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 | Javonte GreenSG · Detroit Pistons | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Justin ChampagnieSF · Washington Wizards | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Neemias QuetaC · Boston Celtics | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Julian ChampagnieSF · San Antonio Spurs | $3.0M | A+ A+ |
| 7 | Brandin PodziemskiSG · Golden State Warriors | $3.7M | A+ A+ |
| 8 | Keyonte GeorgePG · Utah Jazz | $4.3M | A+ A+ |
| 9 | Jalen DurenC · Detroit Pistons | $6.5M | A+ A+ |
| 10 | Ayo DosunmuSG · Minnesota Timberwolves | $7.5M | A+ A+ |
| 11 | Dyson DanielsSG · Atlanta Hawks | $7.7M | A+ A+ |
| 12 | Amen ThompsonPG · Houston Rockets | $9.7M | 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 | Jayson TatumPF · Boston Celtics | $54.1M | F F |
| 2 | Domantas SabonisC · Sacramento Kings | $42.3M | F F |
| 3 | Ja MorantPG · Memphis Grizzlies | $39.4M | F F |
| 4 | Khris MiddletonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $33.3M | F F |
| 5 | Jordan PoolePG · New Orleans Pelicans | $31.8M | F F |
| 6 | Draymond GreenPF · Golden State Warriors | $25.9M | F F |
| 7 | Myles TurnerC · Milwaukee Bucks | $25.3M | F F |
| 8 | Bradley BealSG · Los Angeles Clippers | $24.7M | F F |
| 9 | Jonathan KumingaPF · Atlanta Hawks | $23.8M | F F |
| 10 | De'Andre HunterSF · Sacramento Kings | $23.3M | F F |
| 11 | Kyle KuzmaPF · Milwaukee Bucks | $22.4M | F F |
| 12 | Harrison BarnesPF · San Antonio Spurs | $19.0M | 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 | Jayson TatumPF · Boston Celtics | $54.1M | F F |
| 2 | Domantas SabonisC · Sacramento Kings | $42.3M | F F |
| 3 | Ja MorantPG · Memphis Grizzlies | $39.4M | F F |
| 4 | Khris MiddletonSF · Dallas Mavericks | $33.3M | F F |
| 5 | Jordan PoolePG · New Orleans Pelicans | $31.8M | F F |
| 6 | Draymond GreenPF · Golden State Warriors | $25.9M | F F |
| 7 | Myles TurnerC · Milwaukee Bucks | $25.3M | F F |
| 8 | Bradley BealSG · Los Angeles Clippers | $24.7M | F F |
| 9 | Jonathan KumingaPF · Atlanta Hawks | $23.8M | F F |
| 10 | De'Andre HunterSF · Sacramento Kings | $23.3M | 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 | Javonte GreenSG · Detroit Pistons | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Justin ChampagnieSF · Washington Wizards | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Neemias QuetaC · Boston Celtics | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Julian ChampagnieSF · San Antonio Spurs | $3.0M | A+ A+ |
| 7 | Brandin PodziemskiSG · Golden State Warriors | $3.7M | A+ A+ |
| 8 | Keyonte GeorgePG · Utah Jazz | $4.3M | A+ A+ |
| 9 | Marvin Bagley IIIPF · Dallas Mavericks | $2.3M | A A |
| 10 | Miles McBrideSG · New York Knicks | $4.3M | 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.