There’s a reason why ex-NBA players are often jealous about how basketball athletes are paid today. Even when we adjust for inflation, what the old guys earned during their playing days pales in comparison to what most players get in their current contracts. There’s no doubt that there are a lot of NBA players who are vastly overpaid, and some are being paid like a superstar even though they aren’t one.
It’s not just NBA superstars who are overpaid. Overpaying role players is abundant in today’s landscape. Apparently, there’s money to be tossed around since teams are always trying to overpay for potential rather than for a proven player.
Let’s check out all 30 NBA teams’ most overpaid player on their roster heading into the 2025-2026 season.
Who are the most overpaid players for each NBA team?
Atlanta Hawks: Terance Mann
4 years, $58 million
The Hawks can say that, technically, they did not give Mann this kind of dough because he was a trade deadline acquisition from the Clippers back in February. Nonetheless, 15 million dollars for an NBA player who only cracked 10 points per game once in his six-year career is undoubtedly overpaid.
Many pundits thought that Mann was on the trajectory of becoming an all-star a couple of years ago. Well…we could certainly guarantee that he won’t become one any time soon.
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Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown
5 years, $285 million
To his credit, Brown kind of justified his monstrous salary when he won the Finals MVP in 2024. But after his subpar showing and lack of growth in 2025, earning more than 50 million a year for the next four years looks like a blatant overpay by Boston.
Even the Cs know that Brown will never become a tier-one star in this league, and there are rumors that they are openly shopping him in the upcoming offseason.
Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Johnson
4 years, $94 million
Johnson signed a mind-boggling four-year, 94 million contract in 2023 that will run through 2027. While he’s a serviceable pro, paying 20 million a year for a third option player who was thrust to become option one for the Nets has done them more harm than good.
There was once potential that he could become at least an all-star caliber player, but people tend to forget that he’s already 29 years old and has only played six seasons in the NBA.
Charlotte Hornets: Grant Williams
4 years, $54 million
A cool 54 million for a player that doesn’t create his own offense? Good luck with that. That’s the reality for the Hornets when they pried away Williams from Dallas more than a year ago.
Williams was never going to be a stout defender like everybody told him he’d become. Plus, after suffering an ACL tear last season, it would truly make that contract an immovable piece in the immediate future. Looks like he’ll be a member of the Hornets until 2027.
Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams
5 years, $90 million
Certainly, nobody else in the league viewed Williams as being paid 18 million per season except the Bulls. The former 4th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft hasn’t improved much since his rookie season.
Many pundits once viewed him as a late bloomer and could morph into a Kawhi Leonard-type of player, but in reality, he’s nowhere near that assumption.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro
3 years, $38 million
Okoro spent his first five seasons in Cleveland but hasn’t made any progress on the court after showing out in his rookie year. He’s guaranteed more than 10 million per year while playing limited minutes on a stacked Cavaliers team.
Okoro’s still 24, so maybe he will improve next season to justify the contract the team’s front office gave him.
Dallas Mavericks: Jaden Hardy
3 years, $18 million
What’s the point of extending Hardy to a three-year 18 million deal if he only ends up sitting on the bench? The Mavericks truly blundered this decision right from the get-go.
Hardy, even when given playing time, is inconsistent. He tends to fall in love with his jumper rather than attacking the rim to draw fouls. Six million a year for a third-string point guard? That’s crazy.
Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr.
5 years, $179 million
More than 35 million per year for a role player who is either going to score 20 or 2 points in the playoffs? In hindsight, this was an overpay by the Nuggets. Sure, Porter Jr. was instrumental during their 2023 championship run, but his regression might warrant a case study from NBA fanatics all over the world.
He once boasted that he’s on par with Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in terms of talent, but in reality, his ceiling is either a third or fourth option for the Nuggets.
Detroit Pistons: Tobias Harris
2 years, $52 million
We fully understood Detroit’s logic when they overpaid for Tobias Harris in 2024. They needed a veteran guy who could potentially help with the scoring on this young and up-and-coming team.
However, averaging 13 points per game while having the ball in his hands is not an excuse for Harris’s subpar performance. He could’ve averaged more since he’s a veteran with a decent playstyle. Well, he does carry a reputation as an overpaid guy who never became an all-star. So there’s that.
