After discussing the most overpaid players in NBA history last week, today we're going to the other end of the spectrum and looking at the most underpaid players.
To determine that, we used the Real Value metric developed by our own Alberto de Roa (you can read about here), subtracted the players' actual salaries from that, and simply ranked who has been most underpaid throughout their careers.
In this era of hyper-inflated salaries, the numbers are going to change quickly, with some players failing to live up to enormous contracts and others vastly outperforming their deals. As a result, this list will be dominated by active players.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-8
Real Value: $364,324,913
Career earnings: $155,458,732
Difference: $208,866,181
(134.35 percent)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard and back-to-back MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has soared up this ranking, going from being No. 15 last time we ran this three years ago to being first overall, and with the potential to put a huge distance between himself and everyone else on this list over the coming seasons.
Of course, SGA’s lead might not grow that much, as his max extension kicks in in 2027-28. The Canadian superstar is now signed through 2030-31 with an annual average salary of $71.25 million. Even then, Gilgeous-Alexander has been so good that he might still very well outperform that monstrous salary, as his most recent Real Value mark in 2025-26 was $93.9 million. That means that even with his new contract, the 28-year-old might still be quite underpaid.
That makes sense to an extent, as Gilgeous-Alexander has been putting up Michael Jordan-like numbers of late, averaging 31.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks over the past four years, on fantastic shooting splits of 52.9/36.8/89.0. SGA’s impact goes beyond the eye-opening stat sheet, too, as the Canadian lead guard led the Thunder to a championship in 2024-25 and to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals last season. Over the past three seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has made the Thunder 11.6 points per 100 possessions better during his time on the floor.
All in all, Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player in basketball over the past two seasons, and it’ll be interesting to see how he lives up to his new contract. Based on recent history, he should live up to it just fine, though.
For more Shai Gilgeous-Alexander career salary info, click here.
2. LeBron James
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 7-16
Real Value: $774,349,274
Career earnings: $583,949,426
Difference: $190,399,848 (32.61 percent)
Although LeBron James lost his top spot in this ranking, there’s a non-zero chance he can take it back, as he just took the biggest pay cut in NBA history by signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a veteran minimum salary.
If we factor in James’ Real Value last season ($35.6 million), that means the four-time league MVP could be quite underpaid in 2026-27, considering he’ll be earning $3.9 million. If James is able to produce at the same level next season that he did in his final year with the Lakers, that means he could be underpaid by over $30 million this upcoming campaign. Of course, it’s not a guarantee that James will be able to maintain that level of production, as he is projected to have at least somewhat of a smaller role in Philadelphia, having to share the ball with the likes of Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Regardless, throughout his career, despite being the second-highest-paid player ever, trailing only Kevin Durant, that James is also the second most underpaid player ever speaks to how brilliant of a career he’s had as a scorer, playmaker, rebounder and defender. It should come as no surprise, then, that we consider James the best player of all time.
For more LeBron James career salary info, click here.
3. Nikola Jokic
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-11
Real Value: $495,242,359
Career earnings: $304,984,295
Difference: $190,258,064 (62.38 percent)
The last time we ran this exercise in 2023, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic actually ranked second, so he was leapfrogged here by the player who finished first in this ranking.
That’s not to say Jokic has fallen off in any way, because he hasn’t; he remains one of the two best players in the NBA today. It’s just that the player who overtook him has been on an insane tear over the past few years, one that not many could have seen coming.
Regardless, Jokic remains among the NBA’s elite, finishing second in the MVP over the past two seasons and earning 1st Team All-NBA honors both campaigns. He continues to be underpaid, too, as he just outperformed his $55.2 million salary by $16.8 million in 2025-26, according to Real Value.
Jokic is currently eligible for an extension but is reportedly waiting until 2027 to sign anything. That’s because in 2027, the star Serbian will be able to sign the biggest contract in NBA history, worth five years and nearly $360 million. Considering that’d be an annual average salary of $72 million, we think that’s when Jokic will finally be appropriately compensated — a scary notion considering just about any other player would be massively overpaid at that number.
Not Jokic, however, who’s just that impactful on the offensive end of the floor and on the glass.
For more Nikola Jokic career salary info, click here.
