Ranking: The most overpaid players in NBA history

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Ranking: The most overpaid players in NBA history

Frank Urbina, HoopsHype · HoopsHype

Fri, Oct 9, 2026 ·

28 min read

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With salaries exploding in the NBA over the past decade, players are setting salary-related records every year, both positive and negative.

Today, we'll examine the latter examples as we rank the Top 30 most overpaid players in NBA history.

To determine which players historically have been overpaid, we used our own Alberto De Roa'sReal Value metric (explained in depth here ) to compare players' Real Values with their actual salaries each year. This analysis reveals which players were most overpaid (or underpaid) throughout NBA history.

Check out our findings below.

1. Paul George

Sep 28, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul George (13) talks to reporters during media day at Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-6

Real Value:$258,228,881

Career earnings:$407,966,827

Difference:-$149,737,946 (-36.70 percent)

Last time we did this exercise two years ago, Paul Georgejust barely cracked the ranking, checking in at No. 26. Here's what we predicted could happen then:

A surprising addition on this list, Paul Georgehas been quite overpaid of late, by $19.1 million in 2021-22, by $20.5 million in 2022-23 and by $17.5 million in 2023-24, his final year with the Los Angeles Clippers . Those three seasons have caused George to fly up this list, and considering he just signed another huge deal, a four-year, $211.6 million contract with the 76ers which will peak in 2027-28 – when George is 37 - at $56.6 million, there's a solid shot the star swingman makes a huge jump in these rankings over the coming years.

Well, we were right: George went from barely making the Top 30 most overpaid players ever to taking the top overall spot from Gordon Hayward. George has been overpaid by an unfathomable $85.2 million over the past two seasons, per our metric, peaking in 2024-25 with a $44.4 million overpay. That season, George averaged 16.2 points on 43.0 percent shooting in 41 appearances for the Philadelphia 76ers while being paid $49.2 million, output that Real Value valued at $4.8 million.

Considering George has appeared in just 41 and 37 games over the past two league years, it could be wishful thinking on the part of Boston Celtics fans that the team won't take a step back in 2026-27 with George taking the reins for Jaylen Brown, who just earned 2nd Team All-NBA honors for Boston. What's more, George is under contract for two more years, which will pay him $54.1 million in 2026-27 and $56.6 million in 2027-28, with the latter campaign having a player option on it (spoiler alert: George will be opting into the final year of his deal). George will be 38 by the time his current contract runs out.

That's all to say: George will likely only widen his lead in this exercise and make it a commanding one over the coming seasons as the most overpaid player in NBA history.

For more of Paul George's career salary info, click here .

2. Bradley Beal

Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (0) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-4

Real Value:$196,504,514

Career earnings:$344,509,803

Difference:-$148,005,289 (-42.96 percent)

Los Angeles Clippers 2-guard Bradley Bealonce had what was considered the worst contract in the NBA, inexplicably including a true no-trade clause, an honor he shared only with LeBron Jamesat the time. And that's with Beal not performing close to the All-Star level he had previously been at. Beal got that monstrous contract from the Washington Wizards in 2022: a five-year, $251 million deal that aged very poorly, and quickly, too.

Beal was hugely overpaid in 2024-25, by a ridiculous $42.4 million sum, according to our Real Value metric. That season, the three-time All-Star made $50.2 million while averaging 17.0 points on 49.7 percent shooting in just 53 appearances. Beal was fifth in salary that season but ranked outside of the Top 125 players in the NBA in WS/48, VORP and BPM , which explains why our metric believes the former Florida Gator was so greatly overpaid.

Beal also has one season in his career in which he was overpaid by over $35 million, which explains why he ranks so high in this exercise. With Beal set to earn only $6.4 million from the Los Angeles Clippers in 2026-27, it'll come down to his health whether he can surpass George in this exercise this year.

For more of Bradley Beal's career salary info, click here .

3. Klay Thompson

Oct 3, 2026; Quebec City, Quebec, CAN; Miami Heat guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball against Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) during the first quarter at Videotron Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-5

Real Value:$157,246,307

Career earnings:$302,092,444

Difference:-$144,846,137 (-47.95 percent)

The fact that even at his pre-injury peak, Klay Thompsonwas still not an analytics darling makes it less surprising that our Real Value metric has him as one of the most overpaid NBA players ever. What really hurt Thompson was missing back-to-back seasons while earning a combined $68.1 million, which sank him in our exercise.

