Top 34 salaries - which ones are worth it?

[NJ-Buckeye]

In a perfect world... how many of these guys are really worth their salaries?

1) Kevin Garnett $22,000,000
2) Shaquille O'Neal $20,000,000
3tie) Jermaine O'Neal $19,728,000
3tie) Jason Kidd $19,728,000
5) Kobe Bryant $19,490,625
6tie) Allen Iverson $19,195,312
6tie) Stephon Marbury $19,195,312
8) Tim Duncan $19,014,188
9) Tracy McGrady $19,014,187
10tie) Baron Davis $16,440,000
10tie) Shawn Marion $16,440,000
12tie) Antawn Jamison $16,360,090
12tie) Dirk Nowitzki $16,360,090
12tie) Paul Pierce $16,360,090
15) Ray Allen $16,000,000
16) Ben Wallace $15,500,000
17) Sam Cassell $15,344,000
18) Rashard Lewis $14,884,951
19) Michael Redd $14,520,000
20tie) Amare Stoudemire $13,762,775
20tie) Yao Ming $13,762,775
22) Pau Gasol $13,735,000
23) Andrei Kirilenko $13,725,000
24) Mike Bibby $13,500,000
25) Joe Johnson $13,488,378
26) Zach Randolph $13,333,333
27) Vince Carter $13,325,000
28) Rasheed Wallace $13,140,000

and notice, Lebron, Wade and Carmello are not in this list

 

[billmac91]

not many.

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

In a perfect world... how many of these guys are really worth their salaries?

1) Kevin Garnett $22,000,000
2) Shaquille O'Neal $20,000,000
3tie) Jermaine O'Neal $19,728,000
3tie) Jason Kidd $19,728,000
5) Kobe Bryant $19,490,625
6tie) Allen Iverson $19,195,312
6tie) Stephon Marbury $19,195,312
8) Tim Duncan $19,014,188
9) Tracy McGrady $19,014,187
10tie) Baron Davis $16,440,000
10tie) Shawn Marion $16,440,000
12tie) Antawn Jamison $16,360,090
12tie) Dirk Nowitzki $16,360,090
12tie) Paul Pierce $16,360,090
15) Ray Allen $16,000,000
16) Ben Wallace $15,500,000
17) Sam Cassell $15,344,000
18) Rashard Lewis $14,884,951
19) Michael Redd $14,520,000
20tie) Amare Stoudemire $13,762,775
20tie) Yao Ming $13,762,775
22) Pau Gasol $13,735,000
23) Andrei Kirilenko $13,725,000
24) Mike Bibby $13,500,000
25) Joe Johnson $13,488,378
26) Zach Randolph $13,333,333
27) Vince Carter $13,325,000
28) Rasheed Wallace $13,140,000

and notice, Lebron, Wade and Carmello are not in this list

That may be a little generous on a couple.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Since I don't believe anyone on the list has found a cure for cancer, invented a low cost environmentally friendly fuel that can run an automobile, eliminated global warming, and/or caused all religions in the world to love each other, etc.; I'll take a "wild ass" guess here and say zero.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Since I don't believe anyone on the list has found a cure for cancer, invented a low cost enviromentally friendly fuel that can run an automobile, eliminated global warming, and/or caused all religeons of the world to love each other, etc.; I'll take a "wild ass" guess here and say zero.

Sorry, we were looking for Sam Cassell...Cassell.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

No pro athlete, in any sport, is anywhere near being "worth" what they are paid.

 

[fourteenandoh]

No pro athlete, in any sport, is anywhere near being "worth" what they are paid.

if they put asses in the seats, sell jerseys and make the owners money they absolutely are worth what they are being paid.

 

[souL]

What he said.

No pro athlete, in any sport, is anywhere near being "worth" what they are paid.

False. As a product, they have an amazingly high return on investment. They get rich by making other people rich and providing millions more with entertainment. If celebrating the human achievement didn't mean so much to everyone, these people would be worth less.

However, it's OUR fault these people are worth so much. We're the ones that pay the money to see them and buy the products they endorse. If people REALLY think they're not worth it, they need to stop watching them. We're not packing stadiums to watch Krenzel in the lab, we're doing it to watch him throw a football.

Until then, people need to stop acting so upset and appalled at this.

You could argue that the money they're being paid doesn't benefit the human race in any way, but then how much of the world would be unemployed? I'd argue that 90% of the kids and dropouts making minimum wage at McDonalds are getting way more than they deserve because I can't get my food faster than 15 minutes and it's never right. Not only that, they're not selling me anything that BENEFITS me, it's just going to put me in a box early. Let's take the money McDonalds is currently making and divert it toward protecting our planet from asteroids. Tobacco, Liquor, entertainment media, sport... the list goes on and on. I feel sick to my stomach when I think about Floyd Mayweather getting 20 million dollars to choreograph a fake fight between someone who outweighs him by like 350 pounds, but it doesn't make him not worth it.

