The Most Overpaid and Underpaid Player on Every NBA Team
Everybody's pumped up about the cash infusion on the NBA horizon.
An obscene amount of money will pour into the player-salary pool over the next two seasons, and that looming avalanche of dough is already affecting how teams behave. It's a big deal, and spending it the right way will determine who contends going forward.
You want underpaid players if you're gunning for the postseason. Paying below-market rates is how you build a deep roster, lure a superstar or keep your own young talent. Conversely, spending too much for too little production is a sure way to scuttle forward progress.
So before the money comes pouring in and everybody's flush with spending power, let's take a look around the league and isolate every team's most overpaid and underpaid player.
The overpaid and underpaid labels pertain to on-court value only. There are a lot of players who have off-court value to their teams and whose salaries reflect that.
We're keeping it simpler here by measuring salary against teammates, peers and the market to determine who's making too little or too much.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Overpaid: Tiago Splitter (two years, $17.6 million remaining)
The Atlanta Hawks are in great financial shape, so much so that filling the overpaid category with "nobody" was a real consideration here. But it would have been strange to omit a player on the first entry.
Tiago Splitter gets the distinction here but only because the rest of the Hawks are so fairly paid.
The main reason he lands here is the 53 games he's missed over the last two seasons. When healthy, Splitter is a tough defender who can start (and has started) for a very good team. His first year in Atlanta might wind up being a good value if he stays on the court.
For now, uncertainty and Atlanta's otherwise smart spending combine to put him here.
Underpaid: Al Horford (one year, $12 million remaining)
Al Horford is 29, coming off an All-Star season in which he was the best player on a 60-game winner. At such a paltry salary, he would have been the easy pick here even if he hadn't spent the summer adding a three-point shot to his arsenal.
"It started the day we finished playing," he told KL Chouinard of NBA.com. "It's a point of emphasis that I made. I want to be better. If you work on things and you give effort, Coach [Mike Budenholzer] is going to support it."
A max deal is coming for Horford, who'll be among the very best free agents available this summer. For now, he's one of the biggest bargains in the league.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Overpaid: David Lee (one year, $15.5 million remaining)
It's always a little weird to knock a one-year deal; they can only be so damaging to a team's financial picture when they expire at the end of the season.
Still, David Lee's hefty salary was the main reason the tax-hit Golden State Warriors had to move him. If his production were in line with his compensation, they wouldn't have sent him to the Boston Celtics for what remains of Gerald Wallace (which they later turned into Jason Thompson).
Lee has been an All-Star twice in his career, and he's still a skilled offensive player. But his defense is notoriously poor, and he simply wasn't a rotation-worthy contributor for the Dubs last year. He'll be better for Boston, but Lee's days of justifying a star-level salary are over.
Underpaid: Isaiah Thomas (three years, $19.8 million remaining)
You could argue Isaiah Thomas was Boston's most impactful player after coming over in a midseason trade from the Phoenix Suns last year. The Celtics won 14 of the 21 games Thomas played, and his shot creation was useful enough that Thomas finished plenty of stretch-run contests for Boston.
At just a little more than $6 million per season over the next three years, Thomas' production off the bench represents one of the biggest bargains in the league. He won't help a team's defense much, and he's a chronic over-dribbler, but he can score and create shots like nobody else on the Celtics roster.
He's worth at least twice what he's making on his current contract.
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Overpaid: Joe Johnson (one year, $24.9 million remaining)
Joe Johnson will collect more money than all but one other NBA player this season, and it's probably safe to assume he won't be the second-most productive guy in the league. That's not to say Johnson is without value. As he transitions into his mid-30s, Johnson remains durable (just five missed games over the past two seasons), and he's still a steady scorer.
His size on the wing makes him a tough cover for any guard, and because his game has never been based on athleticism, aging should continue to go pretty smoothly.
If you need a bucket late in the game, Iso Joe can get it for you.
It's just that said bucket isn't worth nearly $25 million.
Underpaid: Wayne Ellington (two years, $3.7 million remaining)
The second season on Wayne Ellington's deal is a player option, which means the Brooklyn Nets will lose out on a solid bargain if their shooting guard performs well this year.
It looks like he'll get a chance to do that, as Ellington is in the midst of a competition for a starting spot with Bojan Bogdanovic, who has not impressed in camp. Even if Ellington recedes into an off-the-bench role, he'll provide excellent three-point shooting there.
His career accuracy rate of 38.2 percent will play well, particularly in a league now very obviously embracing the long ball.
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 30
Overpaid: Kemba Walker (four years, $48 million remaining)
Underpaid: Jeremy Lin (two years, $4.4 million remaining)
We can address these two together, as Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin play the same position for the Charlotte Hornets but do so at wildly different rates of pay.