Even after he returned, Thompson obviously wasn't his prime self. Thompson's most overpaid season was 2023-24. That year, the all-time-great shooter had a Real Value of $13.1 million while earning $43.2 million for a $30.1 million overpay. 2021-22 wasn't much better for Thompson, as he was overpaid by $24 million that year, his first post-injury.

Thompson might actually be underpaid this upcoming season, however, his first with the Miami Heat , as he has a $5.6 million salary for 2026-27. Considering his Real Value last season was $5.3 million, Thompson's current salary is pretty close to what our metric values him at.

For more of Klay Thompson's career salary info, click here .

4. Khris Middleton

Feb 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) defends Dallas Mavericks forward Khris Middleton (20) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-5

Real Value:$154,186,168

Career earnings:$291,724,574

Difference:-$137,538,406 (-47.15 percent)

After spending much of the early part of his career underrated and underpaid, Milwaukee Bucks bucket-getter Khris Middletonhas had the opposite impact in recent years, at least by our Real Value metric.

In 2022-23, Middleton averaged 15.1 points on 43.6 percent shooting in just 33 appearances, missing much of the year with injuries. In that campaign, he earned $38.0 million but had a Real Value of $9.8 million for a $28.2 million overpay, per our stats.

Middleton now has an astounding three seasons in which our metric believes he was overpaid by at least $25 million, peaking in 2025-26, when Real Value said the veteran forward was overpaid by $30.3 million. He averaged 10.2 points on 42.0 percent shooting in 63 appearances last season while earning a monster $35 million-plus salary.

Even now signed to a humble three-year, $17.6 million deal, Middleton is going to have a tough time getting back to the underpaid department, especially given how poorly his game has aged.

For more of Khris Middleton's career salary info, click here .

5. Gordon Hayward

Sep 25, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) controls the ball against the Miami Heat during the second half in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-4

Real Value:$141,657,486

Career earnings:$272,742,175

Difference:-$131,084,689 (-48.06 percent)

Hayward played his way into a max deal with the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2017 after seven excellent seasons with the Utah Jazz, including one All-Star campaign. That deal was worth four years and $120 million.

Five minutes into that contract, Hayward sadly destroyed his leg going up for an alley-oop and was unable to stay healthy from then on, despite valiantly coming back and playing for another six seasons.

What was harder to believe was that the Charlotte Hornets gave him another four-year, $120 million contract in 2020, even though it was pretty obvious the former Butler star was no longer the same player he was pre-injury. Hayward would never play in more than 51 regular-season games in a league year after signing that deal.

Hayward was paid roughly $240 million over a stretch of seven seasons in which he appeared in just 319 games out of a potential 564 (he had roughly 56.6 percent availability from 2017-18 to 2023-24) while averaging 14.5 points.

For more of Gordon Hayward's career salary info, click here .

6. Andrew Wiggins

Apr 12, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) looks to drive against Atlanta Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (2) during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:8-4

Real Value:$133,969,609

Career earnings:$251,390,650

Difference:-$117,421,041 (-46.71 percent)

After playing a major role in the Golden State Warriors' 2021-22 title run, former No. 1 pick Andrew Wigginsdealt with family matters that limited his time on the court and made him look like a shell of the player he was in the 2022 playoffs.

Wiggins has been one of the league's most overpaid players from 2022-23 through last season, peaking in 2022-23 when the Canadian forward was overpaid by $22.6 million, according to our Real Value metric. Wiggins did bounce back some in 2025-26 when he was merely overpaid by $14.3 million as a member of the Miami Heat.

Those overpays stem from the massive deals Wiggins signed in Minnesota (five years and over $147 million in the summer of 2017) and Golden State (four years, $109 million in 2022), but considering Wiggins' new contract with Miami will pay him just $64 million over three years, Wiggins might not be as overpaid going forward.

For more of Andrew Wiggins' career salary info, click here .

