The NBA is full of incredible talent, but let’s face it—some players are cashing checks that make us do a double-take. Whether it’s due to injuries, underperformance, or just plain bad contracts, these athletes are making bank without necessarily making buckets. Buckle up as we count down the most overpaid ballers in the league team by team. Get ready to laugh, cry, and maybe even re-negotiate your own paycheck!
Brooklyn Nets - Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is a former three-time All-Star. However, his career has taken a sad turn in recent years. While Simmons looks physically well, he simply is not the same player and has a hard time when it comes to shooting threes. More so, he often passes up opening shots with the fear of getting fouled. While he used to be seen as one of the major stars of the team, he has now dropped to the third-string center.
Based on this rapid decline in his performance, it seems ghastly that the Brooklyn Nets still pay him a whopping $35 million a year. He is among the highest-paid players in the NBA, even though he hardly features in games.
Charlotte Hornets - Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward used to be a promising prospect for the Charlotte Hornets. However, the fact of the matter is that he simply has not been the same player since his gruesome foot injury while playing in Boston. While he used to be viewed as the number one or two option, he is now a third pick for the team. He can still be productive while playing, but he hasn’t been able to fit in more than 52 games a season since 2018.
With this in mind, you may be surprised to learn that he is paid over $30 million a season. This is even more shocking when you take into account that he only features for roughly half of the regular season.
Atlanta Hawks - Trae Young
Trae Young is a bright talent with many years still ahead of him. However, at only 25 years of age, he hasn’t really had the chance to justify the $37 million salary that he currently receives. It’s safe to say that the Atlanta Hawks only offered the young star such a massive salary in order to tie him down for the foreseeable future. With that being said, Young may not even be the best young player on the Atlanta Hawks team - he has simply generated the most hype.
In the past year, he has developed a reputation for shaky three-point shooting and below-average performance on his ball defense. This leads many to believe he's overpaid for what he can do.
Boston Celtics - Al Horford
Al Horford is considered the heart and soul of the Boston Celtics team, mostly due to the fact that he is one of the oldest players. He offers valuable experience that every team needs, keeping the younger players grounded. On top of this, he is known for being an extremely hard worker when it comes to defense. He is, however, 36 years old and injury-prone. For this reason, his $26 million salary is far from ideal.
This large salary could easily be split amongst two younger rotation pieces, making the team deeper. With that being said, it is hard to cut out one of the legends of the sport, especially when he is so respected by the current stars of the team.
Chicago Bulls - Coby White
When compared to some of the other teams in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls probably have the most subtle salaries. That said, Coby White was a lottery pick for the team out of North Carolina four years ago. Since then, he hasn’t really established himself as a top player for the team. While earning nearly $7.5 million a year, he has yet to show consistent performances as a combo guard without a true position.
More so, his scoring totals have halved in comparison to his second season with the team, showing why he is not in their long-term plans.
Cleveland Cavaliers - Caris LeVert
The Cleveland Cavaliers is a team packed full of young and aspiring talents. This includes Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Caris LeVert. While the former three all earn pretty reasonable salaries, LeVert earns close to $19 million a year. This is rather high, considering how wildly inconsistent he has been in recent years. To be more specific, he averages 11.5 PPG on 41% from the field, which is not particularly impressive.
While he still has many years to learn and improve, most are of the opinion that his salary is way too high for what he currently offers the team.
Denver Nuggets - Michael Porter Jnr.
To be fair, Michael Porter Jnr. has the potential to back up his $31 million salary. He’s 6 ft 10, has a never-say-die attitude, and a great shooting ability. Talents like Porter simply do not come around very often. With that being said, it’s clear that the Denver Nuggets wanted to lock the player down with an impressive salary before one of the bigger teams could get a hold of him. However, Porter suffers from a few health issues that continue to seep into his professional career.
For starters, he sat out his entire rookie season because of a back injury. Since then, he has played only 176 games out of a possible 328.