Golden State Warriors: Moses Moody
3 years, $39 million
The Dubs usually don’t have the luxury of having a good young player since they are trying to extend their dynasty for more than a decade now. Moody, who is still 22, is a little bit overpaid but not totally bad when we look at his overall value.
He’s a capable starter when called upon and a decent bench guy when given minutes. Still, the Warriors could have had him at three years, 25 million.
Houston Rockets: Fred VanVleet
3 years, $128 million
Sorry, Fred, but more than 40 million per year for a high-volume NBA point guard who is a so-so passer and an occasional scorer lands you on this infamous list. We understand that he’s an integral part of Houston’s sudden rise, but there are tons of younger point guards who could fill in that role for this team and produce similar numbers on the court.
Plus, he’s taken away the development of Reed Sheppard, 2024’s third overall selection.
Indiana Pacers: Obi Toppin
4 years, $60 million
It’s hard to find a bad Pacers contract. Kudos to their front office for offering reasonable contract prices to their players. With that being said, I’m a bit hesitant to list Obi Toppin here, but at 15 million a year, he needs to be more consistent with his effort on both ends of the floor.
He’s entering his prime athletic years, so who knows? He might outplay the salary that has been given to him.
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard
3 years, $150 million
Is 50 million a year an overpay for a player like Leonard? Perhaps not. However, due to his extensive history of injuries, paying that much money until he’s 36 years old looks terrible on both paper and eye test.
The Clippers are going nowhere with their current roster. An aging core of Harden and Leonard will not materialize into a championship.
Los Angeles Lakers: Jarred Vanderbilt
4 years, $48 million
For a win-now team like the Lakers, they had no choice but to overpay Vanderbilt to keep him on their roster. Vando has built a reputation as a tough one-on-one defender in his NBA career.
However, his scoring is almost non-existent. Sorry to say this, but he’s like the younger version of P.J. Tucker: decent defender, bad stats, and with a shaky jumper.
Memphis Grizzlies: Brandon Clarke
4 years, $52 million
For an undersized backup center, Clarke has been perfect for his role with the Grizzlies. He can catch lobs, set solid screens, and run the floor well. But for the price of 12 million a year, though? That’s a bit pricey for a bench guy, isn’t it?
With the arrival of Zach Edey, Clarke’s minutes and production have gone down in 2025. That might be the ongoing trend for him until his contract runs out a couple of years from now.
Miami Heat: Terry Rozier
4 years, $97 million
Terry’s numbers went alarmingly bad after he was dealt to the Heat in 2024. Coach Spo gave him the keys to run the offense, but the outcome was terrible and frustrating to watch, especially for their fans and the organization.
The fans even accused him of selling some games due to how poorly he played in the 2024-2025 NBA season. That’s how ugly it has turned into for “Scary Terry.”
Milwaukee Bucks: Kyle Kuzma
4 years, $102 million
It’s mind-boggling that a player like Kuzma is taking home more than 20 million per year despite his obvious flaws on the court. While the Bucks did not give him this atrocious number, they do know what they were getting into after trading for him from the Wizards in February.
As widely expected, Kuzma failed to provide Milwaukee with the scoring punch it needed during the regular season and the 2025 postseason.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Mike Conley
2 years, $21 million
There’s no denying that Mike Conley is nearing retirement. His numbers in the past couple of seasons have been bad, especially for a starting point guard on a contending team.
At 37 years old, the Wolves are better off adding a younger point guard in the offseason rather than running it again with Conley as a starter, especially at this hefty price.
New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson
5 years, $192 million
Is Zion a star? Probably yes. Is he overpaid? No doubt about it.
Let me explain. Out of 492 possible games throughout his five-year career (he sat the entire 2021-2022 season, but let’s count that too), Williamson only played in 214 of them. It’s much easier to find him in street clothes rather than donning a Pelicans jersey. For that, he’s making more money sitting down in comparison to his actual time on an NBA court.
New York Knicks: OG Anunoby
5 years, $210 million
210 million dollars for a player who may never top 20 points per game and might never make any all-star teams? That’s the absurd amount that Anunoby is currently getting from the Knicks.
