#12 Deron Williams
2012-13 salary: $17,177,795 | 2011-12 production: 21.0 pgg, 8.7 apg, 55 games | Deron Williams toyed with going home to Dallas during the free agency period but opted to remain with the Nets, who were able to offer the All-Star point guard $25 million more than the next-highest bidder and the undisputed title of 'Face of the Franchise' when the team opens it's first season in Brooklyn this fall.
#11 Dwayne Wade
2012-13 salary: $17,182,000 | 2011-12 production: 22.1 pgg, 4.6 apg, 4.8 rpg, 49 games | Surprised to see D-Wade this low on the list? So were we, but remember that Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James all took less than market value to team up in Miami, a move that paid off with a championship last summer.
#10 tied Lebron James
2012-13 salary: $17,545,000 | 2011-12 production: 27.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 6.2 apg, 62 games, NBA MVP | He's a bargain at this price, right? LeBron James answered his critics this summer by leading the Miami Heat to their second championship, winning his first ring in the process. The guy does it all - scores, rebounds and passes - and the scary part is that he's just entering his prime.
#10 tied Chris Bosh
2012-13 salary: $17,545,000 | 2011-12 production: 18 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 57 games | Some said Chris Bosh was the least important member of Miami's Big Three, but his absence in the playoffs showed just how valuable he is to the Heat. A presence in the post who can also step out and drain the 15-footer, it's no wonder he's an All-Star year in and year out.
#8 Chris Paul
2012-13 salary: $17,779,458 | 2011-12 production: 19.8 ppg, 9.1 apg, 2.5 spg, 60 games | Chris Paul gave the Clippers, a laughingstock franchise for years, instant credibility when he was traded by the Hornets to L.A.'s 'other' team. He's a dangerous pick-and-roll partner with Blake Griffin but is also a free agent at the end of the upcoming season. Will he remain in La-La Land or make good on his toast at Carmelo Anthony's wedding and come to New York? We'll have to wait and see.
#7 Pau Gasol
2012-13 salary: $19,000,000 | 2011-12 production: 17.4 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 65 games | Arguably the most skilled big man in the NBA - offensively, anyway - but the Lakers have tried time and again to trade the 7-foot Spaniard. Despite the constant speculation about this future in Los Angeles the 32-year-old continues to produce as Kobe Bryant's running mate.
#6 Dwight Howard
2012-13 salary: $19,536,360 | 2011-12 production: 20.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 54 games | Make room for Superman! The Lakers added more star-power with their trade for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in July. A three-time defensive player of the year, he gives Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash a nice security blanket with his ability to protect the rim.
#5 Joe Johnson
2012-13 salary: $19,752,645 | 2011-12 production: 18.8 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.7 rpg, 60 games | The newest Net may not strike you as a big-money player but his game checks tell a different story. In the summer of 2012, when Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and others were getting rich, Johnson also hit the lottery. The returns on his big deal have been modest, but with Deron Williams he helps give the Nets arguably the NBA's best backcourt.
#4 Amar'e Stoudemire
2012-13 salary: $19,948,799 | 2011-12 production: 17.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 47 games | In his first half-season in New York, Amar'e Stoudemire looked like an MVP candidate. In fact, he heard 'M-V-P' chants from the fans at the Garden regularly. Then the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony and STAT started playing like a role player, and an expensive one, at that
#3 Carmelo Anthony
2012-13 salary: $20,463,024 | 2011-12 production: 22.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 55 games | Carmelo Anthony has been everything the Knicks hoped for when they traded for him two springs ago - he fills up the box score but leaves a little something to be desired on the defensive end. Still, his elite scoring ability makes him a coveted NBA asset, and he's paid handsomely for his ability to fill it up.
#2 Dirk Nowitzski
2012-13 salary: $20,907,128 | 2011-12 production: 21.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 62 games | The big German has made a great living with that fadeaway jumper and he's still getting the job done even at 34-years-old. He's essentially the Mavericks' only serious scoring threat and teams still struggle to stop the super-skilled 7-footer
#1 Kobe Bryant
2012-13 salary: $27,849,149 | 2011-12 production: 27.9 ppg, 4.6 apg, 5.4 rpg, 58 games | Even at 34, the Black Mamba can still fill it up. Kobe Bryant finished second in the NBA in scoring last season and showed he can still run with the best of 'em as he helped lead Team USA to gold in London over the summer.
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