Dallas Mavericks - Tim Hardaway Jnr.
In recent years, the 3-and-D role has become quite popular amongst NBA teams. This essentially involves wing defenders camping out in the corners and launching three’s when the opportunity arises. These players are usually paid quite handsomely, which is why Tim Hardaway Jnr. is one of the highest earners for the Dallas Mavericks. With an annual salary of just under $20 million, he hasn’t quite been performing the way you would expect.
While he is a very lively and energetic player, his overall field goal percentage sits at 39 percent. To make matters worse, he currently ranks 162nd in the NBA overall defensive win shares.
Detroit Pistons - Marvin Bagley III
Bagley III is a flier who simply hasn’t found his place in the NBA quite yet. With a year left on his current deal, we aren’t quite sure whether or not the contract will be extended or if the Detroit Pistons will look to pass him on to another team. He’s simply not a great defender in terms of rim protection. This is mostly because he is one of the skinnier players on the court, resulting in him getting bullied on the box when posted up.
Considering all this, his $12 million annual salary seems rather excessive. It is worth noting that Bagley is only 25 years of age, meaning that he still has plenty of time to improve and develop.
Golden State Warriors - Draymond Green
Draymond Green brings a lot to the table. For starters, he is the defensive anchor of his team and has been for quite some time. He has an exceptional ability to analyze the game, both as a passer and as a defender. In fact, many would say that he is better at this than anyone currently playing in the NBA. He has championship pedigree, and many teams would love to have him on their side.
However, there is no denying the fact that he doesn’t have many years left in him at this level. At the cusp of turning 33, it’s rather shocking that he still earns upwards of $25 million a year.
Indiana Pacers - Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield is arguably one of the best three-point shooters in the entire NBA. He has so much skill and even more potential, which is why he stands as the highest earner in the Indiana Pacers. However, some would say that his $21 million annual salary is a little bit extreme, as he does feature as a sort of one-trick pony. He’s averaged a 2.5 APG throughout his career, which isn’t exactly phenomenal.
He is also considered a below-average defender, meaning that he doesn’t have much impact other than his shooting.
Memphis Grizzlies - Tyus Jones
The Memphis Grizzlies team doesn’t have any bad contracts at the moment, which is very impressive. They have a very solid team with big plans for the future, which is why none of their players are particularly overpaid. Tyus Jones is one of the league’s best backup point guards at the moment. However, it can be said that a $15 million salary is a bit extreme for a backup player.
It does have to be said that Jones has recently seen a lot more game time, with Ja Morant out for an extended period of time due to injury. For this reason, the higher salary might just be more reasonable for this particular season.
Los Angeles Clippers - Marcus Morris Jnr.
At this point, Marcus Morris Jr. serves the Clippers as a bit starter. He’s not the most reliable in attack or defense, which makes him a bit of a wild card. For this reason, he is usually not a part of the team’s final group during the most important matches. With that being said, he currently earns over $16 million per season, making him the Clippers’ most overpaid player.
While his numbers aren’t terrible, his performances simply don’t correlate to such a high-paying salary. You’d expect him to at least be one of the best shooters in the league.
Los Angeles Lakers - D’Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell is one of those players who either play outstandingly, or you don’t notice that they are on the court. In other words, he is very inconsistent. With that being said, he is solid in transition and still has a pretty decent shooting record. However, he is not a number one or two pick, which means that his $31 million per season salary is a little bit extreme.
Russell struggles the most when it comes to defending and playmaking ability. He isn’t the most athletic guy on the team, which limits his ability to keep up with other players.
Miami Heat - Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry is far from the player that he once was. In his career, he has suffered various injuries, illnesses, and fatigue, which has unfortunately affected his previous All-Star status. To be fair, Lowry is approaching 37 years of age, which makes him one of the oldest players in the league. That said, he still has plenty to offer his team, including fulfilling the main leadership role.