Walker signed his $48 million extension last offseason. Even in the previous cap environment, $12 million per year isn't a totally insane number for him. But you have to assume the Hornets expected their point guard to take a step forward when they inked him to that deal.
Instead, Charlotte got more of the same from Walker: inefficient shooting, substandard defense and a negative on-court net rating.
Walker's development seems to have stalled out, and it's clear now that he's actually a bench gunner who's been miscast as a starting point guard. When you weigh what he does against someone such as Isaiah Thomas, it's impossible to justify a salary that's twice as big.
And when you consider Lin is making about a third of Walker's salary—despite the fact that he has demonstrably outplayed Walker during the preseason, is a bigger body and is a better shooter—it's similarly difficult to make sense of the financials.
Lin might be a better player than Walker. He might not.
That it's a legitimate debate shows why the two are underpaid and overpaid, respectively.
Chicago Bulls
5 of 30
Overpaid: Derrick Rose (two years, $41.4 million remaining)
Worth every penny when he signed it, Derrick Rose's max deal has turned out to be a bad investment.
Lost seasons, strange comments about a free-agent summer still two years away and, of course, wild declines in production have made Rose one of the most overpaid players in the league. The injuries aren't his fault, though, and it's really not fair to penalize him for the rotten luck that derailed his career.
Still, the combination of poor efficiency and increased volume from the perimeter led to a frustrating season in 2014-15. And with another two years left on his deal as he hits his late-20s, Rose is past the point where we should realistically expect improvement.
You never would have expected it a few years ago, but the best thing the Chicago Bulls can say about Rose's current contract is that it's closer to its end than its beginning.
Underpaid: Mike Dunleavy (three years, $14.4 million remaining)
Mike Dunleavy ticks all the underpaid, underappreciated, underrated boxes. No flash. Smart team defender. Good shooter who needs to be set up. Intelligent on offense. Quietly a dirty player (see 2015 postseason).
Unfortunately, back surgery will keep Dunleavy out for eight to 10 weeks to start the season. That's not ideal for a player who just inked a three-year deal, but at least the final season is nonguaranteed. And even if he misses significant time this season, Dunleavy will provide terrific value over the life of his contract. As long as he can stand upright, he'll be useful on both ends.
Worst-case scenario: He loses his starting job to Doug McDermott and becomes a dirt-cheap rotation cog off the bench.
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Overpaid: Tristan Thompson (???)
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are all worth their hefty salaries. In James' case, he's worth far more. And while it's tempting to tab Anderson Varejao (three years and $30 million remaining) as the Cleveland Cavaliers' most egregious overpay, the fact that the last two years of that deal are nonguaranteed takes it out of the running.
So we'll bend the rules and proclaim Tristan Thompson's as-yet-unsigned contract as the Cavs' winner in the overpay category.
According to Chris B. Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, the five-year, $80 million pact Cleveland originally offered is still on the table. And since Thompson and his representatives haven't yet deemed that a worthy amount, we should expect him to eventually sign for more. The alternative is holding out for a full year, and that's hard to see happening.
Thompson is a fine player, a good offensive rebounder who can defend guards ably on switches. The Cavs need him.
But he's also the team's third-best big man (fourth if you count James as a power forward, which you probably should). Paying near-max money for him is insane, but the Cavs are prepared to do it.
Underpaid: Timofey Mozgov (one year, $4.9 million remaining)
An elite rim protector who held opponents to just 47.5 percent from close range, per NBA.com, Timofey Mozgov is hugely valuable on defense. And on the other end, he's an underrated scorer who can do damage on the offensive boards.
When he hits free agency in nine months, likely cashing in on a deal that pays him at least three times what he's making annually now, it'll become obvious how underpaid he is.
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 30
Overpaid: Wesley Matthews (four years, $70 million remaining)
If you wanted to get really cold about things, you could say that any player coming off an Achilles tear shouldn't be paid much more than the league minimum. That's how bad the recovery prognosis is for that specific injury.
Elton Brand, Chauncey Billups, Christian Laettner, some guy who still plays for the Los Angeles Lakers—all fell off dramatically after that catastrophic pop below the calf.
Wesley Matthews could buck the trend. It's possible.
But it's not likely by a long shot, so $70 million is way, way too much.
Underpaid: Dirk Nowitzki (two years, $17 million remaining)
Dirk Nowitzki's decline is real, and it shouldn't be surprising.