If we are being honest, he’s not even their second—or third-best player on the roster. No wonder old heads are envious of the amount of money being thrown away in this era.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Alex Caruso
4 years, $81 million
People may argue that this isn’t an overpay considering that Caruso is an essential part of this young OKC squad, but in a few years, this contract might become one of the worst ones when it’s time to pay up for SGA’s co-stars.
Due to the hefty luxury tax, once Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren get their expected mammoth extensions, OKC won’t be able to pay other key figures on their roster who will inevitably seek out greener pastures and bigger roles once their rookie scale contracts are up.
Orlando Magic: Jalen Suggs
5 years, $150 million
Orlando had no choice but to overpay for Jalen Suggs. They want to maintain continuity with their current group, and Suggs is widely viewed as part of their young core.
While Suggs is a good player, he is a poor shooter from the field and from beyond the three-point line. A natural shooting guard, it’s not entirely surprising that he only averages 3.3 assists per game in four seasons, well below what most starting floor generals average in the league today. Paying nearly 30 million a year for Suggs might backfire for Orlando a few years from now.
Philadelphia 76ers: Paul George
4 years, $211 million
Paul George regressed. At 34 with a long injury history, this contract will go from bad to disastrous as time passes. Yikes—double yikes, indeed.
This absurd contract will haunt the Sixers for years and will prevent them from ever constructing a championship-caliber team around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Time to buy him out?
Phoenix Suns: Bradley Beal
5 years, $250 million
Beal is still owed around 53 million next season, with a player option in the 2026-2027 season at 57 million, in which he will arguably pick up because nobody in their right mind would pay him that much.
And did we forget that he also has a “no-trade clause”? That’s right. The Suns may want to move on from him, but Beal could just say ‘no,’ and any proposed deal would easily falter.
Portland Trail Blazers: Deandre Ayton
4 years, $133 million
Good news for the Blazers as Ayton is only owed 35 million next season. The bad news is that they are paying a hefty sum to a non-all-star caliber player who will take up the minutes of their future center, Donovan Clingan.
Ayton, the number one overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, hasn’t quite lived up to his potential, especially when we compare his accomplishments to several of his draftmates.
Sacramento Kings: Zach LaVine
5 years, $215 million
LaVine is still owed more than 90 million in the next two years after signing a behemoth contract with the Bulls a few years ago. I’m pretty sure Chicago is glad he is off their payroll and is now Sacramento’s problem.
The high-flying guard never truly morphed into a superstar as everyone hoped. Injuries had a lot to do with that, but even when healthy, LaVine is a one-dimensional scorer who offers little to nothing else on the court.
San Antonio Spurs: Devin Vassell
5 years, $146 million
The Spurs were once enamored with Vassell’s potential, so it was a no-brainer that they extended him with this big contract in 2023.
But with the arrival of De’Aaron Fox and the emergence of Stephon Castle, there’s no doubt that the Spurs wish they could venture back into the past and offer less for Vassell. He’s a good player, but not at that astronomical number.
Toronto Raptors: Brandon Ingram
3 years, $120 million
After trading for Ingram in February, the Raptors quickly extended him to a three-year deal worth more than 38 million yearly. For the rest of the NBA, this was a bizarre move by Toronto to begin with.
When healthy, Ingram is an all-star caliber player. However, he isn’t equipped to be the number one scoring option for a playoff hopeful like the Raptors.
Utah Jazz: Collin Sexton
4 years, $70 million
While Sexton has been producing well for Utah in the past couple of seasons, you can bet that the team is ecstatic that he’ll be in the last year of this massive contract and will be owed more than 19 million in 2026.
Looking at their roster, they have a couple of young point guards who are ready to take over the starting position next season, and Sexton may become expendable in the summer. Don’t be surprised if he sticks for another year with the Jazz, though. He’s been a crowd favorite.
Washington Wizards: Jordan Poole
4 years, $128 million
Who else is it going to be? Of course, it’s Jordan Poole. The Wizards gave him this massive contract, thinking that he would become a star in the NBA, but none of that ever materialized.
Who could blame them? Poole was tremendous as a member of the Dubs, especially in their title run in 2022. After being burdened to become the number one option on a bad Wizards team, Poole struggled with his shotmaking in DC.