4. Luka Doncic
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-7
Real Value: $345,133,512
Career earnings: $198,668,471
Difference: $146,465,041 (73.72 percent)
The most underpaid players in the NBA are always going to be the ones who are stars as soon as they arrive in the league while receiving rookie-scale contract wages. Case in point: Luka Doncic. Doncic was a borderline All-Star in Year 1 and a 1st Team All-NBAer from his second season on, so seeing Doncic rank this highly among the most underpaid players in NBA history should come as no surprise.
Even now, when he’s been more properly compensated for years, Doncic continues to outperform his salary. Just last season, Doncic had a Real Value of $61.8 million while earning $46.0 million, which speaks to his brilliance as a player thanks to his scoring, playmaking and rebounding.
We think Doncic’s output could get even better this upcoming season, as not only is he in the best shape of his life, but with James now on the 76ers, that’ll allow Doncic to have even more of the ball to do what he does best: everything.
For more Luka Doncic career salary info, click here.
5. Jalen Brunson
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-8
Real Value: $232,530,055
Career earnings: $120,096,770
Difference: $112,433,285 (93.62 percent)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson did the team a huge favor in 2024 by choosing to sign a four-year, $156.5 million extension, instead of waiting to sign an extension in 2025, when he could have signed a deal worth five years and $269 million. He did so in order to help the Knicks build a championship contender, a feat New York was able to accomplish. That led to Brunson soaring up this ranking, as the diminutive guard has been enormously underpaid over the past couple of seasons.
In 2025-26, Brunson performed at a $70.5 million level while earning a salary of $35.0 million, indicating that even when the former Villanova standout does sign a new, more lucrative deal, he’ll likely still be underpaid, based on his play over the past couple of years. Knicks fans would certainly agree Brunson is underpaid, considering he just led the franchise to its first championship in over 50 years.
Of course, now is the time for the other shoe to drop, as it appears Brunson will be waiting until next summer to sign an extension, when he’ll be eligible to sign for roughly $300 million, according to reports. We don’t think anyone is going to fault Brunson for waiting this time to earn the maximum amount of money he can. He’s more than earned it.
For more Jalen Brunson career salary info, click here.
6. James Harden
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 3-14
Real Value: $512,230,078
Career earnings: $413,820,364
Difference: $98,409,714 (23.78 percent)
Superstar 2-guard James Harden’s game has aged wonderfully, which we’re not sure many expected, considering what has been said about his off-court habits in the past. Regardless of that, Harden is a basketball genius, and as such, he has been able to remain a very high-level player, even as he gets closer to 40, thanks to his playmaking and scoring from three and near the basket.
Harden didn’t earn any individual accolades last season, but he was still very impactful, as evidenced by his making the Cleveland Cavaliers 13.6 points per 100 possessions better during his time on the floor in the playoffs. Real Value believes Harden was underpaid by $10.4 million in 2025-26, and considering the next three seasons of his deal will pay him just an annual average salary of $32.2 million, there’s a solid chance Harden will continue to be underpaid, even if he stays at the same level he was at in 2025-26.
Harden will always catch flak for his lack of championship hardware, but he’s without a doubt a special player and one of the best shooting guards the game has ever seen, impressively even excelling at point guard now later in his career.
For more James Harden career salary info, click here.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-12
Real Value: $427,499,728
Career earnings: $339,006,742
Difference: $88,492,986 (26.10 percent)
Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t quite been his usual dominant self recently, as he suffered through an injury-plagued campaign in 2025-26 and saw his production drop a bit from the extreme highs he had been at in years prior. Along with the injuries, however, motivation very likely played a part in his relatively poor season last year, as the Greek Freak made it very clear he was ready to join a new project, no longer believing in what the Milwaukee Bucks had planned for him. If anything, though, it's impressive that it required a throwaway season for Antetokounmpo for him to finally have a season in which he was overpaid.
Antetokounmpo got his wish this summer, getting traded to the Miami Heat, where he may have a better chance to chase a second championship. Regardless, we expect Antetokounmpo to get back to his prime self this upcoming campaign, especially after seeing how he looked in the preseason, dominating on both ends of the floor with his length, size, athleticism and tenacity. That means we also think he’ll go back to being considered underpaid by our metrics, even despite his salary.
