The 25 Most Overpaid Bench Players in the NBA Today

Last season, Clippers guard Jamal Crawford won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award for the second time in the last five years (he also won it back in 2010). And in doing so, he showed the rest of the league how a bench player should perform when he's asked to take the court. He averaged 18.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. And in exchange for his services, the Clippers paid him $5,225,000, which is a very reasonable salary for a guy who can average those kinds of numbers off the bench.

Obviously, not all bench players can be like Crawford. They can't all average more than 30 minutes per game (which is what he averaged last season) and they can't all get the kinds of opportunities that he gets. But there are a lot of guys sitting on NBA benches right now who, quite frankly, aren't anywhere near as productive as Crawford. And yet, they still manage to pull in a healthy seven figures (and in some cases, eight figures!) on an annual basis. They are The 25 Most Overpaid Bench Players in the NBA Today.

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

2013-14 NBA stats: 0 games, 0 PPG, 0 RPG, 0 APG, 0 SPG, 0 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $6,601,125

Did you even realize that J-Rich was on the 76ers roster until right now? We highly doubt it. He missed a portion of the 2012-13 NBA season and all of last season after injuring his knee and undergoing surgery. But for whatever reason, the 76ers have kept him around and continued to pay him a ridiculous amount of money to not play for them. The good news is that they really haven't needed Richardson anyway, since they're trying their best to tank at the moment and don't need a guy like Richardson coming on to the court and trying to screw that up. But still, it seems crazy that he's made more than $10 million in the last couple seasons without actually having to do anything for it, doesn't it?

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

2013-14 NBA stats: 52 games, 11.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $8,000,000

Two years ago, Mayo had a career year with the Mavericks—he averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game—and earned himself a payday with the Bucks. And while he's shown glimpses of being a good player for Milwaukee, he's also regressed during his time there, going from a surefire starter to a guy who is now stuck on the bench and playing less minutes per game than he ever has in the past (about 24 minutes per game, which is down from the 25 minutes he played last season). That'd be all well and good if he was making $4 or even $5 million this season. But he's currently the second highest-paid players on the Bucks—behind only Larry Sanders, who is making $11 million this season—and makes significantly more than almost everyone who starts for the team. And the bad news for the Bucks is that he's set to make $8 million next year, too.

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

2013-14 NBA stats: 76 games, 6.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $7,707,865

Even at the age of 34, Prince isn't a bad player. He's averaging about 7 points and 3 rebounds per game so far this season and he's even filled in for the injured Courtney Lee as a starter a couple times. But Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger has already gone on the record and said that Prince's minutes will be limited this season. And it's tough to hear that when you consider that Prince is the fourth highest-paid player on Memphis behind only Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. His contract comes off the books for the Grizzlies at the end of this season and he won't make anywhere near $7 million per year moving forward. But, as of right now, he's way overpaid for what he actually contributes to his team.

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

2013-14 NBA stats: 81 games, 12.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $4,702,500

Last season, Brewer was well worth the money that the T'wolves paid him. He started all 81 games that he played in and actually contributed some decent numbers to the team. However, this season, he's been put on the bench in favor of Andrew Wiggins and, because Minnesota has so many good, young guards on their roster, it's going to be difficult for Brewer to get much PT. He's nowhere near as overpaid as some of the other guys on this list. But it doesn't feel like Minnesota is going to be able to get much production from him this season, due to the simple fact that his minutes are going to be limited. Which makes it difficult to justify him making nearly $5 million.

Team: Detroit Pistons

2013-14 NBA stats: 33 games, 0.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $3,800,000

The 6-foot-9 center must be a really nice guy. Because despite the fact that he's never put up impressive numbers—he has averaged just 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game during his 8-year NBA career—he still has a job and there are teams that want him. How else can you explain him getting dealt to the Celtics by the Heat last season before eventually getting traded to the Pistons last month? Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that Anthony has made more than $16 million in his career without producing much, and it doesn't look like that's going to change this year. He's only averaging about 10 minutes and 1 point per game, which is well below what we'd expect from a guy making almost $4 million.