7. John Wall

Jan 6, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall (11) goes up against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (5) in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:8-5

Real Value:$161,517,595

Career earnings:$276,580,866

Difference:-$115,063,271 (-41.60 percent)

Another star player afflicted by injuries in his prime, former Washington Wizards star John Wallmissed the entire 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. Over those two campaigns combined, Wall was earning max money to the tune of $82.5 million, all while appearing in zero games.

Wall's case is particularly sad and proof that money can't buy happiness, as the former No. 1 overall pick shared how dark things got for him during this time in his life, even indicating that he considered taking his own life ( via ESPN ):

John Wall says he considered taking his own life during a time in the last three years when he was dealing with a torn Achilles and the deaths of family members at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. ...."Darkest place I've ever been in," Wall said. "At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide. I mean, just tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passed a year later, all this in the midst of COVID and at the same time, me going to chemotherapy, me sitting by my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for three days straight laying on the couch beside her."

Here's hoping Wall's in a better place mentally these days.

For more of John Wall's career salary info, click here .

8. Tobias Harris

May 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) in the second half during game seven of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:11-4

Real Value:$189,448,126

Career earnings:$303,084,872

Difference:-$113,636,746 (-37.49 percent)

Owner of the distinction of being the highest-paid player with zero All-Star appearances in NBA history , new San Antonio Spurs forward Tobias Harrishas been overpaid by at least $20 million three times in his career, a huge number, with his most overpaid season coming in 2021-22 ($36.0 million Real Value vs. $14.7 million actual value).

Harris was never able to go from good starter to All-Star with Philadelphia after signing a monster deal worth five years and $180 million with the team, leading to him ranking so high here. The former Tennessee Volunteer did bounce back in the overpay department in 2025-26, as our Real Value metric deemed it that Harris was merely overpaid by $7.4 million last season. Harris is a solid modern power forward, able to space the floor, drive the ball, pull up from the midrange and defend different positions; he just hasn't performed at the level of the huge contracts he's signed in his career.

However, now that Harris has signed in San Antonio for two years and $31 million, the versatile big man might actually be underpaid over the next two campaigns.

For more of Tobias Harris' career salary info, click here .

9. Zach LaVine

Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:6-7

Real Value:$160,741,411

Career earnings:$256,839,617

Difference:-$96,098,206 (-37.42 percent)

Former UCLA standout Zach LaVinehas three seasons in our database in which he's been overpaid by at least $20 million, and two by $30 million-plus. LaVine's most overpaid season was 2025-26. Last year, LaVine had a base salary of $47.5 million. He posted a Real Value of $5.6 million after averaging just 19.2 points on 47.9 percent shooting in 39 appearances for a near $42 million overpay, one of the largest in our database.

Prior to that, LaVine's biggest overpay was in 2023-24, his final full season with the Chicago Bulls, when he was overpaid by $37.2 million. That has led to LaVine flying up these rankings, as the last time we did this exercise two years ago, the high-flying 2-guard didn't even make the Top 30. Now, he's Top 10. LaVine has one season left on his deal, which will pay him nearly $49 million , so LaVine could very well crack the Top 5 here next time we run it.

For more of Zach LaVine's career salary info, click here .

10. CJ McCollum

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:11-2

Real Value:$186,698,014

Career earnings:$281,115,908

Difference:-$94,417,894 (-33.59 percent)

McCollum's most overpaid season was 2024-25, when he earned $33.3 million while posting a Real Value of $9.0 million for a $24.3 million overpay. That was McCollum's final full season with the New Orleans Pelicans when the Lehigh product averaged 21.1 points on 44.4 percent shooting in 56 appearances for a 21-win Pelicans team. McCollum was still overpaid, per our metric, in 2025-26, but not as badly; McCollum's Real Value was $22.4 million while he earned $30.7 million for a $8.3 million overpay, nowhere near as ugly a mark as the season prior.

The Atlanta Hawks signed McCollum to a one-year, $21 million extension last summer, so if he produces at the same level he did in 2025-26, he might actually be underpaid in 2026-27.

For more of CJ McCollum's career salary info, click here .

