http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi...ger_john&page=BadContracts0607&CMP=ILC-INHEAD One that interests.. Steve Francis, Knicks ($15.1 million this year; two years remaining after this one) He can still be an impact player when he feels like it, but he's not exactly wowing his latest employers with his effort level. A quick anecdote: Watching the Orlando-New York game on Monday night, I saw Orlando's J.J. Redick drift out to the 3-point line, catch the ball and calmly drain a triple with no pressure. Stunned, I hit rewind. My eyes didn't deceive me -- there was no screen for Redick, nor any kind of deceptive move or cut off the ball whatsoever. The man allegedly guarding him -- Francis -- just stood there and watched Redick walk out to the perimeter and shoot it. On the next trip Francis stood like a statue on the weak side while Darko Milicic went down the middle for a screen-and-roll dunk. As I thought to myself, "If I was coaching right now, I'd call timeout just to yank the guy," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas did just that, inserting unheralded rookie Mardy Collins. Quoth Thomas after the game, in his glass-half-full way, "I just felt [Mardy Collins would] give us more defensively." Um, yes, that's one way to look at it. Zeke just as easily could have said, "I felt a traffic cone would give us more defensively." Methinks there's another buyout in the Knicks' future.
Thanks for posting that. I think it's funny how he has four catagories, and two of them are devoted to the Knicks. Nice management Knicks.
The bit about Francis is interesting. I have to say if a player can't get along with Isiah Thomas, he might have some issues.
it's crazy to think that we had Mo Taylor, Moochie Norris, Vin Baker, and Clarence Weatherspoon all at the same time.....maybe if this list had been made 5 years ago, there would have been a Rockets section instead of the Knicks.
My money is on Battier and Hayes being in there, if not near the top of the list. Especially since this is by Hollinger. Although I'm sure he won't count rookie contracts...but wait, is Chuck technically still on his rookie contract since he went undrafted? Wouldn't it just be a really cheap FA contract?
Don't forget we had Steve's contract as well. The rockets have really done a good job getting rid of bad contracts, we have no bad contracts on the team this year after shipping out Stro and Juwon's rejuvenation. One reason we can ignore Bonzi and let him sit is that his contract is so cheap, he's almost like an NBDL player.
Actually, Mo Taylor was traded for Moochie and Vin Baker, so the Rockets never had all four on the team at the same time. Anyway, it's great seeing how Rockets management has become so prudent when it comes to player contracts. They are truly gaining on San Antonio in that area. Take a look at some of the "new" contracts taken on during the Van Gundy era: Clarence Weatherspoon - bad contract, but filled a need (at the time) better than did Moochie and his bad contract (signed during the Rudy T era). Moochie Norris / Vin Baker - bad but expiring contracts; well worth taking on to get rid of Mo Taylor's large contract. Also netted the Steve Novak pick. Charlie Ward - barely played for the Rockets due to injury, but the contract wasn't notably unmanageable. Plus, Ward is now an assistant coach. Bob Sura - this contract was actually a STEAL at the time he signed. Remember, Sura was coming off a great half-season in Atlanta (remember his infamous "almost three" straight triple-doubles?). Despite injuries that limited him to only part of one healthy season, his contract has never been an albatross. Heck, it could turn out to be a trade asset. Juwan Howard - his contract almost doesn't count, since the Rockets had to take it in order to get Tracy McGrady. Although he has officially treaded into "overpaid" territory, he is still a good professional and team leader. Tracy McGrady - T-Mac's huge extension may end up being a liability in a few years if his back doesn't hold up long-term. Still, superstars don't come along too often, so the Rockets had to lock him up at all costs. Rafer Alston - traded Mike James, who was looking to get PAID at all costs, for a true point guard with a long-term, mid-range contract. Stromile Swift - Getting Swift for the MLE was considered a coup by many when he was signed. Give management credit for being able to dump his contract AND get Battier after Swift went from steal to bust. Shane Battier - traded a bad contract (Swift) for a manageable, long-term contract for a quality "glue guy". Vassilis Spanoulis/Bonzi Wells/John Lucas III/Steve Novak - Rockets management brilliantly found a way to add FOUR players with the MLE. If Novak had turned into a star (he still could but I doubt it), getting that third year on him this way would have been a great move. Player signings and trades don't always work out. But it's good to know that the Rockets' management can be trusted to make prudent decisions in this area.