Team: Charlotte Hornets

2013-14 NBA stats: 77 games, 14.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $6,000,000

Much like Corey Brewer, Henderson is a guy who was worth what he was paid last season because he actually started every game that he played in for the Bobcats. His averages weren't spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, but they were solid enough to warrant a contract that paid him $6 million. However, things are different in Charlotte this season and, due to the team's addition of Lance Stephenson in the offseason, Henderson's minutes are going to be very limited. He's already seen his playing time fall from 32 minutes per game last year to about 16 this season. That will result in less points—he's averaging around 4 points per game so far this season—and less production from a guy who is being paid like a starter but contributing more like a guy who should be the ninth or tenth guy off the bench.

Team: Miami Heat

2013-14 NBA stats: 72 games, 6.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,375,000

Don't get us wrong: We love Birdman. The guy is easily one of the most entertaining players in the league, and we'd sit down and watch a game featuring him just because. But after putting up pretty forgettable numbers last season—6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds—he got a huge raise this summer. His salary jumped from just under $1.5 million to more than $5 million. And while he's still a serviceable player, he's 36 now and has already been sidelined with bruised ribs this season. He's only played in a few games and we can't see him possibly improving on last year's numbers, which means the Heat are paying a nice chunk of change to a guy who's only going to be good for a few points and a few rebounds every game.

Team: Houston Rockets

2013-14 NBA stats: 35 games, 4.5 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.0 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,850,313

After swinging and missing on a number of free agents this past summer, the Rockets realized that they had some money to play with, so they worked out a deal with the Kings and acquired Terry. The sharpshooter has been pretty solid for Houston so far this season, averaging about 8 points per game, but Terry is also the fourth highest-paid player on the team, behind only Dwight Howard, James Harden, and Trevor Ariza. And at the moment, he only averages about 22 minutes per game, which means he's making a lot of money to come in and shoot the ball. His veteran presence might pay off in the playoffs, but for now, he's just a really expensive role player.

Team: Miami Heat

2013-14 NBA stats: 78 games, 8.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,305,000

When the Heat agreed to sign McRoberts over the summer, they knew what they were getting. He's a physical presence down low who plays hard and can do a lot of the little things that basketball teams need to do to win. However, so far, McRoberts has done very little to help the Heat, despite the fact that they doubled his 2013-14 salary when they signed him. He's only playing about 10 minutes per game, he's only recording about one basket per contest, and he hasn't yet lived up to what the Heat thought he'd be. The good thing is that the Heat don't need a ton of production out of him, but because he makes the fourth-highest salary on the Heat, they need more than they've been getting so far this season.

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

2013-14 NBA stats: 41 games, 6.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,000,000

Prior to this season, Budinger never made more than $1 million for a year's worth of work. So you would think that, now that he's making $5 million, he'd be a key player for the T'wolves. The truth is he's actually playing less than ever before right now and hasn't found a spot in Minnesota's rotation. He's averaging less than 7 minutes of playing time per game and almost no points. Does that mean that he won't contribute in the future? No. But it does mean that he doesn't seem to have much of a future with the T'wolves, who were reportedly shopping him around in the preseason. And it also means that he's currently earning a lot more money than he should be right now.

Team: Utah Jazz

2013-14 NBA stats: 54 games, 3.3 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $3,445,946

A few years ago, Novak was doing the "Discount Double Check" celebration all over Madison Square Garden after knocking down big three-pointers for the Knicks. But those days seem so long ago now that Novak is running with the Jazz. He barely gets into games anymore—the best photo we could find of him from this season is the one above, which features him warming up before a game—and his contributions to the Jazz have been minimal. It is his first year with the team, which leads us to believe that better days could be ahead. But so far, he hasn't done anything to earn the nearly $3.5 million that he's set to make this season.

Team: Orlando Magic

2013-14 NBA stats: 19 games, 5.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,000,000

The Magic surprised just about everyone in the sports world when they signed Gordon earlier this year. He didn't leave the Bobcats on the best of terms last season and, prior to leaving, he wasn't putting up very good numbers for them. So it shocked a lot of people when the Magic signed him to a two-year deal (it's worth noting that they may have signed him for as much money as they did simply to reach the NBA's salary floor, which is the amount of money that teams have to spend every year). Gordon actually hasn't been bad for Orlando, and the second year of his contract isn't guaranteed. But it still feels like they could have signed a younger, better player for the same amount of money than they're paying Gordon, doesn't it? Regardless, Gordon better buy his agent a really nice Christmas present this year. He deserves it.