11. Steven Adams

Dec 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:9-3

Real Value:$93,247,965

Career earnings:$186,090,438

Difference:-$92,842,473 (-49.89 percent)

Injury troubles are the primary reason Steven Adamsfinds himself so high up in this ranking. Since 2023-24, Adams has appeared in just 40.2 percent of potential games, including missing the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign as he recovered from right knee surgery. Surprisingly, however, Adams' most overpaid season came before the injury issues; in 2018-19, Adams earned $24.2 million while posting a Real Value of $13.0 million for a $11.2 million overpay. Adams actually had a solid performance that year, averaging 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds in 80 appearances for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That goes to show that Adams' poor standing here has more to do with his impact, mostly on the offensive glass and elite screen-setting, being hard to measure statistically than with him being an underperforming player.

For more of Steven Adams' career salary info, click here .

12. Draymond Green

Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) against the Phoenix Suns during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-4

Real Value:$138,675,957

Career earnings:$229,042,308

Difference:-$90,366,351 (-39.45 percent)

Former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Greenis up to seven seasons overpaid by at least $11 million, according to our Real Value metric, peaking in his most recent campaign, 2025-26. Last season, Green earned $25.9 million while posting a Real Value of $7.3 million, following a league year that saw him average 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game with dwindling defensive impact. Green just signed a one-year, $27.7 million extension with the Warriors, and if he performs at a level similar to last season in 2026-27, Green will climb these rankings even further.

For more of Draymond Green's career salary info, click here .

13. Kristaps Porzingis

Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (7) against the Phoenix Suns during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-4

Real Value:$138,675,957

Career earnings:$229,042,308

Difference:-$90,366,351 (-39.45 percent)

A player who has flown up these rankings, Kristaps Porzingishas been greatly overpaid over the last two seasons, per our metric. In 2024-25, Porzingis was overpaid by $17.7 million after posting a Real Value of $11.6 million. The big Latvian followed that up in 2025-26 by posting a Real Value of $5.6 million while earning a whopping $30.7 million for a $25.1 million overpay, the biggest of his career. The fact that Porzingis has appeared in just 74 games over the last two seasons played a large part in that.

Even more eyebrow-raising is that the Golden State Warriors, knowing Porzingis is dealing with hard-to-identify health issues, still signed the big man to a two-year, $40 million extension last summer, so we expect Porzingis to rise even higher in these rankings in the coming years.

For more of Kristaps Porzingis' career salary info, click here .

14. Tyson Chandler

Dec 13, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler (4) against the New York Knicks at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:17-2

Real Value:$100,189,162

Career earnings:$189,644,026

Difference:-$89,454,864 (-47.17 percent)

Tyson Chandlerprobably isn't thought of as someone who was hugely overpaid in his NBA career – in fact, he's one of the only players ever to win NBA, World and Olympic titles in their career. He also made an All-Star team and was once named Defensive Player of the Year.

But the analytics just didn't love his output, as Chandler was a somewhat limited player, one without much range on offense and who wasn't much of a defender outside of protecting the paint or banging with other paint-bound centers down low. How would Chandler fare in today's NBA, where the majority of centers space the floor in one way or another?

Still, the former No. 2 overall pick wasn't obscenely overpaid for any one season. He played for so long while earning so much money that he ends up near the top of this list.

Chandler's most overpaid season, according to Real Value, came in 2018-19, when he made $13.6 million to average 3.1 points and 3.9 rebounds, an $11.5 million overpay by our metric.

For more of Tyson Chandler's career salary info, click here .

15. Nicolas Batum

Mar 23, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum (33) reacts after missing a shot during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:14-4

Real Value:$120,829,673

Career earnings:$209,818,557

Difference:-$88,988,884 (-42.41 percent)

French swingman Nicolas Batumwas one of the players who benefited enormously from the summer 2016 NBA salary-cap jump. As such, Batum, a role player, got a five-year, $120 million deal from the Charlotte Hornets that summer, one that Batum didn't come close to living up to. His most overpaid season came in 2019-20 when he was overpaid by $22.6 million by the Hornets, according to Real Value, for a campaign in which he earned $25.6 million to average 3.6 points on 34.6 percent shooting over 22 appearances.

For more of Nicolas Batum's career salary info, click here .

