Twitter and elsewhere about changes needing to be made. There were rumors that forward Pau Gasol was on his way out.

Lakers executive VP Jim Buss told Los Angeles Times reporter T.J. Simers that Laker fans shouldn't expect any major moves. However, the Lakers need to get younger as well as find some money to bring back point guard Ramon Sessions. The Lakers have close to $63 million tied up in Gasol, guard Kobe Bryant and center Andrew Bynum alone. If those guys aren't on the move to free up cap space, how are the Lakers going to find some money?

The easiest answer is using their amnesty clause on infamous knucklehead Metta World Peace. The man formerly known as Ron Artest is owed $7.2 million next season, with a player option for $7.7 million in 2013-14. Los Angeles paid World Peace $6.7 million this past season and he responded by averaging 7.7 points per game and delivering a vicious and unnecessary elbow to the side of James Harden's head that got him suspended.

The book on Metta has never changed. When his mind is right, he's one of the game's best and most physical perimeter defenders. He averaged a little over a steal a game for the Lakers, and that average doubled in the postseason. At times, he played stellar defense on Kevin Durant in L.A.'s series with the Thunder.

Those are the positives. The negative is that World Peace's mind is almost never right. When he isn't trying to intimidate refs, he's finding ways to get into trouble with opposing players. He's an unpredictable loose cannon who also has the tendency to take ill-advised shots. That kind of reputation isn't going to fly on a team lead by Kobe Bryant, who is the king of ill-advised shots.

With Sessions testing the free agency waters and Bynum an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Lakers need to free up some cap space, and fast. World Peace may have helped the Lakers win a title once upon a time, but his price tag has far exceeded his worth. It's time for the Lakers to cut the cord on its biggest problem child.

On the bright side for World Peace, the extra free time will allow him to continue working on his rap career and trying to coerce Craig Sager into screaming "Queensbridge!".

John Salmons, SF, Sacramento Kings

The Kings are a young and promising team, but this offseason they have to make a few tough decisions. The first big decision is what the team will do with former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. Evans took a step back last season as the team struggled to find a role for him. Evans is a restricted free agent next summer, but there have been reports that he might be on the trading block.

The other decision is whether to use the amnesty clause on expensive and unproductive small forward John Salmons. Salmons averaged 7.5 points last season, but somehow made $8.5 million. That's bad math for a team that's struggling financially as much as the Kings are. Salmons is due $8 million next season, $7.6 million the year after and the team has a $7 million option for 2014-15. If Salmons lasts that long with the team, it's safe to say Sacramento won't be picking up that option.

By dropping Salmons now, the team could give his minutes at small forward to Evans, provided Evans is still on the team. With guards Jimmer Fredette, Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas on the roster, the backcourt doesn't have any room for Evans, and his size and speed combo make him a mismatch for opposing forwards.

Another option is giving those minutes to a small forward they may grab with the No. 5 pick. There's a possibility that a guy like Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or UNC's Harrison Barnes could slide to the Kings, and they would be a more natural fit at the 3 than Evans would be.

Of course, that point is moot if the team doesn't do something about Salmons. The team seems poised to build around center DeMarcus Cousins and, with so many young scorers on the roster, there isn't much need for a pricey forward who doesn't score nearly enough to justify his price tag.

Mike Miller, G/F, Miami Heat

With so much of their cap tied up in the Big Three, it is imperative that the Miami Heat get their money's worth from their role players. Small forward Shane Battier, the team's big acquisition this past offseason, has made some key plays for the Heat this season.

Former Rookie of the Year Mike Miller? Not so much.

As usual with Miller, injuries have slowed down the sharpshooter. He played in just 39 games this year, starting only two. In those games, he shot 45 percent from behind the arc and averaged 6.1 points per game.

In the playoffs, Miller has watched his playing time dwindle. He was averaging around 23 minutes per game in the first round. Then, it went down to 20 minutes in the second round. Four games into these NBA Finals, Miller's averaging 5.3 minutes a game. He's a step above Juwan Howard and Eddy Curry.

Since his playing time is reduced, his production has naturally suffered. Miller's averaging 4.4 points in these playoffs, and shooting just 35 percent from the three-point line. That isn't what the Heat had in mind when they signed Miller to a five-year, $25 million deal in 2010.

Miller made $5.4 million this past year, the fourth highest salary on the team. He'd make $5.8 million next season and $6.2 in 2013-14 with a $6.6 million player option for 2014-15. Miller has vehemently denied reports that he's retiring at the end of the year, but maybe he should listen to those speculating his demise.

The Heat are one win away from an NBA championship. Perhaps it would be wise of Miller to ride out into the sunset as an NBA champion. If Miller chooses to avoid hanging it up, the Heat should choose to avoid having him on the roster.

You can find almost anybody in the league who can give you six points per game while feasting on open jumpers and you can get them for less than $6 million a year. The Heat are already getting more than that from Battier and his salary is half of what the team's paying Miller.

Regardless of what Miller decides, his fate should be in the team's hands. His body clearly can't take the grind of an NBA season, and the Heat can't afford to keep him on the roster on the chance occasion that he finally gets a clean bill of health.