Team: Toronto Raptors

2013-14 NBA stats: 61 games, 2.2 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $5,958,750

You know why Chuck Hayes is laughing in the photo above? Because he's making almost $6 million this season to show up to Raptors games and sit on the bench. There have been several games this season that he hasn't played in at all. And even when he does play, he only gets about 9 minutes per game and is basically just an extra body who takes up space and grabs an occasional rebound. It's not a bad gig at all and we can understand why he's so happy.

Team: New York Knicks

2013-14 NBA stats: 42 games, 13.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.2 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $11,500,000

Air Bargs put up decent numbers last season, but at several points throughout the year he was in serious danger of losing his starting spot. And while he's been injured so far this year, it appears as though he's going to be coming off the bench once he gets back into the rotation for the Knicks with Quincy Acy replacing him in the starting lineup. Maybe he'll eventually reclaim his starting spot, maybe he won't. But regardless, it's safe to say that Bargnani has not lived up to the hype that he generated when he first came to New York. With a salary as big as his, he should without a doubt be a starter in the NBA, not a guy who is coming off the bench or fighting for a starting spot.

Team: Charlotte Hornets

2013-14 NBA stats: 77 games, 2.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $3,873,398

Earlier this season, the Charlotte Observer asked Hornets coach Steve Clifford why Biyombo—a former first-round draft pick—hasn't been getting any playing time this season. His answer? "He sucks." Well, obviously, Clifford didn't say that exactly. But he did say it in so many words. "He and I have been talking about this for two years now," Clifford said. "He's got to be a more consistent effort, defense, and rebounding player."

Biyombo has done none of those things this season—despite making almost $4 million—which is why he deserves a spot on this list…and why he might not be in the NBA for much longer.

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

2013-14 NBA stats: 0 games, 0 PPG, 0 RPG, 0 APG, 0 SPG, 0 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $10,011,688 ($2,213,688 from the Cavaliers and $7,798,000 from the Mavericks)

The Cavaliers have LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love on their roster. But if they're going to make noise come playoff time, they're going to need a big man in the paint to help them out. They're hoping that Haywood might be just the guy for the job. But so far, he's done little during his time with the Cavaliers. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. He's cashed checks from both the Cavs and the Mavs, who used the amnesty clause to release him back in July 2012. But outside of that, he hasn't done much. Maybe more production is on the way?

Team: Boston Celtics

2013-14 NBA stats: 82 games, 11.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $6,900,000

During the 2011-12 NBA season, Bass had a really productive year. After getting traded to Boston by the Magic, he averaged 12.5 points and 6.2 rebonds per game. So the Celtics rewarded him with a three-year, $18 million contract. That contract no longer makes sense, though, because while Bass had been a serviceable big man and even started 73 games last season, the Celtics have added a bunch of younger guys to their roster in recent years. So Bass is only playing about 15 minutes per game now and, this past summer, the Celtics reportedly tried "like hell" to trade him. They're likely going to be forced to keep him for this entire season unless they can get a taker midway through the year. But for now, he's going to make a lot of money for doing very little during games since he's buried on the bench.

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

2013-14 NBA stats: 22 games, 8.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $8,135,890 ($1,448,490 from the Wizards and $6,687,400 from the Bucks)

Doesn't it feel like Gooden has been in the league forever now? The guy has played with 10 different teams during his 13-year NBA career, and believe it or not, he's still going. The Bucks used the amnesty clause back in the summer of 2013 to get rid of him, but he signed with Washington late last season and then re-signed with them this summer and continues to play with them. He hasn't been too terribly productive, averaging about 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season. But he does give the young Wizards some experience. Is that really worth the $8 million he's collecting this season, though? Ehhh.

Team: Toronto Raptors

2013-14 NBA stats: 30 games, 2.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $6,250,000

It's hard not to feel bad for Fields. At the beginning of his career, he was a really productive role player for the Knicks and logged a lot of minutes. In fact, he actually started in 81 of 82 games for New York during his rookie season. But since getting traded to the Raptors in 2012, he's seen his playing time dwindle dramatically and, today, there are a lot of games where he doesn't play at all. We don't know why he's fallen so far out of favor up in Canada, but he's getting paid a lot of money to do a whole lot of nothing right now.

