The 15 Most Underpaid Players in the NBA Today

It’s easy to hate on the NBA, considering the huge volume of overpaid players. Well, really they’re all overpaid, but we’re talking in relative terms here. There’s no way that, in a just basketball world, Gilbert Arenas should make over $22 million a season and be the league’s third highest paid player while sitting home. Even Kobe Bryant, who could spend the entire season on the sidelines rehabbing his Achilles’, is probably overpaid at $30-plus million a season considering his age and lack of defense.

There are, however, some guys who more than earn their paycheck. They certainly still get rewarded handsomely (like Tony Parker or LeBron James), but they also outpace their pay grade with their on-court exploits. While there are many in the league who fit this description, these are the 15 Most Underpaid Players in the NBA Today.

*All salaries courtesy of HoopsHype.com. Note that players on guaranteed rookie contracts were ineligible.

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2013-14 team: Atlanta Hawks
Years in the league: 7
2013-14 salary: $9,500,000
2012-13 stats: 14.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Al Jefferson ($13,500,000), David Lee ($13,878,000)

Millsap flew under the radar as a member of the Utah Jazz for a number of years, putting up solid numbers but never really achieving the league-wide recognition he deserved for his strong offensive game. When he hit free agency this offseason, he seemed like a shoo-in to get a big offer. Only for whatever reason, he didn't. Instead, the big man had to settle for a two-year, $19 million deal from the Atlanta Hawks. While that's certainly a solid deal, given Millsap's output relative to his peers he is a steal at that price.

2013-14 team: Atlanta Hawks
Years in the League: 6
2013-14 Salary: $12,000,000
2012-13 Stats: 17.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Al Jefferson ($13,500,000), Zach Randolph ($17,800,000)

There's a reason that even though the Hawks have happily said goodbye to Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, they've held onto Horford. Al is a legitimate star who simply does not get the credit he deserves; he enjoyed a career year in 2012-13, setting personals bests in points, rebounds, and steals per game. He was one of just seven players to average a double-double in points and rebounds per game last season, posting remarkably similar numbers to Dwight Howard. Horford has continued to improve every year he's been in the league, and he'll be counted on this year as the star of a rebuilt Hawks team.

2013-14 team: Brooklyn Nets
Years in the League: 11
2013-14 salary: $1,695,636
2012-13 stats: 4.5 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): J.J. Hickson ($5,000,000), Emeka Okafor ($14,544,687)

If you're looking for a guy to get you 20 points a night, then Evans is not for you. This intimidating interior bruiser has never scored more than 5.6 points per game in a season. However, what he does bring is an absolutely beastly mentality on the boards. Evans is a force in the paint, controlling the glass on both ends of the floor and providing an intimidating defensive presence. He is by no means a franchise cornerstone (and should not be paid like one), but you'd think for double digit rebounds a game someone would want to pay him more than the veterans' minimum.

2013-14 team: Indiana Pacers
Years in the league: 3
2013-14 salary: $981,349
2012-13 stats: 8.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Comparable players (and their Salaries): Metta World Peace ($7,727,280), Tony Allen ($5,000,000 [Reported])

Another second-round pick whose contract didn't become guaranteed until the offseason, Stephenson really emerged during the 2012-13 playoffs as his defense helped propel his young Pacers squad all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He and Paul George have made Danny Granger an afterthought in Indiana, and as he enters the final year of his current deal looks primed to cash in with another strong effort. As long as he can stay out of trouble, Stephenson has a bright future in the NBA.

2013-14 team: Brooklyn Nets
Years in the league: 11
2013-14 salary: $3,183,000
2012-13 stats: 12.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Gerald Wallace ($10,105,855), Danny Granger ($14,021,788)

If this deal seems a little fishy to you (Russian basketball icon agrees to very low value contract with powerful Russian owner), most of the NBA agrees. AK47 opted out of his deal in Minnesota where he would have made $10 million this year, and instead signed a two-year deal that pays him a total of about $6.2 million. Uh, something is not quite right here. Guys don't just walk away from $10 million if their value is really that low; Kirilenko may not be the player he once was, but he's certainly worth well past $3 million a season. We can't prove it, but there's a solid chance Mikhail Prokhorov is holding Kirilenko's entire family hostage.

2013-14 team: Houston Rockets
Years in the League: 2
2013-14 salary: $926,500
2012-13 stats: 15.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Nicolas Batum ($10,920,250), Rudy Gay ($17,888,932)

Parsons was so under the radar, he isn't even on a standard rookie contract. He instead has the structured deal given to late second-round picks, wherein he's on a year-to-year deal with team options every offseason and no free agency until 2015-16. We're going to say Houston likes that deal. Parsons emerged as a huge impact player for the Rockets last season, providing an excellent complement on the wing to James Harden and finishing seventh in the NBA in Effective Field Goal Percentage. With Dwight Howard in the fold, the swingman can expect to get even better looks this coming season.

2013-14 team: Miami Heat
Years in the league: 17
2013-14 salary: $3,229,050
2012-13 stats: 10.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Mike Miller ($6,200,000), Ben Gordon ($13,200,000)

Allen's three-pointer to save Miami's season in Game 6 of the Finals was probably enough to justify his entire contract, but even so, Allen has continued to show why he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He keeps himself in remarkable shape, and his relentless work ethic means that he's always ready to unleash that sweet shooting stroke. We always respect guys who will take a pay cut because they want to win, and you can bet Allen could be making twice as much if he were willing to play somewhere other than Miami.