At 37, the fact that Nowitzki remains a useful player is something of a miracle in itself, though as ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon explains, it's pretty labor intensive: "The Mavs are preparing Nowitzki for a marathon in his 18th NBA season, not a sprint. Every step, every rep and even every bite Nowitzki takes is meticulously planned by [Jeremy] Holsopple, the Mavs' technologically savvy athletic performance director, and head athletic trainer Casey Smith."
The defense is almost nonexistent now, and Nowitzki doesn't move well at all on the other end either. But he's still a lights-out shooter whose smarts and familiarity with head coach Rick Carlisle's system lead to continued effectiveness.
Even if he's nowhere near his past MVP levels, he doesn't have to be for an $8 million annual salary to be a terrific value.
Denver Nuggets
8 of 30
Overpaid: J.J. Hickson (one year, $5.6 million remaining)
J.J. Hickson doesn't make a lot of money in NBA terms. But any cash paid to a player who actively makes his team worse at the one thing he's supposedly good at is too much.
Known strictly for his prowess as a rebounder, Hickson has actually hurt his team on the glass for his entire career.
Mike Honkasalo of Nylon Calculus has the ugly truth:
"For his career Hickson has averaged 7.4 defensive rebounds and 11.0 rebounds per 36 minutes, ranking him 24th and 19th respectively among active players. ... However in six of his seven NBA seasons, Hickson’s teams have rebounded better with him off the floor, which should give pause considering Hickson is near the top-10 in rebounding rates every season. Over the past 3 seasons with Hickson on the court, his teams have rebounded 3.7% worse on the defensive end, equivalent to the difference between the 5th ranked Jazz and 23rd ranked Raptors in defensive rebounding rate last season.
"
The Denver Nuggets would be better off paying Hickson not to play.
Underpaid: Jusuf Nurkic (four years, $10.8 million remaining)
We're fudging the numbers a bit, as the final two years of Jusuf Nurkic's rookie contract are a team option and a qualifying offer, respectively. But the point is: He's under team control for a long time at a cheap rate, and if Nurkic stays healthy, he's got a legitimate shot to be a substantially above-average starter at center.
It's a little surprising that we haven't hit on a rookie deal in the underpaid category until now. Most of the time, that's where teams get real value. Just ask the Golden State Warriors, who won a ring paying Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson their rookie-contract rates.
Nurkic has good hands, good feet and good size (7'0", 280 lbs), and he ranked fourth among rookies last year with a player efficiency rating of 14.8. He might be worth the entire four-year value of his contract this season alone.
Detroit Pistons
9 of 30
Overpaid: Reggie Jackson (five years, $80 million remaining)
A nice finish last year doesn't justify a huge deal for Reggie Jackson, and it doesn't save him from being the easy choice here.
Yes, the former Oklahoma City Thunder backup can run a pick-and-roll. Yes, he can get to the cup.
But Jackson can't shoot (career three-point percentage of 29.4 percent on 652 attempts), and his exit from the Thunder indicated he might not have been the most positive locker room presence. That's not the description of an $80 million point guard.
Underpaid: Andre Drummond (two years, $7.7 million remaining)
We have to get this one in quickly because the "When will Drummond sign a max deal?" question is more of a "when" thing than an "if."
The centerpiece of Stan Van Gundy's efforts to recreate the Orlando Magic team he led to the NBA Finals a half-decade ago, Andre Drummond profiles as a high-efficiency finisher and defensive focal point. And even if the big man shows a lack of growth this season, his team's owner already set the market by calling him a "max player" back in April.
For now, Drummond is underpaid. Just don't get used to it.
Golden State Warriors
10 of 30
Overpaid: Jason Thompson (two years, $14 million remaining)
Jason Thompson's deal really isn't so bad. The second year is nonguaranteed, and an average annual salary of just $7 million is hardly a cap-crippler.
That he ends up here speaks to the Warriors' excellent financial condition. Both Green and Thompson are making less than the max, while Andrew Bogut and Andre Iguodala make reasonable salaries that actually decline in value as they go forward.
Thompson is the pick here because he hasn't looked like a rotation player in the preseason since coming over from the Philadelphia 76ers this past summer. Though the Warriors will pay him about half of what David Lee would have made this year (and the reduction in luxury tax is nice, too), the Dubs would probably prefer he perform like something more than a fifth big man.
He has yet to prove he can do that.
Underpaid: Stephen Curry (two years, $23.5 million remaining)
Fifth-highest salary on the team. Best player on a title winner. MVP.
All that for a little more than $11 million per year through the 2016-17 season.
Stephen Curry's not just the most underpaid player on his team. He's easily among the most underpaid in the league.
There's not a lot else to say.
Houston Rockets
11 of 30
Overpaid: Nobody
You can't play the "nobody" card often, and using it with another 20 teams left is a risky move.