Team: Golden State Warriors

2013-14 NBA stats: 69 games, 18.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $15,012,000

If Lee wasn't dealing with a hamstring injury right now, there's a pretty good chance that he wouldn't be on this list. He started 67 of 69 games last season, so he'd probably be in the starting lineup. But because he is dealing with an injury and because he's likely going to get stuck coming off the bench once he's healthy enough to play regularly, we've included him here. He's the 22nd highest-paid player in the entire NBA—and the highest-paid player on the Warriors—but it doesn't feel like he's going to be a central figure on their team. It also feels like Lee might end up getting traded at some point this season. The only reason he might not get dealt? He's overpaid this year and he's also due almost $15.5 million next season, which means he'll be overpaid next year, too. And that could ultimately mean he's going to get stuck fighting for minutes on a loaded Warriors team.

Team: Boston Celtics

2013-14 NBA stats: 72 games, 9.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $8,575,000

Even though Boston doesn't have one of the best teams in the league, they're loaded with a lot of young guys who are getting a lot of playing time right now. And that means that guys like Thornton—who as recently as 2011-12 was averaging almost 20 points per game for the Kings—are having trouble getting minutes. Thornton's contract comes off the books after this season, which could make him a trade commodity this year. Or Boston could just keep him and reap the benefits of freeing up his contract next summer. But either way, he's going to make more than $8 million this year to play sparingly while guys who are still under their rookie contracts rack up minutes.

Team: Denver Nuggets

2013-14 NBA stats: 5 games, 7.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.4 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $11,250,000

When McGee first came into the NBA, he had all the potential in the world. But he's never really been able to tap into it and, as a result, he's now getting paid a lot of money to do very little. Last year, he was hindered by injuries all season and only played in five games. But through a handful of contests this season, he's only playing about 13 minutes per game and he's not doing a whole lot with his playing time. One day, we hope McGee taps into the talent that he has and is able to be a productive player on a good team. But it doesn't look like he's going to do that this year.

Team: Boston Celtics

2013-14 NBA stats: 58 games, 5.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $10,105,855

Remember when Wallace was on the Bobcats at the beginning of his career? He literally did everything for them. He scored, he rebounded, he played good defense, he blocked shots, and he was the face of the franchise. So it's crazy to see him doing nothing—nothing—for the Celtics these days. He barely gets off the bench. The good news is that, at the very least, he's helping mentor some of the younger players on the team and hasn't complained at all about his lack of playing time. But it's hard to believe the Celtics are going to pay him more than $10 million this season and more than $10 million next season to just sit on the bench.

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

2013-14 NBA stats: 62 games, 3.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $9,654,342

Perkins started all 62 games that he played in last season, much to the chagrin of many Thunder fans out there who wanted to see someone else get the start in his place. Those people got their wish this season when Steven Adams got the nod over Perkins. But now the Thunder have a new problem on their hands: they have a guy making nearly $10 million playing about 20 minutes per game. Oddly enough, Perkins has been slightly more effective so far this season than he was last year, despite his reduction in playing time. But he's still struggling to give Oklahoma City more than 5 points and 5 rebounds per game, which is just unacceptable when you consider how much Perkins makes on an annual basis.

Team: New York Knicks

2013-14 NBA stats: 65 games, 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG

2014-15 NBA salary: $23,410,988

Stoudemire makes more money than everyone in the NBA not named Kobe Bryant. More money than Carmelo Anthony. More money than Dwight Howard. More money than LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Kevin Durant. And yet, he's not a regular starter for the Knicks and only averages between 20 and 25 minutes per game.

On the plus side for Knicks fans, Stoudemire does more with his limited minutes than other overpaid players like Kendrick Perkins. He's averaging more than 11 points and 8 rebounds so far this season. But Stoudemire also serves as a constant reminder of why the Knicks can't be great right now. They have so much money tied up in his contract—which, thankfully, comes off the books after this season—that they can't go out and sign other free agents or trade for more capable players. So Knicks fans will be more than happy to see him sitting on somebody else's bench next season.