Antetokounmpo is already extension-eligible, but he’s likely waiting until January to sign anything, because by then, the extension he can sign is four years, $276 million, as opposed to the three-year, $194 million he can sign now. We’ll see how that contract ages, but for now, we expect Antetokounmpo to be back in the underpaid column, at least in the immediate future.
For more Giannis Antetokounmpo career salary info, click here.
8. Dwyane Wade
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 6-10
Real Value: $286,989,122
Career earnings: $199,499,205
Difference: $87,725,917 (43.97 percent)
The first non-active player on this list, Dwyane Wade maintains his spot in the Top 10 of the most underpaid players in NBA history. Wade's most underpaid season – which was one of the most underpaid campaigns for any player ever, per Real Value – came in 2005-06, when the former Marquette standout was still on his rookie-scale deal, earning $3.0 million yet leading the Heat to a championship while being named an All-Star, 2nd Team All-NBAer and Finals MVP. His Real Value that season was $27.0 million for an enormous $24.0 million disparity.
It’s easy to see why, then, in hindsight, Wade left the Miami Heat in 2016 to join the Chicago Bulls, as he finally had enough of being underpaid by the team that drafted him. Understandably so, as Wade even took a pay cut in order to get James and Chris Bosh to join the team and give Miami enough financial flexibility to sign high-level role players around its new Big Three. Wade felt he’d get paid back for his sacrifices in free agency in 2016, and when that didn’t happen, he left.
For more Dwyane Wade career salary info, click here.
9. Donovan Mitchell
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 3-6
Real Value: $264,145,994
Career earnings: $188,547,711
Difference: $75,598,283 (40.10 percent)
After being considered overpaid for two straight seasons, Donovan Mitchell bounced back in 2025-26, averaging 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists on 48.3 percent shooting and outproducing his actual salary, per our Real Value metric. That was no small feat for Mitchell, considering he earned $46.4 million last season.
Of course, it won’t be easy for Mitchell to outproduce his actual salary again, as he signed a max extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer, one worth four years and $273 million. Mitchell’s contract has an annual average value of north of $68 million, meaning he’s going to have to reach an even higher level as a player if he’s going to live up to that deal.
That’s not to say we don’t believe in Mitchell – in fact, we just ranked him as the second-best shooting guard in the NBA for next season, so if anything, we’re quite high on him – but it’s just going to be difficult for a shooting guard that the analytics haven’t always loved due to his not-super-efficient scoring and lack of impact defensively, to live up to a $70 million salary.
Don't be surprised if Mitchell slides out of the Top 10 by the next time we run this exercise.
For more Donovan Mitchell career salary info, click here.
10. Jalen Williams
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-4
Real Value: $89,225,805
Career earnings: $20,256,917
Difference: $68,968,888 (340.47 percent)
OKC Thunder swingman Jalen Williams’ best season, according to Real Value, was 2024-25 when he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, and earned 3rd Team All-NBA and All-Star honors. His Real Value that season was $41.1 million. Well, Williams’ salary is about to take a huge leap after his rookie-scale max extension. Over the next five seasons, Williams is set to earn an annual average salary of $47.8 million.
We say that to indicate Williams’ days of being underpaid are over, and that, by our metrics, he’ll likely be considered overpaid going forward unless he takes another step forwar. When healthy, we fully believe Williams is a great player, a two-way force with fantastic scoring ability from the midrange, even against elite defenders. But his impact isn’t always appreciated by advanced stats, so his Real Value vs. actual salary over the course of his new contract is going to look different, and likely not in a good way.
For more Jalen Williams career salary info, click here.
11. Victor Wembanyama
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-3
Real Value: $106,332,323
Career earnings: $38,306,472
Difference: $68,025,851 (177.58 percent)
It’s entirely possible that former No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama ends up among the Top 5 most underpaid players in league history, as his production has been utterly ridiculous since arriving in the NBA, provided he stays healthy, of course. Wembanyama is coming off the best season of his career, having averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 34.9 percent from three. Real Value valued his output at a whopping $74.0 million, meaning that even when Wembanyama is earning $54.6 million in 2030-31, there’s a good chance he’ll still be underpaid.