But the Houston Rockets have quietly put together a tremendously flexible payroll situation by spending aggressively when they've needed to (Dwight Howard and James Harden) and being careful the rest of the time.
If you had to pick somebody, Corey Brewer and his $23.3 million deal might qualify. But that contract declines in annual value every year and pays rotation-level money to a rotation-level player. Brewer is a limited talent, but he's being paid like one.
Underpaid: Patrick Beverley (four years, $23 million remaining)
Options abound here.
Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas will combine to collect just $12 million over the next two years. Ty Lawson has just one fully guaranteed season on his deal. Harden's a bargain at an average annual value of around $16 million over the next three seasons.
We'll go with Patrick Beverley because he's locked into a three-year deal that decreases in value (the Rockets are big on that, apparently) with a partially nonguaranteed fourth tacked on at the end. There's almost no risk at all in paying a defensive stud who can hit spot-up threes at such a ridiculously low rate. But if Beverley keeps running into injury, the Rockets can buy out his final year.
At barely more than the cost of a mid-level exception, Houston gets a proven starter who complements its best player—not to mention the flexibility afforded by salary dips and a nonguaranteed season.
General manager Daryl Morey seems to know what he's doing. He might have a future in this business.
Indiana Pacers
12 of 30
Overpaid: Rodney Stuckey (three years, $21 million remaining, with a third-year player option)
Underpaid: George Hill (two years, $16 million remaining)
Here's another pair we can handle all at once.
George Hill is a grossly underrated point guard who can defend both backcourt positions, manage the game and knock down open shots. Though injuries cost the typically durable point guard nearly half the season, Hill was awesome when he was healthy. Among point guards, Hill ranked seventh in ESPN's Real Plus Minus for the 2014-15 season, and his offensive RPM checked in fourth at the position.
That's not bad for a guy who was also integral to the Indiana Pacers' once-formidable defense.
He'll get a test this year as Indy tries to pick up the pace and score a little.
Rodney Stuckey will make just $1 million less than Hill per season going forward, and it's hard to justify that math without leaning heavily on the rising cap as justification.
That's a fine rationale, but these two players occupy the same position. And Hill plays it a heck of a lot better. Nearly identical salaries understate Hill's value and overstate Stuckey's.
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Overpaid: Lance Stephenson (two years, $18.4 million remaining)
"Any projection of Stephenson as a contributing player to a contending team must exclude the 2014-15 season. If that is the guy Los Angeles acquired, he is simply unplayable," wrote Seth Partnow for the Washington Post.
Combine that with the fact that Lance Stephenson's ceiling is as an unpredictable, streaky, ball-dominating wild card, and you've got a very interesting season ahead for Lance and the Clips.
It's a risk to pay $9 million a year for someone whose spectrum of performance includes an unfathomably low basement and a ceiling that still has a bunch of mixed-bag qualities. The Clippers needed bench help, but paying this much for such wildly unpredictable and possibly disastrous assistance feels very dangerous.
Underpaid: Josh Smith (one year, $1.5 million remaining)
Josh Smith, on the other hand, is a phenomenal value at the league minimum.
This is basically a lesson on perspective, as Smith was grossly overpaid as a $14 million-per-year man with the Detroit Pistons. But once Detroit waived him last December, Smith's obvious skills (passing, length, speed and interior touch) suddenly outweighed his shortcomings (shot selection and, well, shot selection).
Smith could play significant bench minutes for any team, and he'd probably start for a dozen or so. As an exceptionally cheap source of production off L.A.'s bench, he's a great value.
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 30
Overpaid: Kobe Bryant (one year, $25 million)
It's exhausting, isn't it—trying to make the obvious case that Kobe Bryant isn't a good NBA player, let alone one worth the highest salary in the league this season?
We've reached the point at which there are now two clear categories of NBA fan: those who realize Bryant no longer helps his team win and those who are certifiably delusional.
B/R's Jared Dubin laid it out like this for SI.com's the Cauldron:
"And yet, for some strange reason, stating this Kobe Bryant is no longer the same player — having appeared in just 41 games since 2013, alternately injured and ineffective, and ranking 422nd in win shares per 48 minutes among players who’ve logged at least that many games over that same span — is somehow considered disrespectful, the calling card of a certified Kobe hater.
"
People's minds are made up. What can you do?
Kobe's worth a mint to the Lakers' overall business operation, but this is about on-court value. So Bryant, injured and ineffective like Dubin said, is as wasteful of an expenditure as exists in the league today.