He is no longer a regular starter, making his $28 million annual paycheck on the higher side. His teammates still rate him as an integral part of their squad, so who are we to judge?
New Orleans Pelicans - Jaxson Hayes
When discussing the New Orleans Pelicans, there are a few players who could be discussed as having overpriced contracts. Some would say that Zion Williamson is the most overpaid simply because he is hardly ever available to play. However, in our opinion, Jaxson Hayes has to feature on our list, as he has been incredibly inconsistent in recent years. While he is still young and has many years to improve, his $6 million annual salary is on the high side.
At this point, he simply features as a reserve center, as opposed to the super forward that the club was hoping for. At least they're not paying in the tens or twenty millions.
Milwaukee Bucks - Khris Middleton
We’re splitting hairs with this one, as Kris Middleton is a multiple-time All-Star, as well as a core member of the Milwaukee Bucks. More so, he is one of the best players in the league, so you can expect a high salary. That said, an almost $38 million salary is a little bit excessive. You can tell that the Bucks had no choice but to ramp up his paycheck in order to keep him on their side.
More so, Middleton is almost 32 years of age, meaning that his decline is inevitable. He has already started to struggle more with inconsistency compared to previous years.
Minnesota Timberwolves - Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is a defender through and through, with very poor shooting skills. With that being said, he plays with obvious flaws, even in defense. He’s all but unplayable in the fourth quarters of competitive games, making him a third pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves team. He struggles to keep up with the high tempo of the best teams, making his $38 million salary excessive in most people's opinions.
It’s safe to say that Gobert is not part of the long-term plans of the Minnesota Timberwolves. In fact, this could go down as being one of the worst contracts in NBA history.
New York Knicks - Mitchell Robinson
Mitchell Robinson has to be one of the most inconsistent players in the entire NBA. In fact, he has only played over 70 games once in his entire five-season NBA stint. When healthy and fit, he is definitely a massive asset to the New York Knicks. However, this does not occur very often, resulting in his $17 million contract seeming a bit overpriced. It seems as though the Knicks still see a lot of potential in him, inking him to a multi-year deal.
He still has time to put his money where his mouth is, which is undoubtedly what the Knicks are hoping for. We will have to wait and see what he delivers in the upcoming seasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder - Dario Saric
While Saric earns a pretty standard salary, he would be used as filler in any trades nowadays. He’s a more than competent player but simply would not make the first or second pick for most teams. With that being said, he does have plenty of experience, as he is a veteran player. When you look at the Oklahoma City Thunder roster, it’s safe to say that they have done a pretty decent job of shedding unnecessary contracts and rewarding their star players with higher-paying deals.
For this reason, it’s hard to choose a player who we consider ‘overpaid’ on this team. Seeing as though we have to mention just one name, it would have to be Saric and his $9 million paycheck.
Philadelphia 76ers - Tobias Harris
The board of the Philadelphia 76ers made the decision to keep Tobias Harris over Jimmy Butler, which may now be viewed as a massive mistake. While Harris is a very good player, it’s safe to say that he is not a $37 million player. This is evident when you compare his production levels to those of some of the biggest names in the NBA (who earn similar salaries). On top of this, Harris really struggles in defense.
At the age of 30, you would expect him to be in the prime of his career - however, the 76ers simply aren’t seeing a return on their massive investment. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if they look to replace Harris once his contract expires.
Orlando Magic - Jonathan Isaac
Jonathan Isaac is a great talent when fit and healthy. Towering over most competitors at 6 ft 10, it’s no wonder the Orlando Magic team snatched him up while they could. However, he has struggled with various injuries and illnesses in his young career, which doesn’t bode well for the future. To put this issue into perspective, he once sat out two consecutive seasons due to a variety of leg issues.
For this reason, a $17 million salary seems a little high for a player who will only feature a handful of teams a season.