And that’s without even accounting for all of the money the San Antonio Spurs can make through marketing the global phenom big man. Of course, Wembanyama’s future is dependent on his health, as bigs with his build usually don’t have the best health luck. But if he’s able to remain healthy, Wembanyama is going to be producing at an otherworldly level for a long time, at a level that will be difficult for San Antonio to properly compensate him for.
For more Victor Wembanyama career salary info, click here.
12. Isaiah Thomas
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 2-9
Real Value: $96,146,112
Career earnings: $32,697,809
Difference: $63,448,303 (194.04 percent)
Some may be surprised to see former Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas rank so high on this list, but the unfortunate truth is that Thomas' insane peak came and went before he could cash in on it in free agency. In the 2014 offseason, Thomas signed a four-year, $27 million contract that saw him end up with the Phoenix Suns. Then, in 2015-16 and 2016-17, when Thomas was already in Boston, the diminutive floor general's game exploded, with Thomas earning 2nd Team All-NBA honors in that latter season. Unfortunately for Thomas, after that, injuries kicked in, and Thomas was never able to regain that magic. For what it's worth, in 2016-17, Real Value had Thomas worth $29.1 million when his actual salary was $6.6 million, a huge underpay of $22.5 million.
For more Isaiah Thomas career salary info, click here.
13. Jalen Duren
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-4
Real Value: $82,372,594
Career earnings: $19,474,944
Difference: $62,897,650 (322.97 percent)
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren exploded in 2025-26, going from being a good starter to becoming an All-Star and 3rd Team All-NBAer in what felt like a flash. Duren has special athleticism and has the ability to drive and finish, or even pull up from time to time to hit short midrange jumpers. Duren’s explosion as a player came at the perfect time. He was a restricted free agent this summer, so he was able to parlay his much-improved level into a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract. Whether Duren is able to live up to that deal will depend on whether he’s able to maintain the level he showed in 2025-26. If he is, Real Value believes he’ll be properly compensated with his current deal. If he improves, however, which is entirely possible as his jumper continues to develop, he’ll continue being underpaid and rising up this list.
For more Jalen Duren career salary info, click here.
14. Jayson Tatum
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-8
Real Value: $270,951,070
Career earnings: $210,103,450
Difference: $60,847,620 (28.96 percent)
Four-time 1st Team All-NBAer Jayson Tatum actually took a tumble on this list after returning from his Achilles injury when he did. Because Tatum only played 16 games last season, impressive as those outings were, considering the caliber of injury the former Duke star had to rehab from, Real Value valued his 2025-26 play at just $6.5 million, $47.7 million less than his actual salary of $54.1 million. Tatum has been so good throughout his career that even a season in which he was overpaid by nearly $48 million wasn’t enough to move him out of the Top 15 most underpaid players ever, according to our metrics.
Tatum now has four years left on his deal worth $259.5 million, for an annual average value of $64.9 million. Even besides the injury, we have a hard time envisioning Tatum ever being considered underpaid again at those gargantuan salary numbers; Tatum’s time as an underpaid player came during his rookie-scale deal and during his subsequent five-year, $163 million deal. Outplaying Tatum’s current contract would be difficult for just about any player.
For more Jayson Tatum career salary info, click here.
15. Alperen Sengun
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-5
Real Value: $109,022,062
Career earnings: $49,495,928
Difference: $59,526,134 (120.26 percent)
Turkish center Alperen Sengun is a Jokic Lite type of player: a big man lacking athleticism but making up for it with skill, particularly as a driver and playmaker. Sengun struggles as an outside shooter, but he can knock down midrange jumpers and score with a lot of craft down low. Sengun passed his first big test last season, performing at a $41.1 million level, according to Real Value, while earning $34.0 million. That means that in 2025-26, the first season of his new contract, worth five years and $185 million, Sengun proved he's worth the big money the Houston Rockets are paying him.
Considering Sengun’s deal will peak in 2028-29 (we’re not even counting 2029-30, when he’ll have a player option that he’s a lock to use to hit free agency again, and that’s if he hasn’t been extended by then) at just $39.0 million, and considering Sengun still has the potential to be even better if and when he figures out his three-point shooting, his current deal could and should age quite well.