Underpaid: Jordan Clarkson (two years, $2 million remaining)
A second-round selection who made the All-Rookie first team and showed serious combo skills on offense, Jordan Clarkson is a source of hope on a Lakers roster looking for next-generation pillars. His defensive attentiveness lags behind his physical ability, but there's plenty of time for Clarkson to get his mental game up to speed on that end.
With one more year locked in and a qualifying offer due in 2016-17, the Lakers have a good value in the backcourt—almost good enough to offset Bryant. Almost.
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Overpaid: Jeff Green (one year, $9.6 million)
Everybody keeps waiting for the obvious athletic talent, flashes of skill and occasional did-you-see-that breakaway finishes to turn into sustainable production. But Jeff Green is 29 years old and has spent the vast majority of his career posting negative box-score plus-minus figures.
In many ways, Green is the most dangerous kind of player to invest in because he almost always passes the eye test but fails to deliver on his conspicuous potential.
He's looks just good enough to make you a sucker.
At almost $10 million per year, the Memphis Grizzlies have themselves a big hunk of fool's gold.
Underpaid: Mike Conley (one year, $9.6 million)
If you Google "Mike Conley underrated," you get over 40,000 results dating back as far as 2011. So it's not exactly news to suggest the Grizzlies point guard deserves a little more credit than he gets.
At $9.6 million, Memphis has a tremendous defender who shoots it well from deep (38.6 percent last season), runs an offense effectively despite a lack of spacing and plays through everything from a sore foot to a broken face.
Conley's a star who gets paid like a good backup. He'll cash in next summer as an unrestricted free agent. For now, he's Memphis' top bargain.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Overpaid: Dwyane Wade (one year, $20 million remaining)
Goran Dragic has the Miami Heat on the hook for the next five years at a total salary of about $90 million, which could turn out badly if he declines faster than expected or gets hurt. But assuming the aging curve hits the 29-year-old Dragic normally, he should produce enough in the first few years of that pact to balance out the last couple.
Dwyane Wade is a better player than Dragic right now, but he's also four years older and has missed 48 games over the past two seasons. No reasonable projection has Wade playing more than 70 games this year.
This is a close call, but because Dragic's contract feels pretty close to market value, it's difficult to say he's overpaid. Wade, on the other hand, is making superstar money and probably won't play nearly enough to justify it.
Underpaid: Hassan Whiteside (one year, $981,348 remaining)
Both Gerald Green and Amar'e Stoudemire are useful role players making less than $1 million with the Heat this season, but Hassan Whiteside is the easy pick.
If he misses half the season with injury or takes a massive step backward, the shot-stuffing, board-hoarding big man will still be an immense value because he's making the money of an end-of-bench scrub.
Though he absolutely cannot pass the ball (career totals of six assists and 58 turnovers; not a typo) and though character issues from past stops are still potential concerns, Whiteside averaged a double-double with absurd block totals out of nowhere last year.
He's worth 10 times what he's making. Easily.
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Overpaid: O.J. Mayo (one year, $8 million remaining)
There are just two major line items on the Milwaukee Bucks' payroll: Greg Monroe's three-year max deal and Khris Middleton's five-year, front-loaded pact that will net him $70 million. But both of those contracts represent solid values for a team that has typically needed to overpay for talent.
Monroe is a nice fit as a scoring presence inside, and Middleton's rate is fair given the premium on three-and-D wings.
That leaves O.J. Mayo, whose $8 million salary isn't even all that bad. He can score, he's a decent defender, and he'll be playing in a contract year this season—which could lead to a spike in production. The Bucks just don't have any terrible contracts, and the more I think about it, the more I want to take Mayo out of this position.
Better just move on.
Underpaid: Giannis Antetokounmpo (three years, $9 million remaining)
There are plenty of options here, but let's just go with the guy who has the highest ceiling.
Giannis Antetokounmpo still can't shoot, but he's only 20 years old and can do just about everything else.
It's funny: The Greek Freak's obvious physical gifts (incomparable length, speed and bounce) earned him a spot on the "this guy's absolutely going to be a star" list. But when he didn't take the massive leap forward many expected last season, it's almost as if we all agreed to unconsciously lower his ceiling.
That's probably a mistake, and the leap we thought was coming last season could easily show up in his third year. And if it doesn't, maybe it'll arrive in his fourth...or fifth, when he's just 22.
Antetokounmpo is under team control for three more years at a cheap rate. The breakout will happen during that window, and when it does, Milwaukee will have itself a steal.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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Overpaid: Nikola Pekovic (three years, $35.8 million remaining)
I hope Nikola Pekovic doesn't have Team Stream.
