These NBAers got paid more in 2015 than MVP Stephen Curry
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1. Stephen Curry - $10,629,213
Stephen Curry, the 2015 NBA MVP, has evolved into a transcendent player who is appointment television every time he steps onto the court.
Curry led the Warriors to the best record in the NBA in 2015, yet he's just the 53rd highest-paid player in the league, per Spotrac. Before signing a 4-year, $44 million contract in 2013, Curry struggled with ankle injuries that plagued his young career.
At less than $11 million per year, Curry might be the best bargain in the league.
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2. Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala, David Lee
Three of Stephen Curry's teammates made more than he did in 2015. Andrew Bogut ($12,972,973), Andre Iguodala ($12,289,544) and David Lee ($15,012,000) all make millions more than Curry. Iguodala and Lee aren't even starters on Golden State.
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3. Joe Johnson - $23,180,790
Joe Johnson was the second-highest paid player in 2015, behind only Kobe Bryant. The Hawks gave the bloated 6-year, $123.6 million deal to Johnson in 2010. He lasted two years with Atlanta before being shipped (and his contract) off to the Nets.
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4. Deron Williams - $19,754,465
Johnson's backcourt buddy in Brooklyn brings home just under $20 million a year with the Nets. With Curry and Deron Williams playing the same position, which point guard would you rather have?
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5. Jeremy Lin - $14,898,938
Jeremy Lin was supposed to return to his Linsanity days once the bright lights of STAPLES Center turned on. However, Lin struggled early with the Lakers and was replaced by second-round rookie Jordan Clarkson. Not what you expect from a nearly $15-million-per-year point guard.
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6. Rajon Rondo - $12,909,090
Rajon Rondo's 2015 season was thought to be a resurgence for the playmaking point guard. Unfortunately for the mercurial Rondo, the season didn't go as planned. He was traded from the Celtics to the Mavericks, then he butted heads with coach Rick Carlisle.
An impending free agent, Rondo was on the precipice of a max contract, now he'll be relegated to how the market values him.
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7. Danilo Gallinari - $10,854,850
Danilo Gallinari was drafted one year prior to Stephen Curry. The Italian basketballer showed promise early, but injuries have derailed his career. He was one of the key players sent to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony in 2011.
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8. Andrea Bargnani - $11,500,000
Selected first overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, Andrea Bargnani is one of the most talented players to not pan out in the league. Bargnani has struggled to stay healthy since the 2009-2010 season, which makes it even harder to imagine paying him $11.5 million a year.
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9. Joakim Noah - $12,200,000
Outstanding center Joakim Noah earned a hefty $12.2 million in 2015, despite being known as a defensive player. Noah made more than Curry, while averaging seven points and 10 rebounds a game in the regular season.
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10. Brook Lopez - $15,719,063
Brook Lopez is the third Nets player to rake in more than Curry did in the 2014-2015 regular season. When healthy, Lopez is a dominant threat in the paint. He has not played more than 74 games in a season since 2011.
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11. Kevin Garnett - $12,000,000
Kevin Garnett is ticketed for the Hall of Fame once he hangs it up. Until then, Garnett is being paid for past performance instead of the future. In his last two seasons, The Big Ticket has averaged less than seven points a game.
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12. Larry Sanders - $11,000,000
After failing multiple drug tests, Larry Sanders decided his lifestyle didn't fit the league standards. He accepted a buyout from the Bucks, foregoing $33 million over the next three years.
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13. Rudy Gay - $19,317,326
Since joining the Kings in 2013, Rudy Gay's career has made quite the rebound. But Gay's emergence as a top player in the league still doesn't justify the $9 million salary discrepancy.
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14. JaVale McGee - $11,250,000
JaVale McGee signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Nuggets in 2011, yet somehow, he's unemployed. Following a trade to the 76ers, McGee accepted a contract buyout and still hasn't signed with a team.
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15. Eric Gordon - $14,898,938
Eric Gordon's been marred by injuries since signing a four-year, $58 million contract with the Hornets in 2012. He can score at a high clip, but he was just the fourth-highest scorer on the Pelicans in 2015.
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16. Derrick Favors - $12,650,000
It took six years, but Derrick Favors finally made a name for himself on the Jazz. The emerging forward averaged a career high in points after entering the league a year later than Curry.
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