2013-14 team: Golden State Warriors
Years in the league: 4
2013-14 salary: $9,887,642
2012-13 stats: 22.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Joe Johnson ($21,466,718), Deron Williams ($18,466,130)

Now off of his rookie contract and beginning a four-year, $44 million extension that will keep him in a Warriors uniform through 2016-17, Curry is still one of the league's best bargains so long as his playoff run is a sign of things time come. Curry set the NBA record for three-point field goals in a season in 2012-13, making the long range jumper look like a layup when he got hot. The only question for him will be the health of his balky ankles, but as long as those stay fresh the 25-year-old guard has all the makings of an NBA star who will go on to enjoy a long career.

2013-14 team: Memphis Grizzlies
Years in the league: 6
2013-14 salary: $7,900,000
2012-13 stats: 14.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Jrue Holiday ($11,000,000), Brandon Jennings (RFA)

When it was first signed, Conley's five-year, $45 million extension looked like a disaster waiting to happen. However, following the point guard's incredible growth over the last two seasons, Memphis' young point guard now appears to be one of the NBA's best bargains. Conley is the diriving force behind the emerging Grizzlies' offense, getting his teammates involved while also getting his own points at a very efficient clip. Conley has seen his points per game totals climb almost every single season, and at just 25-years-old he has significant room to keep growing and become an even bigger bargain.

2013-14 team: San Antonio Spurs
Years in the League: 12
2013-14 salary: $12,500,000
2012-13 stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 7.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Chris Paul ($18,670,000), Russell Westbrook ($14,693,906)

Even though the Spurs will always be Tim Duncan's team so long as he's still playing, Parker is now indisputably its star. The Frenchman has dramatically improved every year, and is now counted among the league's best players. His speed and quickness have made Parker a devastating scorer off the dribble, and he was justifiably named to the All-NBA Second Team as a result last season. At just $12.5 million per season for this year and next, the Spurs have their 31-year-old star locked up at a very reasonable price for at least two more seasons.

2013-14 team: San Antonio Spurs
Years in the league: 16
2013-14 salary: $10,361,446
2012-13 stats: 17.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.7 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Carlos Boozer ($15,300,000), Zach Randolph ($17,800,000)

Tim Duncan is often lauded as the ultimate team player, and he has sacrificed millions of dollars throughout his career in order to make sure his Spurs teams remain competitive. He's done that again with his current contract, which pays the greatest power forward of all-time just a shade over $10 million both this season and next. Even though he's nearing retirement age, Duncan continues to be one of the league's best big men; in 2012-13, he made the All-Star team, was third in the NBA in blocked shots, and finished sixth in the league in PER.

2013-14 team: San Antonio Spurs
Years in the league: 4
2013-14 salary: $3,762,500
2012-13 stats: 10.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Kyle Korver ($6,000,000), JJ Redick ($6,250,000)

Before he was totally swallowed up by the Miami Heat defense in Games 6 and 7 (where he shot just 2-for-11 from three after going 25-for-38 over the first five contests), Green had already emerged as a potent scoring option in the San Antonio offense. Yet another in a long line of Spurs who seemingly come from nowhere to become key contributors, Green set career bests in 2012-13 in minutes, points, threes, assists, and steals per game and demonstrated that his emergence in 2011-12 was no fluke. Given his output, the Spurs have him locked in at a fantastic value for the next two seasons and he'll most certainly remain in San Antonio through the length of the contract. Green's also an underrated defender.

2013-14 team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Years in the league: 5
2013-14 salary: $14,693,906
2012-13 stats: 23.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Chris Paul ($18,670,000), Derrick Rose ($17,632,688)

It's pretty simple here: Westbrook is one of the 10 best players in the NBA, but this year he will not be compensated in that range. We saw just how vital he is to Oklahoma City when he went down in last year's playoffs, as the Thunder pretty much instantly fell apart without their dynamic point guard. Westbrook's incredible speed and ability in the open court makes him one of the game's brightest young stars, a guy who with his athleticism alone can change the future of an entire team and franchise. So long as he recovers from his torn meniscus and returns to full strength, he'll be one of the league's best for a long time.

2013-14 team: Boston Celtics
Years in the league: 7
2013-14 salary: $12,000,000
2012-13 stats: 13.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 11.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Chris Paul ($18,670,000), Deron Williams ($18,466,130)

The last member standing of the Celtics' championship run, Rondo has been an All-Star in each of the last four seasons who is attached to a very favorable contract given his accomplishments. The mercurial point guard led the NBA in assists per game in 2011-12 and 2012-13 (before his season-ending ACL injury), and is also perennially among the league leaders in steals. While it's true his attitude has been a constant source of scrutiny, there's also no doubting he has the talent befitting of a much more highly compensated player. His five-year, $55 million contract expires at the end of 2014-15, at which point Rondo will likely receive a max contract, or close to it.

2013-14 team: Miami Heat
Years in the league: 10
2013-14 salary: $19,067,500
2012-13 stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Comparable players (and their salaries): Kobe Bryant ($30,453,000), Carmelo Anthony ($21,490,000)

While it may seem weird that someone who makes over $19 million a season could be underpaid, LeBron James is not in the same stratosphere as any other basketball player alive. The question should really become: how much is LeBron James worth to his team? Obviously, given the current salary structure, he is a clear-cut "max" player. But let's suppose there was no limit on the value of player contracts and no salary cap. What would he be worth? $50 million a season? $75 million? Not only do you get the greatest player in the league and instantly morph your team into a title contender, but you also get someone who instantly makes your team's jerseys the No. 1 seller around the world and increases the global visibility of your franchise.