16. Kevin Love

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 13: Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball past Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of the preseason game on October 13, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:12-6

Real Value:$194,710,728

Career earnings:$280,362,518

Difference:-$85,651,790 (-30.55 percent)

Likely future Hall of Famer Kevin Lovehas enjoyed an illustrious career, making five All-Star appearances and winning a championship in 2016 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The biggest contract he signed in his career came in 2018 when Cleveland had to slightly overpay to convince him to stay after LeBron James'departure. Love signed for four years and $120 million that summer, leading to the most overpaid season of his career. That came in 2022-23 when he earned $30.6 million but produced a Real Value of just $6 million. Love was bought out that season by Cleveland after eight-plus fantastic campaigns there.

For more of Kevin Love's career salary info, click here .

17. Jonathan Isaac

Feb 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) dunks the ball against LA Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:7-2

Real Value:$32,325,669

Career earnings:$117,124,405

Difference:-$84,798,736 (-72.40 percent)

Former Florida State standout Jonathan Isaachas been in the NBA for nine years, but he has only suited up in 45.9 percent of possible games in that time span, missing two entire seasons due to injury. Even so, he's been such an impactful defender that the Orlando Magic signed him to a five-year, $84 million deal in 2024, which helps explain why Isaac is on this list. We don't have to go into detail on how a player who has missed over half of the potential games in his career is considered overpaid by our metric.

For more of Jonathan Isaac's career salary info, click here .

18. Juwan Howard

Washington Bullets' forward Juwan Howard (5) lands on Miami Heat forward P.J. Brown (42) as he dunks the ball during the first quarter of NBA play at Miami Arena, March 6.SPORT NBA — Washington Bullets' forward Juwan Howard (5) lands on Miami Heat forward P.J. Brown (42) as he dunks the ball during the first quarter of NBA play at Miami Arena, March 6. SPORT NBA

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:14-5

Real Value:$67,608,679

Career earnings:$151,839,471

Difference:-$84,230,792 (-55.47 percent)

After just two seasons in the NBA and one All-Star appearance, Juwan Howard'sservices were already the subject of a bidding war between the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards, one in which the latter party came out victorious. Howard got a seven-year, $105 million deal with the then-Bullets, an enormous deal for the time.

The problem for Washington was Howard didn't develop much after his first two seasons, never making another All-Star campaign and experiencing little team success until late in his career. Howard's most overpaid season came in 2002-03 when he earned $20.6 million while averaging 18.4 points over 77 games, a $13.4 million overpay, according to Real Value.

For more of Juwan Howard's career salary info, click here .

19. Harrison Barnes

Mar 25, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-4

Real Value:$137,096,528

Career earnings:$220,981,290

Difference:-$83,884,762 (-37.96 percent)

At one time, Harrison Barneswas the No. 1 high school basketball recruit in the country. He never lived up to that potential, but he has done well to forge a long, lucrative career in the NBA. Barnes could space the floor from three, drive, finish and defend multiple positions, making him a high-level role player for a long time. Regardless, that hasn't helped him much in terms of being overpaid, since his impact goes beyond the stat sheet.

For more of Harrison Barnes' career salary info, click here .

20. Jrue Holiday

Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) drives to the basket during the first half against San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:12-5

Real Value:$238,777,879

Career earnings:$322,554,591

Difference:-$83,776,712 (-25.97 percent)

Veteran lead guard Jrue Holidayis coming off his most overpaid season, earning $32.4 million in 2025-26 while posting a Real Value of $13.3 million, a $19.1 million overpay. Holiday has been an effective two-way guard for his entire career, a highly impactful one at times, too, but his impact goes beyond the stat sheet, so even using our advanced metrics, we don't think we fully captured his peak impact, hence why he's getting punished by being included in this ranking.

For more of Jrue Holiday's career salary info, click here .

21. Dikembe Mutombo

LOS ANGELES - MARCH 30: Dikembe Mutombo #55 of the Houston Rockets looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on March 30, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The Rockets won 107-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:16-11

Real Value:$63,928,441

Career earnings:$143,666,581

Difference:-$79,738,140 (-55.50 percent)

One of the best defensive players ever, ranking second in NBA history in blocks, Dikembe Mutombowas highly paid throughout his career, almost to an inflated extent. Mutombo never developed into much of an offensive threat outside of lobs and near-bucket finishing and yet ranked Top 11 in salary nine times throughout his 18-year career, even peaking as the league's second-highest-paid player in 2004-05 when he made $19.5 million.

