The 20 Most Underpaid Players in the NBA Today

21.

How much do numbers matter in the NBA? That depends on whom you ask.

Some notable figures, like Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie, believe numbers are everything. Others—like retired players Charles Barkley and Karl Malone—think the emphasis on quantifiable variables has gone way too far. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

No one would debate this, though: to put a championship-caliber team on the court, you have to manage the salary cap well. You can’t invest in bad assets. Sometimes teams get lucky and sign a player at exactly the right moment—like when the Dubs inked Steph Curry to a four-year, $44 million contract prior to the 2012-13 season despite his ankle issues. Decent move.

Other times, teams wreck their future by dishing out a monster deal at the exact wrong moment—like when the Knicks gave Eddy Curry $60 million in 2005...or Amar’e Stoudemire $100 million in 2010...or Joakim Noah $73 million in 2016. Not ideal.

If you want to compete with the best in the NBA, you need a few players who make a big impact at a bargain-bin price tag. Here are the 20 most underpaid players in the NBA for the 2018-19 season.

(We did not include players currently on their rookie contracts. Otherwise, a number of emerging standouts—like Domantas Sabonis, Buddy Hield, and D’Angelo Russell—would have a rightful place on this list.)

20.Jerami Grant

2018-19 Salary: $9.4 mil

2018-19 Stats: 32.6 MPG, 13.6 PPG, 39.2% 3FG, 1.2 BPG

Grant’s stock had gone low when the Sixers traded him to Oklahoma City in 2016, but he’s evolved into a legitimate weapon and perfect fit for the modern NBA. The Syracuse product is a monster athlete, a defensive fiend, and he’s added a 3-point shot to his game. Though the Thunder had (another) disappointing season, Grant was a bright spot.

19.Dewayne Dedmon

2018-19 Salary: $7 million

2018-19 Stats: 25.1 MPG, 10.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG

Undrafted out of USC in 2013, Dedmon spent the first few years of his NBA career bouncing around with different NBA and G-League teams. During the 2016-17 campaign with the Spurs, though, he showed signs of being able to ball. This season marked his real coming-out party. Though he didn't even attempt a three in his first six NBA seasons, he's become a consistent outside shooter, hits his free throws (81.4%), and he's a force defensively.

18.D.J. Augustin

2018-19 Salary: $7.3 million

2018-19 Stats: 28.0 MPG, 11.7 PPG, 42.1% 3FG, 5.3 APG

The Magic had a surprisingly strong campaign, and Augustin, their floor general, was a big reason for that. After missing half of the 2017-18 season due to injury, Augustin had a major bounce-back year, averaging his most minutes since 2013-14 and most assists since 2011-12. Augustin also hit the game-winning three in the Magic's 104-101 win over the Raptors in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

17.Noah Vonleh

2018-19 Salary: $1.6 million

2018-19 Stats: 25.3 MPG, 8.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.9 APG

Vonleh is another guy who entered the league with too-high expectations. The former Indiana standout was the No. 9 overall pick in 2014, but he only spent one year with Charlotte before he was traded to Portland. He never really found a groove with the Blazers, losing his spot to Maurice Harkless and was traded again in 2018. Last summer, he signed with the Knicks, and he had a breakout campaign in New York. Playing practically nothing, Vonleh put up career-highs for starts, minutes, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and points.

16.Nerlens Noel

2018-19 Salary: $1.8 million

2018-19 Stats: 13.7 MPG, 4.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG

Once the top recruit in America, Noel’s NBA career has not lived up to its billing. However, the Kentucky product and high-top fade icon had a better-than-expected campaign with the Thunder. Playing behind Steven Adams, Noel proved to be a defensive asset. And despite only playing 13.7 minutes a night—the fewest of his career—he had arguably his most efficient season as a pro. Maybe all he needed was a lower bar to clear.

15.Seth Curry

2018-19 Salary: $3 million

2018-19 Stats: 18.9 MPG, 7.9 PPG, 45.0% 3FG, 1.6 RPG

The younger Curry brother has been a punchline for much of his career, but Portland sees him as something else: a steal. The former Duke standout signed a two-year deal with the Trail Blazers last July. He had a couple big performances during the regular season—dropping 22 apiece against Atlanta in January and Phoenix in March—and also competed in the 3-point contest. Most importantly, he gets crunch-time minutes for a team with legitimate title aspirations. You never know when Dell's other son is going to get hot, like in Game 2 against OKC, when he rained in 3-of-4 3-balls.

