The most overpaid players in the NBA right now ranked by production vs salary
Published 2026-03-17
Deandre Ayton is stealing money. Not figuratively, not in the charming, Robin Hood sense, but literally, contractually, and with an almost impressive lack of shame. The Portland Trail Blazers owe him $32.4 million this season, and for that princely sum, they're getting a player who seems to view defense as an optional extra and rebounding as a suggestion.
Ayton’s production has cratered since his Phoenix days. He’s averaging 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. Those aren’t terrible numbers in a vacuum, but for a max-contract center, a former No. 1 pick, they’re insulting. He shot a career-low 57.1% from the field last year, and his defensive intensity, once a flickering flame, has all but extinguished. Portland needs a cornerstone; they got a very expensive garden gnome.
The Golden State's Golden Handcuffs
Klay Thompson, bless his heart and his four championship rings, is another prime example of contract outweighing current contribution. He’s earning $43.2 million this season. Let that sink in. Forty-three point two million dollars for a player who, while still capable of a hot streak, is a shadow of his former self.
His shooting percentages are down across the board – 38.7% from three, 42.1% overall. More concerning is his defensive decline. He’s often a step slow, struggling to keep pace with quicker guards, and his once-stifling on-ball defense is now more of a turnstile. The Warriors are paying for nostalgia; they’re getting a very expensive, occasionally productive role player.
Ben Simmons: The Grand Heist Continues
Then there’s Ben Simmons. Oh, Ben Simmons. The Brooklyn Nets are paying him $37.8 million this year. For that, they’re getting a player who has appeared in just 57 games over the last two seasons combined. When he does play, he's a statistical ghost, averaging a paltry 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in his limited appearances last season.
The man refuses to shoot outside of five feet, and his free throw percentage hovers around a dreadful 50%. The potential, the tantalizing glimpses of a triple-double threat, are long gone. He’s a health risk, a statistical anomaly, and quite possibly the most overpaid athlete in professional sports, not just the NBA.
Jordan Poole's Washington Woes
Jordan Poole's four-year, $128 million extension was questionable the moment it was signed, and his move to Washington has only amplified those concerns. He’s making $27.5 million this season and is currently shooting a ghastly 40.7% from the field and 31.8% from three. His decision-making remains erratic, his defense nonexistent, and his turnovers frequent.
He was supposed to be the primary scorer in Washington, a chance to prove he could lead an offense. Instead, he’s proving he’s a volume shooter with limited efficiency and even less defensive commitment. The Wizards are essentially paying him eight figures to reenact his worst moments from Golden State, but without Steph Curry to bail him out.
The Bold Take
Here’s the deal: Teams need to start being ruthless. These players, through no fault of their own (they signed the dotted line, after all), are hamstringing franchises. The NBA’s guaranteed contracts are a double-edged sword, and right now, they’re cutting deep into team flexibility. My bold prediction? Within the next five years, at least two of these overpaid albatrosses will be bought out of their contracts, even if it means eating tens of millions of dollars, simply to get their dead weight off the roster and out of the locker room. The cost of keeping them is becoming more expensive than the cost of cutting them loose.