Needless to say, that was an overpay. In fact, that year was Mutombo's most overpaid campaign, per Real Value, as he averaged 4.0 points and 5.3 rebounds over 80 appearances for an overpay of $17.3 million, according to the metric.

For more of Dikembe Mutombo's career salary info, click here .

22. Danilo Gallinari

Mar 20, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari (8) controls the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:11-14

Real Value:$127,686,839

Career earnings:$205,014,876

Difference:-$77,328,037 (-37.72 percent)

Veteran forward Danilo Gallinarididn't have a single season where he was egregiously overpaid, according to Real Value, with his most overpaid season coming in 2021-22. That year, the Italian shooting specialist earned $20.5 million but produced at the level of a player worth $7.3 million for an overpay of $13.2 million.

But due to injuries, Gallinari spent a lot of his career underperforming his salary, as the 2008 draftee had four seasons where he was overpaid by at least $10 million, per our metric.

Gallinari having two other full seasons where he didn't see action in a single game (2013-14 and 2022-23) due to injury also played a large part in his place in this ranking, with the now-36-year-old earning roughly $16.7 million combined in those two campaigns.

For more of Danilo Gallinari's career salary info, click here .

23. Chandler Parsons

Apr 9, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons (25) controls the ball during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:6-3

Real Value:$49,902,469

Career earnings:$127,164,774

Difference:-$77,262,305 (-60.76 percent)

Considered one of the worst contracts in league history, former NBA forward Chandler Parsonssigned a four-year, $94.5 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in the summer of 2016, despite showing signs of injury troubles in the seasons just prior to that.

The contract went even more disastrously than expected, as Parsons would go on to play in 34, 36, 25 and five games in the four campaigns of the deal, never averaging more than 7.9 points in that span of time before being out of the league by his age-32 season. In that five-game season, Parsons was paid $25.1 million for contributions Real Value deemed worth roughly $509,000, a gargantuan $24.6 million overpay.

For more of Chandler Parsons' career salary info, click here .

24. Jerami Grant

Apr 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) against the Phoenix Suns during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:7-5

Real Value:$94,125,261

Career earnings:$171,300,972

Difference:-$77,175,711 (-45.05 percent)

Versatile power forward Jerami Grantis another player whose impact isn't always easy to measure on the stat sheet. From the 3/4 spot, he can space the floor from three, hit midrange jumpers, slash to the basket, finish and also defend different positions on the other end. If he's your best player, your team might not make the playoffs, but as a third or fourth option, he can make an impact. Either way, our advanced metric doesn't think all that high of him, as it believes he's been overpaid by over $77 million in his career. 2024-25 was the biggest overpay of Grant's career, as his salary was $29.8 million last season while his Real Value was $4.5 million for a $25.3 million overpay.

For more of Jerami Grant's career salary info, click here .

25. Otto Porter

Nov 12, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Otto Porter Jr. (32) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) defends in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:8-3

Real Value:$64,599,185

Career earnings:$140,520,040

Difference:-$75,920,855 (-54.03 percent)

Similar to Gallinari, another swingman who finds himself on this list mostly due to injuries is Otto Porter. Porter looked like a very promising talent early on in his career back when he was with the Washington Wizards, parlaying his best career season in 2016-17 (13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals on 43.4 percent accuracy from three) into a four-year, $106.5 million contract in the summer of 2017.

Needless to say, Porter failed to live up to that contract, spending roughly another season and a half in Washington before the Bulls traded him and he missed a lot of games before the contract expired. Porter's most overpaid season came in 2020-21 when he averaged 9.7 points over 28 games while earning $28.5 million, which Real Value deemed to be a $22.5 million overpay.

For more of Otto Porter's career salary info, click here .

26. Evan Fournier

Mar 22, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Evan Fournier (31) looks to pass under the basket while being guarded by Boston Celtics forward Oshae Brissett (12) in the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:8-4

Real Value:$72,749,158

Career earnings:$145,856,244

Difference:-$73,107,086 (-50.12 percent)

With his NBA career over, Evan Fournierwill no longer move up these rankings for the time being, barring a surprising NBA return later.

The French guard had some bright moments in the NBA, including a five-season stretch in which he averaged 17.0 points per game on 45.1 percent shooting. But once he hit his late 20s and early 30s, Fournier's athleticism faded, and with it, his effectiveness as an NBA player.