14.Tomas Satoransky

2018-19 Salary: $3.1 million

2018-19 Stats: 27.1 MPG, 8.9 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.5 RPG

The versatile, 6'7" Satoransky is 27, but he's only been in the NBA since 2016, starting his career in Europe. He's gradually acquired a bigger role in his three years in Washington, and this year he broke out as a supreme role-player who does a little bit of everything. He slid into the starting lineup in early December and stayed there. The Wizards had a disappointing year, but Satoransky shined in John Wall’s absence.

13.Jusuf Nurkic

2018-19 Salary: $11.1 million

2018-19 Stats: 27.4 MPG, 15.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG

Still only 24 years old, the 7-footer from Bosnia has come into his own and blossomed as one of the best offensive centers in the NBA. Yes, he gets paid a decent amount compared to others on this list, but it's still not nearly what he's worth. This season, he posted career-high numbers practically across the board, and helped lead Portland back after a rough ending to the 2017-18 season. Though he's out now with a compound fracture of his left tibia and fibula, the Blazers know they have a big man to complement Damian Lillard for years to come.

12.Al-Farouq Aminu

2018-19 Salary: $6.9 million

2018-19 Stats: 28.3 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 APG

Back-to-back Blazers! The 28-year-old Aminu is a defensive ace who can switch all five positions. Aminu isn’t a star, but he’s a huge key for the Blazers—the Portland staff is well aware that he’s one of the team’s most important players. The Nigerian/Wake Forest product played for four teams in the first five years of his career, but he’s found a home in the Pacific Northwest. That said, he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, and you can bet he won’t be playing for $7 million a year again.

11.Derrick Rose

2018-19 Salary: $2.4 million

2018-19 Stats: 27.3 MPG, 18.0 PPG, 4.3 APG, 2.7 RPG

D-Rose only played 51 games this season, but he was excellent in those 51 games. It seemed the former MVP’s career could be all but over in the 2017-18 season, when the Cavs traded him to the Jazz and Utah waived him. But Rose got a brief audition with the Wolves and he showed enough to get a deal for the 2018-19 season. In his first start of the year, the man dropped a career-high 50 points. Sadly, he ended up suffering several different injuries throughout the season, and a right-elbow ailment kept him out from late March to the end of the campaign. But, after his way-better-than-expected performance this season, you can bet the 30-year-old will be back.

10.Julius Randle

2018-19 Salary: $8.6 million

2018-19 Stats: 30.6 MPG, 21.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.1 APG

The former No. 7 pick from Kentucky should not have been allowed to leave Los Angeles. What were the Lakers thinking? While the Lake Show was busy signing guys like Lance Stephenson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and JaVale McGee, Randle left for New Orleans, where, playing alongside fellow former Wildcat Anthony Davis, he blossomed into one of the most valuable and versatile forwards in the West. He has a player option for $9.1 million for next season so count on Randle opting out and getting paid.

9.Marcus Morris

2018-19 Salary: $5.4 million

2018-19 Stats: 27.9 MPG, 13.9 PPG, 37.5% 3FG, 6.1 RPG

The veteran tough guy signed his current deal at the wrong time: in 2014. Can you guess who he signed that deal with? The Phoenix Suns! Back then, the Morris twins played together. Since, Marcus was traded to Detroit, then Boston. In Beantown, the former Jayhawk has become a staple of Brad Stevens’ rotation and one of the Celtics' most reliable players. For example, in their series-clinching win over the Pacers, Morris hit 7-of-11 shots for 18 points and added eight rebounds. Somehow, he’s still playing on a four-year, $20 million deal (which is up this summer). Morris would give any contender a boost.

8.DeMarcus Cousins

2018-19 Salary: $5.3 million

2018-19 Stats: 25.7 MPG, 16.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG

This isn’t even really fair. The guy is a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA center. Of course someone with those accolades playing on the mid-level exception deserves to be on this list. Granted, yes, he missed plenty of time recovering from his Achilles injury (which kept him out until mid-January) and then tearing his left quadriceps in Game 2 of the playoffs. When he did play, however, he did so at a borderline All-Star caliber. His numbers would've been higher if he weren't sharing minutes and touches with Golden State's loaded roster. Thus, he reasserted his value this season—though teams will be cautious when he hits the market because of concerns about his injury history.