On Wednesday I took a look at the NBA's worst contracts, so it's only fair that today I look at the other side of the coin: The league's most valuable contracts. But wait … there's a catch. You see, because of the rookie salary scale specified in the league's collective bargaining agreement, picking out the most valuable contracts is like shooting fish in a barrel. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony … all these guys are making a fraction of their true market value because of the distortions brought about by the rookie salary scale. Thus, a list of the most valuable contracts quickly degenerates into a list of the league's youngest players. So instead, let's make this a bit more challenging (not to mention more informative) by taking a look at the best non-rookie contracts in the NBA right now. As you'll see, finding a decent player for less than the midlevel exception is a relative rarity, and in the salary-cap era those teams that do it are way ahead of the game. In fact, you'll notice that most of these contracts belong to the NBA's best and most admired organizations. There are a few exceptions -- the list includes two Bucks, two Bobcats, a Grizzly and a Hawk -- but by and large those who shop wisely have reaped the rewards in the standings. And in an odd twist, this list changes at a much faster rate than the list of bad contracts. Because most low-dollar contracts tend to be short-term arrangements, the majority of these players will be hitting free agency this summer and looking to get a salary that's more commensurate with their production. But for now, they're the league's most underpaid players. Here's a look at the guys providing the most bang for the buck this year (figures rounded where necessary): 1. Chauncey Billups, Pistons ($6.4 million) This was, quite simply, the greatest midlevel exception signing of all time. Billups has made two All-Star teams and won a Finals MVP while becoming the key crunch-time shot-maker on one of the league's most successful teams. Not bad for a vagabond who had been a backup in Minnesota the year before he came to Detroit. But the gravy train is about to end for the Pistons -- Billups will be this summer's most coveted free agent. 2. Alonzo Mourning, Heat ($2.5 million) Gotta love those hometown discounts. Mourning knowingly signed for well below his market value this past summer so he could stay with the Heat, providing Miami with one of the league's best defensive players as well as its best backup center. In a market where even mediocre centers earn four times as much, he's provided the Heat with a tremendous advantage in their title defense. 3. Jose Calderon, Raptors ($2.3 million) Man, where did that come from? On a per-minute basis, Calderon has been one of the best point guards in all of basketball this season, averaging 16.9 points and 9.4 assists per 40 minutes while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor. He's a big reason behind the Raps' surprising run to the Atlantic Division crown and, unlike a lot of players on this list, he's still under contract for another season. 4. Chris Webber, Pistons ($407K) After appearing on Wednesday's bad contracts list, it's time for C-Webb to take a spin on the good side. Going to Detroit for the veteran's minimum propelled the Pistons' second-half surge that has them sitting atop the Eastern Conference and, perhaps, poised for their third trip to the Finals in four years. Helping matters greatly is C-Webb's uncharacteristically accurate shooting -- he's at 52.1 percent after hitting 39.1 percent, 43.4 percent and 38.7 percent in parts of three seasons as a Sixer. Like Billups, he's due for a big raise this summer. 5. Mo Williams, Bucks ($1.9 million) An enlightened free-agent pickup three years ago when the Bucks plucked him off Utah's roster, Williams has emerged as one of the league's top young point guards with averages of 17.5 points, 6.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds. His continued improvement has been a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster Milwaukee campaign, but as with Billups it's time to pay the piper -- he's a free agent after the season and, at worst, will triple his income. 6. Manu Ginobili, Spurs ($8.2 million) When Ginobili signed his six-year, $52 million deal two years ago, some wondered whether the Spurs overpaid. Not anymore, as the Argentine star is currently having his best season. He's averaging a career-high in points while playing just 27.6 minutes per game, shooting 41.9 percent on 3-pointers, and ranks ninth in the entire league in Player Efficiency Rating -- ahead of Gilbert Arenas, Steve Nash and Tracy McGrady, among others. He's likely to win the Sixth Man award, and best of all he's under contract for three more years. 