For more of Evan Fournier's career salary info, click here .

27. Ben Simmons

Sep 28, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons (25) during media day at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:6-3

Real Value:$92,087,731

Career earnings:$164,607,726

Difference:-$72,519,995 (-44.06 percent)

Early on in his career, former No. 1 pick Ben Simmonswas considered underpaid by our metric, as the big Australian guard was an All-Star in three of his first four seasons, a one-time 3rd Team All-NBAer and a two-time 1st Team All-Defender. Then came the injuries and the lost confidence, and Simmons quickly became overpaid, especially after signing his five-year, $170 million max extension with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019. Simmons was most overpaid in 2024-25 when he earned $40.3 million while posting a Real Value of $3.3 million. Simmons made 51 appearances that season and averaged 5.0 points and 5.6 assists on 52 percent shooting.

Regardless, Simmons has a chance to buck that trend in his career this season with the Sacramento Kings. He signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Kings, and if reports about his fitness level are true, Simmons might outperform that contract this upcoming campaign, which could knock him out of this exercise next time we run it.

For more of Ben Simmons' career salary info, click here .

28. Blake Griffin

Apr 9, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin (91) shoots the ball over Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:8-6

Real Value:$188,897,218

Career earnings:$261,338,564

Difference:-$72,441,346 (-27.72 percent)

As has been the case for a lot of the stars on this list, injuries in his prime are the primary cause of Blake Griffinis ranked on this list, as, per our numbers, he was overpaid in more seasons of his career than he was underpaid.

According to our Real Value metric, from 2019-20 through 2021-22, Griffin was overpaid by a combined $81.4 million, peaking that final campaign at $28.8 million. The main reason Griffin doesn't rank even higher on this list is the fact that he started off his career so strong, greatly outperforming his rookie-scale contract. By the time his rookie-scale extension kicked in back in 2013-14, Griffin had already won Rookie of the Year, made three All-Star appearances and earned back-to-back 2nd Team All-NBA selections.

It's unfortunate that after that, Griffin's knees gave out on him and although he did have some great years after that, including a 3rd Team All-NBA campaign in 2018-19 with the Detroit Pistons, he was never really able to live up to his monster contracts, namely, his five-year, $171.2 million deal from 2017.

For more of Blake Griffin's career salary info, click here .

29. Brian Grant

Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley (L) tries to get the ball away from the Miami Heat's Brian Grant in the first quarter of their NBA second-round Game 4 in Miami, Florida May 12, 2004. REUTERS/Marc Serota JLS

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:10-3

Real Value:$38,098,237

Career earnings:$109,842,052

Difference:-$71,743,815 (-65.32 percent)

Former NBA big man Brian Grantwas a solid player in his prime, battling and finding some success against the much bigger centers of his time thanks to his tenacity and instincts.

Even so, Grant was overpaid, earning a six-year, $56 million contract from the Portland Trail Blazers and then a seven-year, $86 million deal from Miami. Grant's most overpaid season came in 2005-06 when he averaged 2.9 points over 21 appearances while earning $16.0 million, an overpay of $15.6 million, per Real Value.

Little did we know that Grant was already being affected by Parkinson's disease around that time, which would eventually end his NBA career far too early.

For more of Brian Grant's career salary info, click here .

30. Kevin Garnett

Jan 21, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett (2) reacts after missing a basket against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Nets won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid:17-5

Real Value:$272,441,789

Career earnings:$343,862,398

Difference:-$71,420,609 (-20.77 percent)

One of the greatest power forwards of all time, Kevin Garnettwas always compensated at that level, ranking as the league's highest-paid player ever until LeBron James some time ago now . KG led the league in salary seven times in his career and ranked in the Top 5 six other times.

So if you're wondering how our metric could consider a 15-time All-Star and former league MVP overpaid, here's how: Garnett is one of the league's all-time greats, no doubt, but he was always compensated that way. Garnett's most overpaid season came in 2008-09 when he averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds while earning $24.8 million, an overpay of $10.6 million, per Real Value.

For more of Kevin Garnett's career salary info, click here .

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Ranking: The most overpaid players in NBA history

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