For more Alperen Sengun career salary info, click here.
16. Tim Duncan
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 6-14
Real Value: $305,212,325
Career earnings: $245,964,351
Difference: $59,247,974 (24.09 percent)
Hall of Fame big man Tim Duncan often left money on the table during his career to help the San Antonio Spurs build a contender around him, which worked out very well for both parties, as Duncan still earned nearly $246 million in his career just in player salary while almost always suiting up for title-contending teams, even winning five championships in his career. According to Real Value, Duncan's most underpaid season came in 2002-03 when he earned $12.1 million while winning regular-season MVP and Finals MVP as he led the Spurs to a championship that year while receiving 1st Team All-NBA distinctions.
Note: For those wondering why we have 20 seasons total in "seasons overpaid vs. underpaid" above when Duncan played in 19, it's because Duncan got paid for 20 NBA seasons. That's because Duncan got waived from his partially guaranteed salary for 2016-17, so we filed that season in the overpaid section since he didn't play a minute that season.
For more Tim Duncan career salary info, click here.
17. Jarrett Allen
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-9
Real Value: $167,188,418
Career earnings: $110,034,582
Difference: $57,153,836 (51.94 percent)
Former Texas standout big man Jarrett Allen has never been considered overpaid by our metrics, a result of his reliability as a double-double machine, as well as the humility of his contracts. That might change going forward, however, as Allen’s new contract will kick in this season - one that is worth three years and $90.7 million. Considering Allen’s career-high in Real Value was $27.3 million last season, he won’t be severely overpaid, but it’s safe to assume he’ll no longer be considered underpaid by our metrics. Perhaps the best way to put it is that the solid starting big man will be fairly paid going forward.
For more Jarrett Allen career salary info, click here.
18. Tyrese Maxey
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-5
Real Value: $141,605,745
Career earnings: $85,258,320
Difference: $56,347,425 (66.09 percent)
Often, when a young player deemed underpaid signs his second contract, a rookie-scale max extension, that player immediately goes into the overpaid category, as it is tough for modern players to keep up with the size of their monstrous contracts. That was not the case for Tyrese Maxey, as he earned $38.0 million last season but posted a Real Value of $53.9 million. With an annual average salary of $43.6 million over the next three seasons, as long as Maxey keeps up his current level, he’ll somehow still be considered underpaid by our metric. That speaks to Maxey, an explosively quick player with three-level scoring and tough shot-making, and his All-NBA-level as a player.
For more Tyrese Maxey career salary info, click here.
19. Dirk Nowitzki
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 6-15
Real Value: $311,608,314
Career earnings: $255,371,800
Difference: $56,236,514 (22.02 percent)
Like Duncan, Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki was extremely loyal to the team that drafted him but in his case, it was almost to a fault, as the Dallas Mavericks weren't nearly as well-run as the Spurs. Thankfully for everyone involved, the partnership still won a championship in 2010-11, when Nowitzki went on an all-time run and led Dallas to its only title. But it was before that when Nowitzki was truly underpaid. In 2001-02, the German superstar earned just $2.2 million for a season in which he was named to 2nd Team All-NBA, was an All-Star and averaged 23.4 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting almost 40.0 percent from three, a nearly unheard-of figure for a big man back then.
For more Dirk Nowitzki career salary info, click here.
20. Anthony Edwards
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-5
Real Value: $186,917,483
Career earnings: $131,998,049
Difference: $54,919,434 (41.61 percent)
Former No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards actually hurt his place in this ranking last season, as it was the first campaign in which Real Value deemed him to be overpaid, although by just $8.9 million.
That’s actually somewhat interesting, and speaks to just how absurd NBA salaries have gotten, considering Edwards, according to BPM and WS/48, just had the best campaign of his career, statistically. It’s simply going to be tough for a lot of these current players, even the elite ones, to live up to their monstrous salaries. Edwards’ salary will peak in 2028-29 at $55.7 million, so as unfair as this might sound, he’s going to need to elevate his game even more to live up to his contract, at least in the eyes of Real Value.
It won’t be impossible for Edwards to live up to his deal, though, as he’s unquestionably the best 2-guard in the game today, thanks to his absurd athleticism, his ability to hit tough shots and his high-level shooting from beyond the arc, even over good contests.