Just in case he does: Sorry, big guy. Don't take this personally. It's just that you can't stay healthy, and you're a throwback big man in the wrong kind of way (not much rim protection and little offensive range).
Again, if you're reading this: sorry.
Underpaid: Shabazz Muhammad (three years, $9.3 million remaining)
Nemanja Bjelica's game is going to translate well in the NBA, and it's entirely possible the Serbian import dramatically outplays Shabazz Muhammad over the next few seasons. But let's give Muhammad the edge here because he's shown the ability to make a real impact on actual NBA games (albeit in a very small sample).
Muhammad's stellar second season was cut short by a finger injury. But he should be ready to dominate the offensive glass and punish smaller wings on the block in 2015-16. If he shows the gains he made last year are for real, he'll be a legitimate sixth man or serviceable starter for around $3 million a year going forward.
That's a deal.
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 30
Overpaid: Eric Gordon (one year, $15.5 million remaining)
There's a difference between a team's worst contract and its most overpaid player, exemplified here by the distinction between Omer Asik (whose five-year deal blocks Anthony Davis from full-time transcendence at center) and Eric Gordon, who is the New Orleans Pelicans' highest-paid player.
Asik's is a bad deal for reasons beyond money. Gordon's is strictly cash-based.
Gordon knocked down 44.8 percent of his three-point shots last year, which is far enough above his career average of 38.3 percent to set off regression alarms. If that efficiency dips a bit in 2015-16 and Gordon's typical spotty health (he's missed at least 18 games every year since his rookie season) carries over, that $15.5 million is going to look a little rich.
Underpaid: Quincy Pondexter (three years, $10.9 million remaining)
Anthony Davis signed his mega-extension, which means we can't list him here—even if he will only make $7.1 million this season. With that $145 million coming down the pike, he won't be underpaid for long.
The Pelicans ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency, and Quincy Pondexter is probably their best stopper on the wing. Toss in the 43.3 percent he shot from deep in his second-half run with the Pellies after coming over in a trade from the Grizzlies, and you've got a three-and-D starter filling needs on both ends.
Assuming Pondexter's health holds up (he had surgery on his left knee this past summer), he'll more than justify his salary.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
Overpaid: Carmelo Anthony (four years, $101.5 million remaining)
Carmelo Anthony's game stands to age well, and he seems to know it.
He told Ian Begley of ESPN.com: "If I was a guy who kind of played above the rim and played at a fast pace and just running and jumping—very athletic—then I'd probably be sitting here singing a different tune. I'm not a guy who's playing above the rim every play so it works in my favor."
Still, Melo is making the kind of money you pay a player who can be the top option on a contender. And even if his productivity holds up into his 30s, he's not that kind of talent/leader/two-way focal point. His defense has long been questionable, his ball-stopping hamstrings offenses and...you've heard this all before.
Anthony is a good player. Not a great one. That makes him overpaid at his current rate.
Underpaid: Kyle O'Quinn (four years, $16 million remaining)
Kyle O'Quinn is a pretty good representation of the kinds of smart deals the Knicks pulled off this past offseason: He's got good size (6'10", 250 lbs), passes the ball well for a big man and can play either frontcourt position. And they didn't pay too much for him.
He's a legitimate third big man who can do a handful of things well on both ends.
It's not a perfect comparison, but keep in mind that the Bucks just paid $44 million for John Henson to fill that spot in their rotation. O'Quinn checks in at around a quarter of the price (and roughly nine times the bulk).
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Overpaid: Enes Kanter (four years, $70 million remaining)
There are a handful of explanations for the Thunder's decision to match a $70 million offer sheet for Enes Kanter—like this one from Grantland's Andrew Sharp: "This contract makes it official: Thunder management was burned so badly by not wanting to pay the luxury tax to keep James Harden (four years, $60 million) that they were shamed into paying Kanter $70 million."
As bad as that sounds, you have to hope that's the rationale for OKC's sake.
Kanter has historically sabotaged his team's defense while producing bright, shiny offensive stats that trick uncritical observers into thinking he's a plus contributor. In this scenario, acting out of shame is preferable to arriving at a logical decision that Kanter is actually good.
If the Thunder rationally decided Kanter's production was worth $70 million, it's a very scary time to be an OKC fan.
Underpaid: Serge Ibaka (two years, $24.5 million remaining)
Though 2014-15 seemed like a down year for Ibaka (whose block rate and two-point field-goal percentage both hit career lows), it might have been something much more encouraging: a transition period in his progression toward true stretch-4 status.
Ibaka shot 205 triples in just 64 games after attempting 123 in 382 previous contests, and he knocked down 37.6 percent of them. Imagine what he might do with full seasons of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to pull defensive attention away from him.
