Every NBA deal, ranked by the Contract Value Index — our grade for what a team actually gets back per dollar committed.
NBA roster-building lives and dies by the cap sheet. A single bloated contract can freeze a front office for years, while one bargain extension can bankroll a title window. This page grades every NBA signing, trade, and extension by what the team gets back per dollar — not by counting stats.
The measuring stick is our Contract Value Index (CVI), FanVerdicts’ flagship contract-value grade. We rank the deals delivering the most value, the ones returning the least, and then isolate the most overpaid contracts from the league’s best-kept bargains.
Because value weighs pay against role and impact, a high-usage star on a supermax can grade below a rotation piece on a minimum — the question is always the gap between the check and the production behind it.
Cuts and releases are excluded — the Contract Value Index is not a valid signal on a non-contract move. Grades reflect value to the team, not raw talent.
Contracts where NBA front offices are getting the most back per dollar. These earn the strongest Contract Value Index (CVI) grades on the board.
| # | Player |
|---|
| Avg / Yr |
|---|
| CVI |
|---|
| 1 | Moussa DiabatePF · Charlotte Hornets | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Gary Payton IISG · Golden State Warriors | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 3 | Justin ChampagnieSF · Washington Wizards | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Julian ChampagnieSF · San Antonio Spurs | $3.0M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Brandin PodziemskiSG · Golden State Warriors | $3.7M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Jalen DurenC · Detroit Pistons | $6.5M | A+ A+ |
| 7 | Ayo DosunmuSG · Minnesota Timberwolves | $7.5M | A+ A+ |
| 8 | Dyson DanielsSG · Atlanta Hawks | $7.7M | A+ A+ |
| 9 | Amen ThompsonPG · Houston Rockets | $9.7M | A+ A+ |
| 10 | Victor WembanyamaC · San Antonio Spurs | $13.4M | A+ A+ |
| 11 | Austin ReavesSG · Los Angeles Lakers | $13.9M | A+ A+ |
| 12 | Deni AvdijaSF · Portland Trail Blazers | $14.4M | A+ A+ |
The contracts our grading flags as the weakest returns relative to cost — the deals most likely to age poorly.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khris MiddletonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $33.3M | F F |
| 2 | Jordan PoolePG · New Orleans Pelicans | $31.8M | F F |
| 3 | Draymond GreenPF · Golden State Warriors | $25.9M | F F |
| 4 | Jonathan KumingaPF · Atlanta Hawks | $23.8M | F F |
| 5 | Harrison BarnesPF · San Antonio Spurs | $19.0M | F F |
| 6 | Rui HachimuraPF · Los Angeles Lakers | $18.3M | F F |
| 7 | Luguentz DortSF · Oklahoma City Thunder | $18.2M | F F |
| 8 | Patrick WilliamsPF · Chicago Bulls | $18.0M | F F |
| 9 | Klay ThompsonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $16.7M | F F |
| 10 | Bogdan BogdanovicSG · Los Angeles Clippers | $16.0M | F F |
| 11 | Corey KispertSF · Atlanta Hawks | $14.0M | F F |
| 12 | Kelly OlynykC · San Antonio Spurs | $13.4M | F F |
High average-annual-value contracts carrying a weak CVI grade — big money, light return. Ranked by how far the grade falls and how large the commitment is.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khris MiddletonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $33.3M | F F |
| 2 | Jordan PoolePG · New Orleans Pelicans | $31.8M | F F |
| 3 | Draymond GreenPF · Golden State Warriors | $25.9M | F F |
| 4 | Jonathan KumingaPF · Atlanta Hawks | $23.8M | F F |
| 5 | Harrison BarnesPF · San Antonio Spurs | $19.0M | F F |
| 6 | Rui HachimuraPF · Los Angeles Lakers | $18.3M | F F |
| 7 | Luguentz DortSF · Oklahoma City Thunder | $18.2M | F F |
| 8 | Patrick WilliamsPF · Chicago Bulls | $18.0M | F F |
| 9 | Klay ThompsonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $16.7M | F F |
| 10 | Bogdan BogdanovicSG · Los Angeles Clippers | $16.0M | F F |
Strong CVI grades on below-median salaries — the bargains a smart front office locked up. The closest thing to a free win on the ledger.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moussa DiabatePF · Charlotte Hornets | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Gary Payton IISG · Golden State Warriors | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 3 | Justin ChampagnieSF · Washington Wizards | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Julian ChampagnieSF · San Antonio Spurs | $3.0M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Brandin PodziemskiSG · Golden State Warriors | $3.7M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Javonte GreenSG · Detroit Pistons | $2.3M | A A |
| 7 | Neemias QuetaC · Boston Celtics | $2.3M | A A |
| 8 | Miles McBrideSG · New York Knicks | $4.3M | A A |
| 9 | Christian BraunSG · Denver Nuggets | $4.9M | A A |
| 10 | Ryan KalkbrennerC · Charlotte Hornets | $2.3M | A- A- |
The Contract Value Index (CVI) is FanVerdicts' grade for how much on-field value a team captures for every dollar of a contract — weighing pay against production, role, and term. It is the platform's flagship contract-value grade. A high CVI grade means the team is winning the deal; a low grade means it is paying a premium it may not recover. Read the full methodology.