For more Anthony Edwards career salary info, click here.
21. Chauncey Billups
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 5-12
Real Value: $161,074,014
Career earnings: $106,227,720
Difference: $54,846,294 (51.63 percent)
Many may not remember now, as Chauncey Billups today is mostly thought of for his accolades with the Detroit Pistons, particularly leading the team to a championship in 2003-04 and winning Finals MVP for his efforts, but it took a while for Billups to reach those heights, as the 1997 No. 3 overall pick played for four teams before getting to Detroit in merely his sixth season. As for why we're here, Billups was most underpaid in 2005-06, earning $5.9 million while averaging 18.5 points and 8.6 assists and leading the Pistons to the Eastern Conference Finals. Real Value believes Billups was worth $20.0 million that season, a $14.1 million disparity.
For more Chauncey Billups career salary info, click here.
22. Payton Pritchard
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-6
Real Value: $78,541,200
Career earnings: $24,378,289
Difference: $54,162,911 (222.18 percent)
Payton Pritchard will keep climbing this list. We say that confidently because Pritchard's new deal will pay him just $7.8 million this season and $8.3 million in 2027-28. It was somewhat surprising that the Boston Celtics were able to get Pritchard to agree to such a contract, as he’s gotten better every season since he got to the NBA, following up a Sixth Man of the Year season in 2024-25 by averaging a career-high 17.0 points and 5.2 assists in 2025-26. Pritchard has developed into a deep outside scorer and confident tough-shot-maker, skills that have helped him overcome his shortcomings in vertical athleticism and size. Pritchard just posted a season that saw his Real Value outpace his actual salary by $26.8 million, so if he’s able to keep up his 2025-26-level of play, he’s actually going to fly up this ranking soon.
For more Payton Pritchard career salary info, click here.
23. Allen Iverson
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 2-12
Real Value: $207,406,229
Career earnings: $154,494,445
Difference: $52,911,784 (34.25 percent)
Hall of Fame ball-handler Allen Iverson was one of the NBA's most underpaid players in his heyday, and that's just considering his on-court production. Off the court, Iverson produced even more value as a cultural icon, one of the NBA's biggest draws of his era and a player who was must-see television whenever the Sixers played. Regardless, 2000-01 is the year Iverson was most underpaid, per Real Value, an MVP campaign for the legendary floor general in which he led Philadelphia all the way to the NBA Finals with a weak roster around him. That season, Iverson earned $10.1 million while Real Value believed he was worth $20.5 million, a $10.4 million disparity.
For more Allen Iverson career salary info, click here.
24. Paolo Banchero
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-4
Real Value: $102,780,516
Career earnings: $50,158,769
Difference: $52,621,747 (104.91 percent)
Considering Paolo Banchero was a No. 1 pick, it's impressive he made his way onto this list, as he never had a minimum or low-level rookie-contract salary that would have been easy for a player of his caliber to outperform. For as much flak as Banchero gets for the warts in his game - i.e., his shot selection, as many believe he'd be better served attacking the basket more consistently rather than settling so much for tough, contested jumpers - he has performed at a high level since arriving in the NBA, as evidenced by his one All-Star selection, as well as his place in this ranking. Regardless, like many players on this list, Banchero's situation is about to change, as his new rookie-scale max extension deal is set to kick in and pay him an average annual salary of $47.8 million over the next five seasons. The Orlando Magic will need Banchero to reach an even higher level if he's going to live up to that deal.
For more Paolo Banchero career salary info, click here.
25. DeMarcus Cousins
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-11
Real Value: $143,787,834
Career earnings: $91,978,289
Difference: $51,809,545 (56.33 percent)
It makes sense to see DeMarcus Cousins here, as he outperformed his rookie-scale contract and lived up to his first big contract but unfortunately suffered a major injury in the last season of that deal, right before he was set to hit unrestricted free agency. Because of that, Cousins went from almost certainly landing his second max contract to signing a one-year deal worth $5.3 million with the Golden State Warriors. (Remember how mad people were about that signing?) Cousins saw the biggest disparity in Real Value vs. actual value while on his rookie deal. For Cousins, that came in 2013-14 when he was making $5.0 million while putting up 22.7 points and 11.7 rebounds, a campaign in which Real Value had him at $14.8 million, roughly a $9.9 million difference.
