According to NBA team payrolls, each club spends about $1.7 million per win. Economist David Berri, author of the book Stumbling on Wins, who looks inside the stats to find the number of wins NBA players produce for their teams. In addition to points, rebounds and assists, Berri's formula matches player stats like points, rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers and field goal percentage against each player's overall team stats to calculate efficiency (more offensive possessions result in more chances to score, etc). A comparison of wins produced to salary sheds light on how much NBA players produce for the buck. The numbers show that for the 2009-10 season, these 10 players got the most for contributing the least. Players that missed significant time with injuries are excluded.
credit - Forbes.com
http://www.ranker.com/list/the-nba_s-10-most-overpaid-players-in-2010-2011/premesh,
Al Harrington
Salary: $10 million
The typical Knicks move during the Isiah Thomas regime--Harrington can score (18 points per game last year, 14 per game for his career), but he also turns the ball over and converts just over 40% of his shots. A 6-9 power forward, he averages less than six rebounds a game. The salary-cap clearing Knicks let Harrington walk as a free agent to Denver, where he's making $5.7 million this year.
Ben Gordon
Salary: $10 million
The seventh-year guard out of Connecticut has always been an inefficient scorer--high scoring averages with low shooting percentages--with little interest in passing or rebounding (1.5 assists per game last season.) Since moving to Detroit from Chicago in 2009, Gordon's scoring is down, too.
Brad Miller
Salary: $12.3 million
The 11-year vet started fewer than half the Bulls 82 games last season, averaging 8.8 points on 43% shooting. He took a pay cut to join Houston this year, but still got roughly $15 million over three years
Darius Songaila
Salary: $4.5 million
The Russian power forward has bounced around on five teams since entering the NBA in 2003-04. He averaged seven points and three rebounds in 19 minutes a game last year for the Hornets, who shipped him to Philadelphia just before the start of the 2010-11 season.
Elton Brand
Salary: $14.9 million
A 20-plus point scorer in six of his first eight seasons, Brand hasn't hit that number since 2006-07. An inside player who shot below 50% last year, the former Duke star averaged just 13 points and six boards a game.
Gilbert Arenas
Salary: Six-year $111 million contract with the Wizards.
I feel as though the only time I ever hear about Gilbert anymore is with the words gun or injury attached to his name. Don't get me wrong he is a great basketball player, but his injuries and gun charges take away from his potential. The man is overpaid.
Jermaine O'Neal
Salary: $23 million
Averaged a solid 13.5 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes per game, but $23 million? The Celtics nabbed him for a more reasonable $5.7 million this year after his Miami deal expired
Do the Celtics think that the addition of Jermaine O'Neal will get them that title again? Click here to read what Doc River has to say about the matter.
Predrag Stojaković
Salary: $13.4 million
Stojakovic, a longtime NBA sharpshooter, has slowed down since his 20-plus points scoring days in Sacramento. He got 32 minutes a game last year, averaging less than 13 points and two assists on 40% shooting.
Rashard Lewis
Salary: $18.9 million
Not only was Lewis's scoring down (14 points a game from almost 18 in 2008-09), he averaged only 1.5 assists and shot 43.5% from the floor
While Rashard Lewis isn't playing up to his potential, what can the Magic do to stay on top in the East? Here are some interesting suggestions.
Zydrunas Llgauskas
Salary: $11.5 million
The 7-3 center averaged less than a block per game last year, while shooting 44% from the floor. His Cleveland deal expired, he followed buddy LeBron to Miami this year for $1.35 million.