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Player salaries and contracts are one of the most intriguing topics in the NBA. There is always speculation about how much elite stars are earning in their current franchises, and about whether they are underpaid or overpaid.
Over the years, the NBA has seen quite a few heavily underpaid players with stellar numbers.
This has turned out to be a godsent for teams wanting to build a championship-contending roster. The best example would be the Golden State Warriors, who were able to gather some of the NBA's megastars at bargain salaries for many seasons.
For example, Stephen Curry was signed on a mere $12.1M per year salary in a four-year deal signed in 2012 that ran until the 2016-17 NBA season.
5 underpaid players in the NBA this season
In this article, we are only considering player salaries for the 2020-21 NBA season and looking at whether they match the value of the performances of the players in this term.
The list won't include players like Luka Doncic and Trae Young as they are still on their rookie contracts and are obviously worth way more than what they are being paid right now.
So without any further ado, let's find out which players are currently outplaying their salaries for the 2020-21 NBA campaign.
#1 Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers
Salary for 2020-21 NBA season: $29.5 million
Joel Embiid has completely transitioned himself into one of the best athletes in the NBA this season. His top-drawer performances have turned the Philadelphia 76ers into genuine title contenders.
He is averaging a whopping 29,4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, to go with 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game so far. On top of that, his name has constantly been brought up in MVP discussions and is easily among the top five favorites.
Despite all of this, Embiid is ranked 24th in the list of highest earners this NBA season. To put this into perspective, the likes of John Wall, Mike Conley, and Kemba Walker are all making a minimum of $5 million more than him this campaign.
None of these aforementioned players have performed to their potential this season and are way behind Joel Embiid considering the kind of showings he has produced so far.
#2 Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets
Salary for 2020-21 NBA season: $29.5 million
Due tohis career-best showings this season, in which he has averaged 26.3 points, 8.9 assists and 10.9 rebounds, Nikola Jokic has come from the blue to be the frontrunner for the MVP award.
Amongst all the other MVP candidates, Jokic has managed to play the most amount of games, featuring in all the 52 games the Nuggets have played so far. Considering how compact the schedule is this NBA season and the fact that the offseason break was cut short, it is one of his most underrated achievements.
Due to this, the Denver Nuggets have undeniably got themselves a bargain in terms of Jokic's salary. He is 26th on the list of highest-paid players this season, earning the same as Embiid while being paid very little compared to the other MVP candidates who are way behind him in the MVP ladder race at the moment.
The Nuggets are now looking like solid contenders in the Western Conference with a 34-18 season record, which puts them fourth in the West ahead of the LA Lakers.
#3 Bradley Beal - Washington Wizards
Salary for 2020-21 NBA season: $28.7 million
Bradley Beal is leading the scoring charts but is way down on the list of highest earners, ranked 31st this NBA season.
Yet again, the Washington Wizards have struggled in their bid to qualify for the playoffs this season. Despite that, Beal has managed to live up to his expectations like the last few years and has delivered his end of the bargain. There is still a good chance for the Wizards to make it to the post-season, though, and Beal will be a crucial player for them.
He is averaging 30.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. With this kind of output, it seems like the Washington Wizards have got themselves a great deal here. It also indicates that Beal is definitely deserving enough to be at least in the top 20 players, if not the top 15 or 10 highest-paid players.
#4 Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Salary for 2020-21 NBA season: $19.5 million.
Zach LaVine is another player on this list who is having a career-best season so far. He is averaging 27.5 points, 4.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game and has shown massive improvements in his all-round play this NBA season.
He has led the Bulls with great intent, bolstering their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2017. He even earned his maiden call-up to the All-Star game about a month and a half ago due to his terrific showings in the 2020-21 campaign.
He definitely has been one of the top 20 players this season, and his $19.5M salary seems like an absolute bargain from the Bulls' perspective. LaVine is currently the 55th best-paid player in the league.
For a team leader of his quality, his earnings are way less than a host of role players.
#5 Domantas Sabonis - Indiana Pacers
Salary for 2020-21 NBA season: $19.8 million.
Domantas Sabonis has by far been the best player on the Indiana Pacers roster. He has quickly turned out to be one of the most versatile big men in the NBA, averaging 19.9 points, six assists and 11.4 rebounds per contest.
The Indiana Pacers have endured a dismal campaign so far, which sees them ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference at the moment. In a tough season like this, Sabonis has ensured that they stay afloat and qualify for the post-season for the seventh consecutive time.
Taking into consideration how valuable he is to his teams' performances, his current pay, that sees him earn below $20 million, seems like an absolute steal. He is ranked 53rd in the highest-paid players' list.
Guess the Lakers players!