The choice is simple for Miller: Either retire or get the amnesty hammer.

Darko Milicic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

The fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Darko Milicic to a four-year, $20 million contract in 2010 was a bit of a shocker. The fact that Darko hasn't lived up to his end of the bargain, though, is less surprising.

Eight years into a career where he was supposed to be the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki, Milicic has instead been a cautionary tale for NBA GMs who fall in love with highlights from grainy international league footage. Much like Detroit and Orlando before them, Minnesota saw potential in Milicic, and thought he may develop into their center of the future.

He didn't.

Instead, Milicic was paid $4.7 million to average 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. He played in 29 games, starting 23 of them, but eventually lost his spot to Nikola Pekovic. With Pekovic as their new center, it seems unreasonable to pay close to $11 million the next two seasons for a big man who can't score, defend or rebound.

The team also has decisions to make on restricted free agents Anthony Randolph and Michael Beasley. Both men struggled to find minutes on a roster crowded with young talent and no defined roles. Beasley spent some time on the trading block, and he seems like a sign-and-trade candidate with Derrick Williams waiting to take his spot.

The T'Wolves could also use the money they are giving to Milicic on someone who can be a more immediate help to the Kevin Love-Ricky Rubio nucleus. Minnesota and head coach Rick Adelman need veterans to lead this young squad. After cutting ties with Milicic, they could deal Beasley to a team desperate for scoring, in exchange for someone who can help mentor the team.

Milicic probably won't be claimed off of waivers, but his career isn't finished. As we've seen with guys like Eddy Curry, teams are always willing to take a chance on young, disappointing players that they believe they can turn around. Milicic is 27 and has potential as a shot blocker. Some team could find a spot for him—just not at $5 million a year.

Brendan Haywood, C, Dallas Mavericks

There are a couple factors that will lead to Brendan Haywood's upheaval from the Dallas Mavericks.

First, the team wants to free up cap space in hopes of making the dream of bringing local legend Deron Williams and center Dwight Howard to Dallas a reality. Williams is a free agent this summer, and there have been hints that he's considering going home to Dallas. Howard, meanwhile, has mentioned Dallas as one of the four teams on his trade wish list. Bringing in two stars of Williams and Howard's caliber is going to require some serious cap room.

Second, Haywood still has four years remaining on the six-year, $55 million deal he signed in 2010. Those final four years will pay him close to $37 million dollars, including $20 million in the last two years of the contract.

Haywood averaged 5.2 points and 6 rebounds a game last season and averaged half of that in the playoffs. For his troubles, the Mavericks paid him $7.6 million.

Even if Dallas decides not to follow through on its Nowitzki-Howard-Williams pipe dream, they still have key free agents in guards Jason Kidd and Jason Terry this season. The team could probably afford to let Kidd go, as he's clearly showing his age. However, the team would then have to find money for Kidd's replacement, Rod Beaubois, who is a restricted free agent next year.

As for Terry, he's getting long in the tooth but he played a key role in the team's championship run last year. The team could bring him back for something less than the $11.4 million they paid him this past season, but Terry has already made comments hinting at joining the Miami Heat this summer. I'm going to go on a limb and say he won't be back.

Regardless, the team needs to give Haywood the pink slip. He's never really shed the "soft" label that's haunted him since his college days at North Carolina, and there's no way he's worth the $8.3 million he's set to make next year. He's definitely not worth the $9 million a piece he would make for the two seasons afterward.

Whether they get Howard or not remains to be seen, but the team needs to get out of this contract that they never should have gotten into in the first place. You can find big men who can match Haywood's production for much cheaper. Mark Cuban needs to drop the axe on Haywood and start from scratch again.

Josh Childress, SF, Phoenix Suns

I'm still trying to understand what Phoenix saw in Josh Childress that convinced them that signing him to a five-year, $34 million deal was a good idea. The team that somehow couldn't find money to keep guys like Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson suddenly found the finances to bring in a guy who struggled to score in Europe?

Piece by piece, the Suns as we remember them from the Mike D'Antoni days are becoming a distant memory. Point guard Steve Nash was the last remaining piece from that era, and he's a free agent this summer. If he's smart, he'll sign with a contender and chase the title that's eluded him his entire career.

If the Suns are smart, they'll use their amnesty clause to get out of the Childress contract. The Suns paid Childress $6 million last season. He responded by averaging 2.2 points per game for them. He played 34 games for Phoenix and didn't crack the starting lineup once.

Phoenix owes Childress close to $13 million for the next two seasons, with Childress having a $7.3 million player option for 2014-15. The Suns are a lost cause, with no real stars to build around. Point guard Aaron Brooks is a restricted free agent and the team will really need to bring him back if Nash decides to leave. Their other key free agent is Robin Lopez, who is also restricted this summer.

By waiving Childress, they could use that money to try to relive their glory days with a new regime. They can try to find a marquee free agent to throw money at and build around him, with role players like Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley. It's an unlikely scenario, but at least it's a game plan.

It all starts with getting rid of Childress though.

Elton Brand, PF, Philadelphia 76ers

Elton Brand's 2011-12 season, in which he averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game, would almost be respectable if it wasn't for one little problem.