7. Steve Nash, Suns ($10.5 million) Here's all you need to know -- the league's two-time MVP doesn't make the max. Far from it. In retrospect, I don't know what's more amazing -- that Phoenix was able to nab him at this price, or that Dallas thought the offer too rich to match. Either way, his bargain deal is the reason Phoenix has been able to pay its other stars and skirt the luxury tax ... at least for now. Nash is having his best season yet (47.3 percent on 3-pointers? With almost all of them coming off the dribble? Are you kidding me?) and is under contract for three more years, though the last one is an option year for the Suns. Hmmm … think they'll pick it up? 8. Mikki Moore, Nets ($1.1 million) One nice thing about the league's recent rule changes is that it's allowed guys like Moore -- inside players who lack muscle -- to have a career. The slender seven-footer cost New Jersey only a second-round pick in 2009 after he was squeezed out of Seattle's frontcourt picture a year ago. Think the Sonics regret that one? All Moore has done is shoot 60.1 percent to help keep the Nets' playoff hopes afloat after Nenad Krstic was lost for the season. 9. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats ($5.5 million) He's the Marcus Camby of small forwards -- he comes out of nowhere to block shots, fills up the stat sheet in every category, and misses 10-20 games a year with injuries. Nonetheless, Wallace is the league's most underappreciated star. Though he's the Bobcats' highest-paid player, that's not saying much -- he's way undervalued in the larger market and should remedy that situation by opting out of his deal this summer. 10. Ime Udoka, Trail Blazers ($745K) Look what we found. Invited to the Blazers' training camp partly because, hey, he lives in Portland so why not, Udoka made the team, won a starting job, and established himself as the team's defensive stopper. Best of all, he's showed he can play some offense too, hitting 41.1 percent on 3-pointers. Not bad for a 29-year-old guy with 12 previous NBA games under his belt. He should get rewarded for it this summer. 11. DeShawn Stevenson, Wizards ($932K) Stevenson took a financial hit when he opted out of the final year of his contract with Orlando, but his pain was the Wizards' gain. Washington picked him up on the cheap to replace Jared Jeffries, and got a defensive stopper with more scoring ability. Stevenson has surprised with his long-range shooting (41.5 percent from 3) and should get a lot more attention when he tests the free-agent market again this summer, especially since he doesn't turn 26 'til next week. 12. Caron Butler, Wizards ($7.4 million) The contract extension Butler signed a year ago already seems looking like a bargain for Washington, as Butler blossomed into one of the game's top small forwards this year and made his first All-Star Game. While a recent battle with knee problems has slowed him down a bit, his production is undeniable -- 19.1 points, 7.5 boards and 2.1 steals -- and he's done it while shooting a career-best 46.3 percent. Moreover, he's under contract for four more years. 13. Tony Parker, Spurs ($9.5 million) As with Butler, Parker's contract extension is quickly turning into a bargain. His six-year, $66 million deal is great value for a "1" with his productivity -- he ranks sixth among point guards in PER, is one of the better defenders at his position, and at 24 should offer several more years of production at this level. He's also en route to a second straight season of shooting over 50 percent (he's at 51.9 percent right now), a remarkable feat for any guard who isn't a Canadian guy named Steve. 14. Matt Carroll, Bobcats ($1.2 million) Carroll is one of the league's most quietly productive scorers. Note that I didn't say shooter -- I said scorer. In his past three seasons he has averaged 20.8, 18.6 and 19.1 points per 40 minutes. Yes, he can stroke it from outside (43.0 percent on 3s), but it's his knack for getting to the stripe -- where he shoots 90.6 percent -- that separates him from the other catch-and-shoot guys. At $1.2 million, he's been a bargain for the Bobcats, but he'll get paid this summer. 15. Zaza Pachulia, Hawks ($4 million) The Hawks have given their critics plenty of ammo in recent years, but they got this one right. While the Chris Kamans and Sam Dalemberts of the world make more than twice as much dough, Pachulia has been vastly more productive with his workmanlike game. This year he's upped his numbers to 17.3 points and 9.9 boards per 40 minutes thanks to an improved mid-range J, and his 46.9 percent shooting is a career-high. Plus, his deal runs two more seasons at the same price. 16. Charlie Bell, Bucks ($755K) Nobody showed much interest in Bell coming out of Michigan State because they thought at 6-3 he was too small to play shooting guard. Guess not. Pressed into service as a starter and defensive stopper this season, he's put together a second straight solid campaign and figures to reap the rewards in a couple more months. Interesting side note: Despite the Bucks' struggles, Milwaukee's backcourt of Bell and Williams is easily the league's most underpaid. 