There aren't many bigs who can dominate the defensive interior and stretch the floor out to the three-point line on the other end. In fact, Ibaka is practically one of a kind.
For an annual salary lower than Kanter's, that's tough to beat.
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Overpaid: C.J. Watson (three years, $15 million remaining)
This is more a of a team-specific criticism, as the Orlando Magic are a squad looking to develop their young talent during an ongoing rebuilding phase. Led by Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Mario Hezonja and Evan Fournier, a lot of that talent is concentrated in the backcourt.
So what's the point of dropping $5 million per season on an eight-year veteran who'll only get in the way of the kids?
C.J. Watson is a fine player, and he's probably worth $5 million per season to a team that needs a fourth guard for a possible playoff push. But he doesn't make any sense on the Magic, and his presence might actively stunt the growth of the team's more important assets.
Should you pay anything for that?
Underpaid: Evan Fournier (two years, $5.6 million remaining)
Ten Magic players will make more than Evan Fournier this season, but a much smaller number of them will contribute more than the 22-year-old Frenchman.
His age suggests there's room for growth, but even if Fournier merely repeats the 2014-15 campaign that featured 37.8 percent shooting from deep and an assist rate of 11.5 percent that ranked fourth on the team (third among returning players), he'll represent a solid value.
Fournier profiles as a strong third guard on a good team. Normally, you'd pay a lot more than two or three million bucks per season for that.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Overpaid: JaVale McGee (one year, $12 million remaining)
JaVale McGee, now with Dallas, was the cost of doing business for the Philadelphia 76ers last year. More specifically, his $12 million was the going rate for a first-round pick, which the Sixers got from the Denver Nuggets along with McGee in a midseason trade.
Now, having waived McGee, Philly is on the hook for $12 million of dead roster space.
Not a bad investment at all. First-rounders usually cost much more than that in a trade. But since nobody else on the Sixers roster makes serious money, McGee is the pick here.
Gerald Wallace and his $10 million salary, also waived, come in a close second.
Underpaid: Nobody? Everybody? Actually, wait, I've got it: Who cares?
Seriously, look at this roster. Carl Landry is technically the team's highest-paid active player, and he'll only collect $6.5 million this year.
It's clear the Sixers operate in their own economy, and I'm not sure anyone's clear on how to evaluate it.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Overpaid: Nobody
Tyson Chandler is 33, has missed roughly 20 percent of his team's games over the past four seasons and could miss more if his back or knees go south. But if there's a training staff in the league capable of keeping him healthy, it's the Phoenix Suns'.
So his four-year, $52 million deal seems like a good one. If he continues to be a game-changing defender and an influential locker room presence, he's worth that money.
Other than that, the big bucks are going to Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe. Both are in their primes, versatile and valuable on both ends.
You'd have to be pretty picky to call anyone on this roster overpaid.
Underpaid: Markieff Morris (four years, $32 million remaining)
Lost amid the felony charges and (since rescinded) trade demands is the fact that Markieff Morris is a really good player. A tough cover for bigger forwards when he faces up and too strong for wings, Morris should thrive alongside Chandler this year if he gets big minutes at the 4.
Concerns abound. In addition to attitude and legal issues, Markieff will go to work without his twin brother Marcus Morris, whose trade to the Pistons was the impetus for Markieff asking out, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
Still, at just $8 million per season, Markieff is eminently tradable if things go badly. The market has already bestowed more money on inferior talents such as Kanter, Jeff Green and Kenneth Faried, just to name a few.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Overpaid: Ed Davis (three years, $20 million remaining)
Underpaid: Mason Plumlee (three years, $7 million remaining)
Ed Davis and Mason Plumlee are remarkably similar players, which is why it's hard to fathom how one makes almost three times the money of the other. Yes, part of that has to do with the limitations of rookie-scale deals, but we're not making exceptions for that.
Both are limited offensive players who finish well at the basket while contributing roughly average defense and rebounding.
The key here is that they'll be asked to do one thing on offense: roll to the hoop. According to NBA.com, Plumlee and Davis are almost identically effective at that critical job, ranking 11th and 12th in efficiency among bigs with at least 50 rolls last year.
These guys are going to do the same things this year, and they're going to do them equally well. Yet Davis will make much more than Plumlee.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Overpaid: Rajon Rondo (one year, $9.5 million remaining)
Where, exactly, was the bidding war for Rajon Rondo's services?
A point guard who can't shoot, hasn't defended with conviction since tearing his ACL in 2013 and actively decreased the effectiveness of two different NBA offenses (Boston and Dallas) last year, Rondo wasn't exactly in high demand.
