See his ones, see his guns

Alrighty--here's the list of the NBA players who make more money than Ben Wallace did this year. Let's just say that Joe Dumars probably made the right decision not re-signing him a few years ago. Also, Wallace still has 2 more years left on his deal. Wow.

You'll see that Wallace isn't the only bad decision on this list. In fact, you may even question how many NBA contracts are offered while the GM is in some sort of altered state.

In order of highest paid,

1-Garnett. Makes sense. Drafted before the NBA rookie cap, Garnett signed a lucrative deal with the T-Wolves, effectively killing their ability to build a title contender around him, not unlike A-Rod add the Rangers. Will now do the same for the Celtics, unless you count Sam Cassell and his Ace bandage around his lower back as a key signing.

2-Michael Finley. Yep, Michael Finley. He signed a 7-year deal with the Mavs one season after averaging a career-high 22 points a game. He hasn't been the same since, and was released by the Mavs in 2006 under a special one-time provision allowing NBA teams to release teams without having it count against their cap. Dallas is still paying Finley over 18 million dollars this year to play for the Spurs, but it isn't counting against their cap. Good thing Dallas signed him and not Steve Nash. Toss in the veteran minimum 3.1 mill that the Spurs are paying Michael Finley, and you get a pretty hefty paycheck for averaging 10 points a game.

3-(tie) Stephon Marbury, Allen Iverson. Both players have 1 year left on the exact same contract. Each should have interesting seasons this year.

5-Shaq. He still has 2 years left on his deal.

6-Jason Kidd. The players aren't exactly getting younger or more worth these big deals, are they?

7-Jermaine O'Neal. Most people know him as "the softest player in the NBA." Occassionally, Pistons fans refer to him as "Detroit's best player" when the Pistons are busy double-teaming him into yet another poor decision.

8-Chris Webber. Wonder why he's always smiling on TNT? It's because of the absolutely awful contract the Kings signed him to. 7 years, 127 million dollars in 2001, following the Kings getting swept in the playoffs by the Lakers. The following year, the Kings absolutely gagged away game 7 in the Western Conference finals and were never the same. Chris Webber was absolute must-see TV in my world for about 7 years, from Michigan to his days with my man Chris Mullin and the Warriors, to teaming with Juwan Howard and Sheed with the Bullets, to those Kings teams. I was absolutely giddy when he signed with the Pistons last season. Most importantly, I'll always have fond memories of playing NBA '94 on the Sega Genesis with him and those Warriors--he was the best dunker on that game and single-handedly beat Kaffenberg's Laettner-led T-Wolves on many nights.

9-Kobe.

10-(tie) Duncan and McGrady. Duncan still has 4 years left on his deal, and the Spurs don't lose a key free agent after this season. Plus, they HAVE to be happy to get those checks from the Mavs to pay Finley's deal.

12-(tie) Baron Davis, Shawn Marion, and STEVE FRANCIS. Davis can opt out of his deal this summer and should be able to get a completely redonkulous deal from, say the Clips or Grizzle. So he'll be a mainstay on this list for years to come. Marion is entering the last year of his deal.

In August of 2002, the Rockets signed Steve Francis to a (now) mindblowing "max" deal--6 years, 90 million American dollars. He averaged 20 plus points for the Rockets and in the 03-04 season for Orlando, but has since served time with the Knicks, traded and released from the Blazers so he wouldn't poison their team...and then signed AGAIN by the Rockets to a multi-year deal?!? He played in 10 games this year, missing the rest due to a quad injury. He is returning to Houston next year to sign fat checks and back up Rafer Alston.

15-(tie) Antwan jamison, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce. This one actually makes sense. All three were drafted in 1998. Dirk and Scowlin' Paul signed long-term deals at the same time. However, Jamison played out the last year of his "max" deal this year in Washington and will be an extremely highly courted free agent this year; so much so that Gilbert Arenas has said he will take less money in order for the Wiz ro re-sign both players this summer.

18-Uncle Ray-Ray Jesus Shuttlesworth. Has 2 years left on his deal. Should be essentially immobile by then. With the incredible lack of lateral movement he is putting on display in this year's playoffs, he may immediately go from a Celtics uniform to a set of crutches.

19-Rashard Lewis. Paid immediate dividends for Orlando this year as a poor rebounding 6-10 power forward. Should effectively tie up enough money to not allow Orlando to ever sign a legit free agent point guard to be able to defend Billups.

20-Bennie. Great signing by Paxson and the Bulls. I can see why they wouldn't sign D'Antoni because they want a "defensive-minded" coach--if Paxson is busily minting money for non-shooting forwards (Tyrus Thomas? Joakim?), you better get a coach who doesn't care whether or not he has a big guy who can make a 12-footer.