The factors that go into this are a combination of public perception, salary, and actual play. So, obviously if a player thinks they are great, the public thinks they are great, and they really are not that good, but they only play for the veteran’s minimum then they are NOT overrated since they play for a low pay.Now take the opposite extreme of a player who nobody thinks is great, the player probably realizes he is not very good, and he makes around 20 million per year. This player is also not overrated. I tried not to penalize someone based on their injury status or history because that would cover too many people and really is not a reflect of talent i.e. Speedy Claxton
5. Kevin Garnett: Definitely a talented player, I cannot deny that. Probably the most talented of this group. But keep in mind he is the highest paid player in the NBA and makes about $25 million per year. I would think a $25 million per year guy would be the floor leader and the clutch guy on the team but nope, that award goes to Pierce. He is scared to shoot in the 4th and will over pass. Just take a look at how he could only lead his team so far in Minnesota, then faked injury (up for debate) so he could force the owner into trading him to a “contender”, and then was magically healed once traded. I loose respect for all supposed stars who want to be traded to a contender. First off, if you are a star, you should make your team a contender. Secondly, if you didn’t demand so much money, maybe the team could get some stars to play around you.
4. Chris Bosh: I feel sorry for whoever signs him to his upcoming max contract. It will be one of the biggest wastes of money that summer. There is not much to say about Bosh. He cannot lead a team, that much is obvious. He is not a true big man but more of a Jermaine O’Neal type who can only find a true home if he can play along a star.
3. Vince Carter: He could be number one on this list. He perhaps brings the largest crowds to the arenas and definitely is one of the more athletic players in the league and at times he can really take over but he has show in Canada and said as much, that he does not always play hard. It did not really need to be said since it was obvious if you ever watch him play. The team he was on a couple years ago in New Jersey was top notch but he is also a guy who needs to play second fiddle. One good gauge to see if a person is second fiddler is by looking at players who really light it up and are clutch against much weaker opponents but who always seem to just miss when playing good opponents. Meet Mr. Carter.
2. Shawn Marion: The ultimate stat stuffer. He gets a few boards, a few points, a few assists. What he doesn’t do is make a difference. He goes largely unnoticed and is probably not worth more than about $12 million a year. To make as much as Pierce and Dirk, its a shame this is allowed because I would take 1/2 of either one for all of Shawn. There is a reason teams are willing to trade him.
1. Carmelo Anthony: The worst part about Carmelo is that he talks about himself interchanging himself with LeBron. The only thing they have in common is being in the same draft. Carmelo is currently not the best player on his team (that would be Chauncey Billups), not the most cerebral (Chauncey again), and not the most clutch (I’ll let you guess on this one). He is what I call a stat stuffer. His stats are always good but he needs a leader on the team to show him what to do and someone to take over at the end. Yeah I know he made a game winning shot against Dallas but I think (and I realize this is just a thought) that he thought they were going to blow the whistle which makes that shot 100x easier. In addition, his baby attitude of wining when he gets pulled, and a couple years ago, whining when he was supposed to go back in. He apologized after his mother told him to. Then we will never forget his backpedaling against a midget in a fight after a sucker punch. Add to that a cheap shot on Ginobili when they were about to lose the series in the first round and you have a spoiled baby. For all his talk and bravado, he is what I call a 2nd tier star. These are guys who get max contracts but need to play second fiddle on a team to succeed. He tops the list.
