Sports: Top 10 NBA Players Losing The Most Money During The Lockout

 Top 10 NBA Players Losing The Most Money During The Lockout 

10. Joe Johnson

Hawks, $1,387,582.54 per paycheck: Atlanta's $119 million man Johnson was one of the surprisingly large signings in 2010 and has been pointed out as an example why so many NBA teams are suffering financially. Even if the lockout makes Johnson suffer a bit this year, the future looks good. The contract will pay Johnson $18,038,573 in 2011 and increase from there through 2015 when he will earn $24.9 million.

9. Amar'e Stoudemire

Knicks, $1,401,361.92 per paycheck: Stoudemire is likely eager to get back on the court to jel with the new Knicks team that was swept by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The series was particularly hard for Stoudemire who played through injuries with disappointing results. Unfortunately, the cancelled preseason jeopardizes the jelling process with his teammates and he's facing a cut into his $18,217,705 salary.

8. Carmelo Anthony

Knicks, $1,423,076.92 per paycheck: Since arriving from Denver, Anthony signed an extension with the Knicks and will make $18.5 million this season. Nice new neighborhood.

7. Pau Gasol

Lakers, $1,439,550 per paycheck: Sure, Gasol could spend the lockout performing surgery in his native Spain, but he is still unlikely to pull in the kind of cash he would make playing basketball. He is set to bankroll $18,714,150 this season, or $1.44 million per paycheck.

6. Dirk Nowitzki

Mavericks, $1,468,682.54 per paycheck: The lockout has to have put a damper on the celebratory summer for the reigning NBA Finals MVP and the champion Mavericks. The champs will lose momentum with the cancelled preseason, and losing the nearly $1.5 million Nowitzki earns every paycheck from his $19,092,873 annual salary has to hurt too.

5. Gilbert Arenas

Magic, $1,482,254.46 per paycheck: 2010 was a tough year for Arenas. He was traded to the Magic for Rashard Lewis after a troubled stint in Washington where he pleaded guilty of felony weapons charges, was suspended indefinitely by the NBA and spent 30 days in a halfway house. However, earning almost $1.5 million a paycheck and $19,269,308 annually has to take off a bit of the sting.

4. Kevin Garnett

Celtics, $1,630,769.23 per paycheck: Garnett will likely be chomping at the bit to avenge last season's disappointing playoff loss to the Heat. While his numbers have dipped a bit in recent years, Garnett is still one of the most dominant power forwards in the game and his $21.2 million salary this season shows how much he means to the franchise. Yet, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, speculation is already bouncing around about Garnett's future with the Celtics. The quicker the lockout can end, the quicker Garnett can silence critics and prove he is worthy of his $1.63 million bi-weekly paychecks.

3. Tim Duncan

Spurs, $1,638,461.54 per paycheck: Duncan didn't exercise the Early Termination Option (ETO) in his contract that would have made him a free agent. Smart move. With Duncan's paltry averages last season -- 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds -- he probably wouldn't command $21.3 million on the open market. He has one year left on his contract.

2. Rashard Lewis

Wizards, $1,704,000 per paycheck: Lewis signed a massive six-year, $118 million contract with the Magic in but was later traded to the Wizards for another player on the list, Gilbert Arenas. With two years left on his contract, Lewis is due $22,152,000 this season, so a lockout would be as disappointing to Lewis as his averages of 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds last season were for the Wizards.

1. Kobe Bryant

Lakers, $1,941,846.15 per paycheck: Bryant is widely regarded as the best player in the league and he is paid accordingly. Last April he signed a three-year, $83.5 million extension that will continue to make him the highest paid player in the NBA. He also raked in $25 million endorsements last year, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to miss out on an almost $2 million paycheck every two weeks.