Best paid benchwarmers in the NBA

[genomefreak13]

1. Theo Ratliff
Detroit Pistons
Annual salary: $12 million
2007-08 statistics:
Minutes per game: 13.9
Points per game: 3.0
Rebounds per game: 3.1

The Pistons obtained Ratliff from Minnesota earlier this season, enduring his outsized contract for help during their playoff push. The Pistons fell short of the championship round, though his expiring contract means there's more cash to go after other players with.


2. Raef LaFrentz
Portland Trail Blazer
Annual salary: $9.9 million
2007-08 statistics:
Minutes per game: 7.5
Points per game: 1.7
Rebounds per game: 1.7

After a promising early career, LaFrentz signed with Dallas in 2002 for just under $70 million for seven years. He's managed to stay healthy for a full season just twice since then.


3. Adonal Foyle
Orlando Magic
Annual salary: $8.5 million
2007-08 statistics:
Minutes per game: 9.4
Points per game: 1.9
Rebounds per game: 2.5

Foyle signed a six-year, $51.2 million contract with Golden State in 2004, despite never having averaged more than 5.9 points a game in his career. He's averaged only 18 minutes a game over 11 seasons.


4. Kwame Brown
Memphis Grizzlies
Annual salary: $8.3 million
2007-08 statistics:
Minutes per game: 13.6
Points per game: 3.5
Rebounds per game: 3.8

Brown has never developed into the player the scouts projected after being selected first overall by Washington in the 2001 NBA draft as a raw high schooler.

5. Kenny Thomas
Sacramento Kings
Annual salary: $7.1 million
2007-08 statistics:
Minutes per game: 12.2
Points per game: 1.4
Rebounds per game: 2.7

Thomas' seven-year, $50 million deal runs through 2010. He got the contract after averaging 10 points and eight rebounds for the Rockets and 76ers in 2002-03. Oye.


http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/16/sports-mlb-nfl-biz-sports_cx_tvr_0616benchwarmers_slide_12.html?thisS peed=30000

[Marklar MM]

To bad the Pistons paid under $1.5 million for him. But he still made a shitload from his buyout from Minnesota or wherever he was before.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

LaFrentz should be 1.

[bdictjames]

No Finley?

[exstatic]

No Finley?

He starts.

[AFBlue]

How this list doesn't have Jerome James on it, I have no idea...

Not only does he get paid full MLE, but the Knicks pay double for his salary and he's given them LESS than nothing.

Also needing to be added to the list....Darius Miles.

[ata]

Keith van Horn?

[Red Hawk #21]

Vintage Adonal Foyle : http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkoNgq-O3R4

[Biggems]

Vintage Adonal Foyle : http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkoNgq-O3R4

I see u are a Hawks fan......Nique was one of my all-time fave players. Wish the Hawks would go back to those 80s uniforms...Wish TBS would cover all the games like they used to back in the 80s.

[pawe]

KVH gets millions of dollars just for a few days of physicals and paperwork. Outrage i tell yah!!!

[angelbelow]

theres quite a few out there, but i love kwame brown here.

[pawe]

theres quite a few out there, but i love kwame brown here.

Kwame deserves his pay for all the hating and name calling he gets from his coach down to the media and fans.

[JamStone]

How this list doesn't have Jerome James on it, I have no idea...

Not only does he get paid full MLE, but the Knicks pay double for his salary and he's given them LESS than nothing.

Also needing to be added to the list....Darius Miles.


"Best paid" not "most overpaid."

The list clearly is of bench players that make the most money period, not most money in ratio to minutes played or production. Same reason why Van Horn isn't on the list.

[Red Hawk #21]

I see u are a Hawks fan......Nique was one of my all-time fave players. Wish the Hawks would go back to those 80s uniforms...Wish TBS would cover all the games like they used to back in the 80s.

Hey thanx alot man, there aren't many people who respect us anymore because of all the years we have sucked. But its still nice to hear something like this once in a while, :toast

[Tully365]

Would Kwame be worth the LLE?

[TheProfessor]

Makes Bonner look downright reasonable.