To the question, I guess we're going with this based on play? I would assume:
1) Kevin Garnett $22,000,000
2) Shaquille O'Neal $20,000,000
3tie) Jermaine O'Neal $19,728,000
3tie) Jason Kidd $19,728,000
5) Kobe Bryant $19,490,625
6tie) Allen Iverson $19,195,312
6tie) Stephon Marbury $19,195,312
8) Tim Duncan $19,014,188
9) Tracy McGrady $19,014,187
10tie) Baron Davis $16,440,000
10tie) Shawn Marion $16,440,000
12tie) Antawn Jamison $16,360,090
12tie) Dirk Nowitzki $16,360,090
12tie) Paul Pierce $16,360,090
15) Ray Allen $16,000,000
16) Ben Wallace $15,500,000
17) Sam Cassell $15,344,000
18) Rashard Lewis $14,884,951
19) Michael Redd $14,520,000
20tie) Amare Stoudemire $13,762,775
20tie) Yao Ming $13,762,775
22) Pau Gasol $13,735,000
23) Andrei Kirilenko $13,725,000
24) Mike Bibby $13,500,000
25) Joe Johnson $13,488,378
26) Zach Randolph $13,333,333
27) Vince Carter $13,325,000
28) Rasheed Wallace $13,140,000

I hesitate to put one dimensional players on this list and guys that are hurt a lot. Also guys on losing teams and guys who just aren't drawing the crowds like Jermaine O'Neal. No one goes to see Indiana play.

 

[sandgk]

if they put asses in the seats, sell jerseys and make the owners money they absolutely are worth what they are being paid.

150!

 

[ShakerBuck]

No pro athlete, in any sport, is anywhere near being "worth" what they are paid.

really? how much has lebron raised the value of the cavs? how much #23 cavs gear gets sold.

Lebron is well worth it..

but I agree that there are not many athletes that actually move the needle in terms of profitability for their teams like LBJ

 

[bucknut11]

Did Michael Finley get his deal restructured? He used to be in the top 10, over 17 mill a year I thought. He was definitely not worth that price.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

if they put asses in the seats, sell jerseys and make the owners money they absolutely are worth what they are being paid.

Wrong. What they put in owner's pockets doesn't determine their real "worth".

What he said.

However, it's OUR fault these people are worth so much. We're the ones that pay the money to see them and buy the products they endorse. If people REALLY think they're not worth it, they need to stop watching them. We're not packing stadiums to watch Krenzel in the lab, we're doing it to watch him throw a football.

Soul hit it as far we're to blame (at least partially) for their salaries. Still, the greed of players (and moreso their agents) have forced salaries up and thus the cost of everything associated with it (tickets, merchandise, etc.) You really think you should be paying $100 for a fucking ticket just to watch a game? Now, before anyone jumps in with "Well, that's much different than what you pay for a ticket for a game at The Shoe", that's totally different.

really? how much has lebron raised the value of the cavs? how much #23 cavs gear gets sold.

Oh, so the value to the team's cash value determines the "worth" of the player? How much of the value of the Cavs goes back ito the public? How much of the sales of LBJ jerseys goes back to the public? You really think you need to be paying $70 or whatever it costs for a fucking jersey? Really.

 

[billmac91]

Wrong. What they put in owner's pockets doesn't determine their real "worth".


Soul hit it as far we're to blame (at least partially) for their salaries. Still, the greed of players (and moreso their agents) have forced salaries up and thus the cost of everything associated with it (tickets, merchandise, etc.) You really think you should be paying $100 for a fucking ticket just to watch a game? Now, before anyone jumps in with "Well, that's much different than what you pay for a ticket for a game at The Shoe", that's totally different.


Oh, so the value to the team's cash value determines the "worth" of the player? How much of the value of the Cavs goes back ito the public? How much of the sales of LBJ jerseys goes back to the public? You really think you need to be paying $70 or whatever it costs for a fucking jersey? Really.

College players don't get paid, yet ticket prices across college athletics have gone up. It's all supply and demand. Every team uses software to generate max profits on ticket sales/merchandise/promotions.

The reason for influx in salaries is because of the profits owners continually make. The reason the Yankees buy their roster is because they have the money to do it b/c of a billion dollar TV contract.

The salary cap in basketball is low enough so that every team in the league makes a sizeable profit. Even a team with attendance issues (New Orleans Hornets) will make good money.

It's supply and demand of the player. The contract price gets increased b/c teams try and top each other with money to lure FA's to their city. They have that money to spend because sports franchises in the big 3 (baseball, basketball, football) are ridiculously profitable.

 

[fourteenandoh]

Wrong. What they put in owner's pockets doesn't determine their real "worth".

lets just change the name of the thread to capitalism vs socialism and move it to the poli board

 

[OCBucksFan]

if they put asses in the seats, sell jerseys and make the owners money they absolutely are worth what they are being paid.

That's pretty much my read on the subject, they pack the place, they sell tons of jerseys, they provide a product which, as a fan, I am happy to go see. You can blame the increased costs of tickets on this, but i really don't see that as the case at all, ticket prices for the Lakers, for example, went up quite a bit when the Staples Center was built, at the forum they had increased but nothing to the degree they are now. Jersey costs and merchandise has always been pretty pricey, I mean it's $200 for an official NBA jersey, whereas there's a lot more to an NHL one and it sells for about $150.