17. Eddie Jones, Heat ($337K) As with Webber, Jones has one bad contract and one good one. The good one is the deal he signed to join Miami after Memphis waived him, shoring up Miami's wing rotation just as Dwyane Wade checked out with a shoulder injury and allowing the Heat to go on a season-saving winning streak in March. Since coming to Miami, he's shot better, too. In fact, his 47.2-percent mark from the floor is far better than he fared in any of his other five seasons in a Heat uniform. 18. Jason Kapono, Heat ($1.2 million) It took a while, but Mr. Kaponovich has established himself as one of the league's most potent perimeter threats. A bystander a year ago while the Heat were winning a title, he won a starting job this season by shooting a blistering 51.3 percent from downtown. He also won the 3-Point Shootout in Vegas and has posted career highs from both the field (49.6 percent) and the line (88.7 percent). Like most of the other guys on this list, he'll get a big raise this summer. 19. Matt Barnes, Warriors ($788K) Though Barnes' playing time has greatly diminished of late, he still makes the bargain list thanks to the spark he gave Golden State early in the season. Making the league minimum, Barnes showed a completely unexpected 3-point touch (37.3 percent) and has more than doubled his previous career-best in scoring. The 27-year-old journeyman should get his first multi-year deal after the season, so maybe he can unpack that suitcase. 20. Chucky Atkins, Grizzlies ($3 million) A non-story because of the Grizzlies' miserable season, Atkins' performance nonetheless has been remarkable. A 32-year-old, 5-11 guard isn't supposed to have a career year, but Atkins has been fantastic -- 19.3 points and 6.5 assists per 40 minutes, a 57.4 true shooting percentage and, most surprisingly, a career-high 4.1 free-throw attempts per game. He's on a one-year deal and might have trouble getting paid based on his performance because it's so out of line with his career totals. But it sure as heck doesn't hurt his cause. 21. Rashard Lewis, Sonics ($9.4 million) The Sonics have been getting near-All-Star performance at below-market rates for the last three years from Lewis, which might explain why he's so itchy to opt out of his deal after the season. Despite an extended injury absence due to torn tendon sheath in his hand, the 6-10 forward is averaging a career-high 22.2 points per game; nearly all his Hollinger stats are career-bests, too. At 27 years old, he'll be one of the summer's most coveted prizes. 22. Andres Nocioni, Bulls ($4.0 million) Red Bull is one of the game's better two-way forwards, making the three-year deal he signed with Chicago one of GM John Paxson's best moves. His offensive potency has been a major surprise, getting 21.5 points per 40 minutes this year and hitting 37.9 percent from downtown. Unfortunately, a severe bout of plantar fasciitis has his season on hold at the moment, and if he can't come back it could negatively impact his free-agent riches this summer. 23. Trevor Ariza, Magic ($3.1 million) Orlando's second-unit energizer slipped through the cracks in free agency, allowing the Magic to retain him cheaply. Though he missed several weeks with a knee injury, he's been a godsend when healthy. Ariza is shooting 53.3 percent, rebounding like a power forward and providing wing defense that Orlando's other 2s and 3s simply can't. At only 21 years old, he figures to get a whole lot better, too. 24. Dikembe Mutombo, Rockets ($2.2 million) It turns out the Rockets weren't just keeping Mutombo around for the unintentional Cookie Monster impersonations. At age 40 (and don't even think about questioning that figure), he's proved to have way more left in the tank than anyone expected. Taking over for an injured Yao Ming, he helped the Rockets survive by rebounding like crazy -- his 21.8 Rebound Rate is second in the NBA -- and playing his usual finger-wagging defense. No, there hasn't been much offense to go with it, but find me another center this productive for such a low price. 25. Corey Maggette, Clippers ($7 million) This just in: Corey Maggette is a scoring machine. The Clippers have forgotten this at various times over the past two seasons, but with L.A.'s season in dire straits they seem to have remembered just in time. He's a free-throw generating machine who hits 82.0 percent once he gets there, plus he's a consistent jump shooter and an underrated rebounder. With 40-minute numbers of 21.7 points and 7.6 boards, one wonders what took the Clips so long to get him in the starting lineup. He comes just as cheaply next season, too.
Interesting list. But I wish they hadn't muddied it up with the per 40 min numbers. To think we all pretty much thought the Suns overpaid for Nash, and that Francis was deserving of the Max. Anybody else remember that summer we were all giddy about landing Shandon Anderson???
Since he's not a first round pick, Chuck Hayes is not on a rookie scale contract. He simply makes the NBA minimum for a second year player. However, I do think that ESPN purposely excluded players in the first few years of their careers. Obviously, young stars playing on rookie deals--and recently undrafted surprises like Hayes--would have taken up quite a few spots on that list.