And yet the Sacramento Kings saw fit to plop $9.5 million on him.
A one-year deal isn't fatal, and when this experiment fails, the Kings can move on. But it's still way too much money for someone who shouldn't be getting more than the mid-level exception.
Underpaid: DeMarcus Cousins (three years, $50 million remaining)
Let's not overthink this one.
DeMarcus Cousins is a top-10 player in the league by just about any objective measure, probably the most devastating post threat around and a dramatically improving defender—if you buy the statistics that say so.
Even if you don't, he's potent enough on offense to warrant a max deal.
So the fact that the Kings have him on the books for three more years at annual salaries below the likes of DeAndre Jordan, Greg Monroe and Dwight Howard says all you need to know about his value.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
Overpaid: Tony Parker (three years, $43.5 million remaining)
This is a bet on Tony Parker's rough 2014-15 being predictive of how his next three seasons will play out. If last year's notable decline in quickness and 15.9 PER (the lowest it's been in a decade) were tied exclusively to a sore hamstring, maybe Parker will be his vintage self again—once healthy.
But at 33, with a game based on speed, it's hard to believe Parker can be what he was.
Eventually, those fast-twitch muscles just stop firing like they used to.
Underpaid: Tim Duncan (two years, $10.9 million remaining)
Still a stud on defense, still a terrific passer and still capable of finishing around the basket, Tim Duncan is a legitimate All-Star being paid like a fringe rotation talent.
Hopefully, the Spurs give him an ownership stake to make up for all the money he's left on the table over the past few seasons.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Overpaid: Terrence Ross (two years, $8.3 million)
It's unclear how much Terrence Ross, a former lottery pick, will play this season. His starting job is gone with DeMarre Carroll in town.
Head coach Dwane Casey seems to think Ross can fill the sixth-man void created by Lou Williams' departure, and if all you knew of Ross were his highlights (dunk contests and 51-point games), maybe you'd agree.
But Ross is a suspect defender who can't get his own quality shots. And despite his ridiculous athleticism, Ross has never figured out how to apply it to practical effect. He never gets to the foul line.
The Toronto Raptors don't owe him much, but at this point, it's hard to justify paying him more than the minimum. Once his rookie deal's done, Ross will be fortunate to find himself in anyone's rotation.
Underpaid: James Johnson (one year, $2.5 million remaining)
Capable of creating chaos on defense with terrific hands and always a threat to dunk on somebody, James Johnson is a sneakily potent player who toes the line between scary-big wing and dangerous undersized power forward.
He bounced in and out of the rotation last season, but he's someone who should see more time up front now that Amir Johnson is gone and Toronto is embracing a small-ball identity.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Overpaid: Nobody
Gordon Hayward is a star being paid like something less than one. Derrick Favors might be the most underrated player in the league, and he's bringing in less per year than David Lee.
Run down the line: Trevor Booker, Alec Burks and Rodney Hood—all are making below-market-rate salaries for their positions.
If you wanted to be cruel, you could say Trey Burke should be paying the Jazz back for his awful 2014-15 season instead of collecting his rookie dues. But that seems harsh.
Underpaid: Rudy Gobert (three years, $6.5 million remaining)
Rim protection isn't cheap. Or at least it shouldn't be.
The Jazz have one of the very best interior stoppers in Rudy Gobert, a player whose insertion into the starting lineup last year coincided with a defensive transformation down the stretch. Once he took over for Kanter in the middle, Gobert led the Jazz to the top post-All-Star-break defensive rating in the league, according to NBA.com.
If he could get out of his deal and hit the open market, he'd easily command a max salary. Instead, Utah has him locked into team control for three more years at an insultingly cheap rookie-scale deal.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Overpaid: Nene (one year, $13 million remaining)
Based on the length of investment (four years) and total dollars committed ($49.6 million), it was tempting to go with Marcin Gortat here. That's a long time and a lot of money for a 31-year-old big man.
But the cap rise will help Gortat's deal look better going forward, and he's been routinely outperforming Nene for a while now—especially when you factor in the disparity in durability. Gortat played all 82 games last year and 81 the year before.
Meanwhile, Nene hasn't been healthy since 2010.
Underpaid: Bradley Beal (two years, $13.2 million remaining)
Bradley Beal should make the jump to the All-Star Game in this, his age-22 season. And if he signs his rookie extension before Nov. 2, it'll be for something close to the max.
There are health concerns here, but those are only relevant if/when Beal is raking in $15 million per year. As it stands now, he could miss half the season and still count as a team-friendly investment.
All salary info courtesy of BasketballInsiders.com.
Stats via NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com.
Follow @gt_hughes.