Philadelphia paid him $17 million last year for his services. When people complain about how bad this economy is, be sure to let them know that Elton Brand will make $18.1 million next season. On the bright side, Brand's contract expires next summer, but there's no way the team can pay him close to $20 million for such pedestrian production.

By using the amnesty clause on Brand, the team can use that money to bring back center Spencer Hawes, who is an unrestricted free agent and was much more productive in the playoffs than Brand was. They could attempt to bring back Lou Williams, who opted out of his contract to test free agency this summer. They could also use it to lock up rising star point guard Jrue Holiday to a long-term deal.

Brand has been surprisingly healthy the past two seasons after battling a myriad of injuries throughout his career. That being said, with Rashard Lewis expected to be bought out by New Orleans in the coming days, Brand elevates to the top of the list of the league's most overpaid players.

There are teams out there that could use a banger like Brand mixing it up in the paint, but no team is stupid enough to claim him off waivers and pay even half of that $18.1 million. Brand is 33 years old and he's far too slow and undersized to be the All-Star forward he once was in today's NBA. His contract is one of the main reasons the players and owners introduced the amnesty clause.

With younger and more vital pieces to the franchise's future testing the waters, the team needs to act fast in bringing guys like Hawes and Williams back. They can't do that while also paying Brand his salary. Brand had a great run throughout his career, but that run is over. Philadelphia is a young team and the time has come to bid farewell to their overpriced power forward.

Charlie Villanueva, PF, Detroit Pistons

You know you've made some bad signings when you can make the case for using the amnesty clause on not one, but two, players on your roster.

Who the Pistons decide to amnesty is a toss-up between guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva. Both signed contracts in 2009 that were panned by critics. Gordon received a five-year, $55 million deal from Detroit, which was ridiculous for an undersized combo guard. Meanwhile, Villanueva got a five-year, $35 million deal from the Pistons.

Since he makes more money, Gordon might be the more likely amnesty candidate. However, Gordon has at least been productive, albeit not productive enough to justify his contract. The former Sixth Man of the Year has averaged double digits in scoring the past three seasons in Motown. The team could cut ties with the former UConn star and go with a backcourt of Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey.

Villanueva makes more sense for a couple reasons. For one, he made $7.5 million to play in just 13 games and average 7 points and 3.7 rebounds a game. The team already has its franchise big man in Greg Monroe and can easily replace Villanueva with a guy like John Henson or Meyers Leonard in next week's draft.

The Pistons would have more cap room by dumping Gordon, but having room to sign free agents is apparently the last thing this team needs. Villanueva is more of a waste of space and, while there's cause to drop Gordon, it would hurt the team more to waive Gordon and keep an unproductive cadaver like Villanueva.

Villanueva is due to make $8 million next season with a player option for nearly $8.6 million the year after. Gordon, meanwhile, will make $12.4 million next season with a player option for $13.2 million in 2014-15. It's a lose-lose situation, as the Pistons aren't getting their money's worth from either, but the wiser move is to get rid of Villanueva and try to move the more productive Gordon.

DeSagana Diop, C, Charlotte Bobcats

Truth be told, the Charlotte Bobcats would be better served petitioning the league to let them amnesty the entire team.

I'm no foreign language expert, but I'm pretty sure that the name "DeSagana Diop" translates into either "waste of money" or "Jerome James" in another language. You can make the case for a number of guys on this roster as an amnesty candidate.

Corey Maggette is set to make $10.9 million next season—and he's 33 and coming off an Achilles' injury. Tyrus Thomas is due $26 million over the next three seasons, and he's coming off a season where he averaged 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. He also had an altercation with coach Paul Silas in which punches were thrown.

As bad as those guys are, one man takes the cake. DeSagana Diop made close to $7 million last season. What did he produce for the Bobcats last season?

An average of 1.1 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.

1.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game at $7 million for the season and is owed $7.3 million next year. Michael Jordan could average that RIGHT NOW for the Bobcats for about half of what they paying Diop.

When the season ended, Washington Wizards forward Rashard Lewis was the unquestionable most likely candidate to be amnestied. With Lewis traded to New Orleans today—where he'll be inevitably waived—Diop is the new king of the soon-to-be-released. Diop seems like a mortal lock to be waived this offseason.

After all, why would you keep him? His minutes are being blocked by Thomas and Bismack Biyombo. He gives you the same production you'd get from literally signing someone off the street and he's not even young enough to use the development excuse. Diop's 30 years old. It's time for him to understand that he doesn't belong in the NBA. Of course, it's tough to learn that when you're getting paid $7 million to take up space in the paint.

The Bobcats can't get any worse. They are at the bottom of the NBA ladder, and it is going to take them years to climb up. The first step in their rebuilding project is to get Diop off the roster. From there, they can work on removing Tyrus Thomas and replacing him with someone who doesn't try to fight their head coach. They also need to come up big with the No. 2 pick next week.

There is no excuse for this team to still have DeSagana Diop on the roster when the season tips off this fall. He's the reason lists like this are put together. $7 million for less than two points per game isn't just a disgrace, it should be considered robbery.