7.Nikola Vucevic

2018-19 Salary: $12.8 million

2018-19 Stats: 31.4 MPG, 20.8 PPG, 36.4% 3FG, 12.0 RPG

The Montenegrin has had clear potential since the Sixers drafted him out of USC at No. 16 in 2011, but the 7-footer could never take the next step—that is, until this season. Vucevic made his first All-Star appearance (and Orlando's first such appearance since Dwight Howard in 2012) and showed himself to be a true star. Vucevic led Orlando to the postseason, and though he was disappointing in the playoffs, he's still in line for a big raise.

6.Dwyane Wade

2018-19 Salary: $2.4 million

2018-19 Stats: 26.2 MPG, 15.0 PPG, 4.2 APG, 4.0 RPG

Dwyane Wade has gotten paid in his career, both from his accomplishments on the court and off. Though he didn't get all he could, because he wanted to play with LeBron and Chris Bosh, the man did fine for himself. That’s all to say that there wasn’t any financial pressure on him when he accepted the veteran’s minimum so he could play with the Heat for his final year in the league. With that established, they still got an incredible deal. Wade, 37, was one of Miami’s best offensive weapons despite earning 10% of what he garnered at his peak. The 2006 Finals MVP actually shot a career-best 33% from downtown.

5.Montrezl Harrell

2018-19 Salary: $6 million

2018-19 Stats: 26.3 MPG, 16.6 PPG, 61.5% FG, 6.5 RPG

We saw it in the first round of the playoffs, where the Clippers pushed the Warriors to six games: Harrell is a beast. Those who watched him at Louisville knew he had potential, but he didn't blow up until 2018-19. Coming off the bench for Doc Rivers' squad, Harrell dominated in the paint, shooting 61.5% from the floor and blocking 1.3 shots per game. His numbers have gone up in each of his four pro seasons, and he's in line for a big pay day in the summer of 2020 after signing a two-year, $12 million deal with LA last year.

4.Khris Middleton

2018-19 Salary: $13 million

2018-19 Stats: 31.1 MPG, 18.3 PPG, 37.8% 3FG, 6.0 RPG

A first-time All-Star this season, Middleton is the Bucks’ most important player not named Giannis Antetokounmpo. NBA nerds love this guy. Middleton doesn’t draw much attention to himself, but he’s one of the most consistent outside shooters in the league; he finished 19th in total made threes this season. Considering he’s the second option on a legit title contender, Middleton’s $13 million in salary is an absolute steal. (Reference points: DeMar DeRozan made $27.7 million, C.J. McCollum made $25.8 million, and Nicolas Batum got $24 million.)

3.Kemba Walker

2018-19 Salary: $12 million

2018-19 Stats: 34.9 MPG, 25.6 PPG, 5.9 APG, 1.2 SPG

Charlotte’s star, meanwhile, got exactly half of what one of his teammates received. Walker, a three-time All-Star and a starter in that game for the first time this year, has been the Hornets’ best player practically since he entered the league out of UConn—and yet he’s still playing on one of the league’s most team-friendly deals. At one point this season, he was an actual MVP contender. For $12 million! The Hornets are stuck in NBA purgatory, still unable to make the postseason despite changing coaches last year, but they can take solace in knowing they have one of the league’s best point guards.

2.Spencer Dinwiddie

2018-19 Salary: $1.7 million

2018-19 Stats: 28.1 MPG, 16.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.4 RPG

You have to be happy for Spencer Dinwiddie. A second-round pick who spent two years in the G-League, Dinwiddie has fought for life in the NBA, and the guard has finally made it. His breakout with Brooklyn led to him signing a three-year, $34 million extension in December. For one last time, however, he played for pennies on the dollar this season. Coming off the bench, Dinwiddie put up career-highs down the line and was the third-leading scorer for an upstart Nets squad. You can’t be mad when you’re a playoff team whose third option makes $1.7 million and top two options (D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert) make $7 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

1.Lou Williams

2018-19 Salary: $8 million

2018-19 Stats: 26.6 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.0 RPG

The bench savant was the offensive leader of a Clippers team that just would not give up. LA pushed Golden State far more than anyone expected in the first round, and Williams played a big role in that. A two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Williams has another shot to claim the award this season. When the moment is biggest, Sweet Lou steps up, using his unique skill set with the rock in his hands to either get clutch buckets or create for his Clippers teammates. He just signed this contract last year (it looked surprisingly cheap at the time, too), so he’ll be around LA on a bargain deal for a while.