Phoenix Suns - Chris Paul
Chris Paul was once viewed as the Point God. However, he is far from the player that he once was. In recent years, he has started to suffer from injuries, illnesses, and general fatigue, making him inconsistent and unreliable for the Phoenix Suns team. More so, he isn’t as quick as he used to be, which is essential in the position he plays. Nowadays, he defers more than taking on responsibility himself.
As he approaches 38 years of age, it’s safe to say that the Phoenix Suns are probably looking to offload the player rather than extend his contract.
Portland Trail Blazers - Cam Reddish
The Portland Trail Blazers don’t really have any bad contracts on their team. For this reason, we are stretching it a bit by adding Cam Reddish to our list. While his salary is high, he is basically being paid for his productivity to the team. Reddish is tall, strong, and athletic, meaning that he would be an asset to any team. However, we wouldn’t say that he is a first-pick player. Earning just under $6 million per year, Reddish is actually one of the lowest earners on our list.
With that being said, the Portland Trail Blazers do probably have one of the most conservative budgets, so it’s all relative.
Utah Jazz - Talen Horton-Tucker
Talen Horton-Tucker has a very unusual skillset, making him a unique player for the Utah Jazz squad. He is an incredibly talented athlete and a powerhouse on the court. More so, his exceptionally long arms and crazy ball skills make him stand out in every game. With all this being said, he is not all that quick and struggles with perimeter shooting. Earning just over $10 million a year, many would say that he is slightly overpaid.
However, he’s still incredibly young (22 years) and has plenty of time to work on his weaknesses. LeBron James himself seems to think that Horton-Tucker has all of the potential in the world.
Washington Wizards - Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis is a good player. At 7 ft 3, he towers over just about every opponent, which makes him an exceptionally talented guard. On top of this, he features as a sharpshooter for the Washington Wizards team. If he was consistent, his $33 million yearly salary would make sense. However, Porzingis has struggled with a long history of injuries in recent years. It’s difficult to justify paying a player so much when they are only able to play a handful of times per season.
It’s unclear whether or not the Washington Wizards will keep him on once his contract expires or look to spend the money elsewhere.
Sacramento Kings - Harrison Barnes
While the Sacramento Kings board has done a pretty good job of shedding any bad contracts in recent years, Harrison Barnes stands out as an overpaid player. The club aims to build the squad around its key members, including De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. However, expensive contracts, like Barnes’, make this rather difficult. He earns a total of just over $18 million a year, which is pretty high in comparison to some of his more productive teammates.
Barnes is a good player - he simply is not an $18 million player. While he does offer a lot of experience and leadership, he probably isn’t in the team's long-term plans.
San Antonio Spurs - Devonte Graham
At the moment, the San Antonio Spurs are going through a complete rebuild. Devonte Graham is one of those players that either needs a salary reduction or to be offloaded. He’s not a bad player; he simply is not the cornerstone of the team. For this reason, his $11 million salary seems to be a bit bloated for what he brings to the table. In the past few seasons, he has been inefficient at scoring and struggles to turn the ball over at a high rate.
He’s a very good athlete and defender - he just does not have the all-rounded ability that players need at the highest level.
Toronto Raptors - Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam is a multi-year All-Year, which makes it kind of strange to mention him on our list. However, many people would call him a number 2 pick, which is why you could say that he is slightly overpaid. Earning just more than $35 million a year, he should be one of the star players of the league. Rumor has it that the Toronto Raptors are looking to trade Siakam this upcoming season, which means that they might just agree with us.
It will be interesting to see how else this money could be used, especially if it's not being used on a player that isn't worth the money being put in.
Houston Rockets - N/A
Of all the NBA teams, the Houston Rockets probably have the most reasonable salary roster on the list. In fact, the highest salary of the year went to Jalen Green, who plays as a promising two-guard. He earned a total of $9.4 million in 2023 and is only expected to earn more as he improves and contributes more to the team. This is more than half of most of the other highest-paid players.
The next highest earner is Jabari Smith, who makes a little under $9 million a year. These salaries are pretty standard, especially considering how much talent and promise these young players have.