For more DeMarcus Cousins career salary info, click here.
26. Karl Malone
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 2-12
Real Value: $152,632,429
Career earnings: $101,723,378
Difference: $50,909,051 (50.05 percent)
Because we only keep salary data from 1990 onward, this exercise doesn’t capture players who may have been underpaid before that. Hall of Fame big man Karl Malone certainly fits, as he made many All-Star appearances in the ’80s while earning little. And yet, Malone still found his way on these rankings. The biggest disparity in Malone's career came in 1997-98, per our database, the year after Malone's first MVP award and before his second, when he was earning $5.1 million while putting up 27.0 points and 10.3 rebounds and leading the Utah Jazz to their second straight Finals appearance. Real Value had his worth in ’97-98 at $14.5 million, a huge number at the time, a $9.4 million disparity.
For more Karl Malone career salary info, click here.
27. Steve Nash
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 5-14
Real Value: $195,155,547
Career earnings: $146,936,620
Difference: $48,218,927 (32.82 percent)
The Mavericks opted not to throw big bucks at Steve Nash to keep him despite his two All-Star appearances while with the team, a decision they would go on to regret. Had Mark Cuban and Co. decided to pay Nash in free agency, they would have had a hugely valuable contract on their hands, as Nash would go on to win the next two MVP awards in his first two years with the Suns. Real Value believes Nash’s most valuable campaign came after his MVP seasons, however, in 2006-07. Nash earned $10.5 million that year while Real Value had him at $19.7 million for a $9.2 million difference. Nash was almost always a high-value contract in the NBA, never ranking higher than 33rd league-wide in salary.
For more Steve Nash career salary info, click here.
28. Austin Reaves
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 0-5
Real Value: $88,030,740
Career earnings: $41,417,862
Difference: $46,612,878 (112.54 percent)
The days of Austin Reaves, one of the best undrafted players in NBA history, being underpaid are over, as his big contract kicks in this season, a deal that will pay the former Oklahoma standout an annual average value of $46.2 million over the next four seasons. Considering Reaves' best season, per Real Value, had him worth just north of $25 million (in 2025-26), that means Reaves is going to have a tough time posting more underpaid seasons unless he takes a huge leap with his play. Still, that doesn't mean Reaves isn't a great player, because he is, thanks to his crafty scoring and solid playmaking. He's just more than likely not going to make this list next time we run this exercise.
For more Austin Reaves career salary info, click here.
29. Sam Cassell
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 3-13
Real Value: $104,066,449
Career earnings: $58,419,775
Difference: $45,646,674 (78.14 percent)
Unlike many of the other players on this list who were underpaid while on their rookie-scale contracts, Sam Cassell is unique in that not only was he a late bloomer in the NBA, but his most underpaid season didn’t come until his 11th NBA league year. In 2003-04, his first and only All-Star year, the former Florida State star averaged 19.8 points and 7.3 assists while making $5.1 million, while Real Value had him at $14.3 million, a $9.2 million difference. Cassell’s value contract that year was a big reason why the Timberwolves were able to make a run to the Western Conference Finals, as he greatly outperformed his deal that year.
For more Sam Cassell career salary info, click here.
30. Amen Thompson
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 1-2
Real Value: $71,633,923
Career earnings: $27,749,844
Difference: $43,884,079 (158.14 percent)
With one year left on his rookie-scale contract, Amen Thompson should have another campaign where he is severely underpaid, as he is set to earn just $12.3 million this season. That would help the 23-year-old wing rise even higher in these rankings next time we run this exercise. Considering Thompson's Real Value last year was $44.2 million, that means Thompson is projected to be underpaid by roughly $30 million again in 2026-27, and that's if he doesn't improve his production, which he very well may, considering his career ascension thus far as a slashing, playmaking wing with elite defending and ridiculous explosiveness. If Thompson improves his shooting, Houston gets an All-NBA-level wing, and the Rockets get a value contract, even when his extension kicks in in 2027-28.
For more Amen Thompson career salary info, click here.
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Ranking: The most underpaid players in NBA history
