Based on the NBA Efficiency Formula, Jimmy Butler (earning $1,066,920 this year) had twice as good a game as Kobe Bryant today, 15-7. Butler also ripped the ball away from Metta World Peace ($7,258,960) and hit a key jumper over Bryant ($27,849,149) to help the $58 million Bulls beat the $86 million Lakers. The Lakers are one of only six teams for which players pay double figure state (or province) taxes, and the Lakers team is now pay $2.5 million per win.
The actual Bulls payroll shows $74 million, but their biggest salary is being paid to Derrick Rose who is out for the season, and even without him the Bulls broke a tie after three quarters to take the 95-83 win.
The NBA Efficiency Formula used by coaches basically adds all the good things a player does for his team (points, rebounds, steals, blocked shots, assists) and subtracts the things he does to hurt the team (turnovers, missed shots and missed free throws).
While other teams have had to budget and develop talent like Butler, who put up double figures, the Lakers have simply continued to buy more and more talent with the addition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash this year.
The only winner in the current Lakers set up is the State of California, who collects double figures in state taxes for the half of the games that Bryant, Howard ($19,536,360), Paul Gasol ($19,000,000 to now come off the bench), Nash ($8,900,000) and Peace. For all of that, the loss last night put the Lakers on pace for 34 wins, or one win for every $2,462,365 in salaries paid. The only worse figure is for the lowly Washington Wizards, who are on pace for only 19 wins at just over $3 million per win.
The playoffs look like a longshot for the Lakers, but California remains the sure winner. Toronto continues the streak of Canadian teams not being able to compete in the NBA because of their national tax rate. If the NBA truly plans their world wide expansion, they may want to check tax structures abroad first.
Here are the teams paying the most per win, with the state tax rate listed as well.
| Salary | State Tax | Win pace | Salary per win | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Wizards | $58,632,447 | 8.5% | 19 | $3,095,367 |
| L.A. Lakers | $83,794,290 | 10.6% | 34 | $2,462,365 |
| Orlando Magic | $66,740,939 | 0.0% | 29 | $2,325,468 |
| Charlotte Bobcats | $43,037,047 | 7.8% | 20 | $2,150,992 |
| Detroit Pistons | $63,398,209 | 4.4% | 31 | $2,061,730 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | $63,456,647 | 3.1% | 34 | $1,864,727 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | $59,567,457 | 7.9% | 37 | $1,625,128 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | $31,612,209 | 5.9% | 20 | $1,619,810 |
| Chicago Bulls | $75,961,972 | 3.0% | 49 | $1,543,943 |
| Dallas Mavericks | $53,407,237 | 0.0% | 35 | $1,518,200 |
| Sacramento Kings | $44,092,374 | 10.6% | 31 | $1,411,317 |
| Toronto Raptors | $41,915,279 | 13.2% | 30 | $1,396,617 |
| Miami HEAT | $78,053,070 | 0.0% | 56 | $1,391,618 |
| Atlanta Hawks | $60,921,973 | 6.0% | 46 | $1,324,333 |
| New Orleans Hornets | $36,611,200 | 6.0% | 28 | $1,309,320 |
| Phoenix Suns | $31,832,020 | 4.5% | 26 | $1,224,591 |
| Utah Jazz | $53,067,374 | 5.0% | 44 | $1,205,145 |
| New York Knicks | $62,954,102 | 9.0% | 53 | $1,197,711 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | $62,544,198 | 6.0% | 53 | $1,173,437 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | $49,044,120 | 7.8% | 44 | $1,111,708 |
| Golden State Warriors | $56,719,292 | 10.6% | 51 | $1,106,718 |
| Denver Nuggets | $51,431,313 | 4.6% | 48 | $1,079,537 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | $63,767,175 | 5.5% | 64 | $996,985 |
| Houston Rockets | $40,834,133 | 0.0% | 42 | $972,612 |
| L.A. Clippers | $57,747,047 | 10.6% | 62 | $924,189 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | $35,488,290 | 11.0% | 40 | $886,853 |
| Boston Celtics | $35,522,580 | 5.3% | 41 | $866,404 |
| Brooklyn Nets | $40,951,693 | 9.0% | 50 | $818,706 |
| San Antonio Spurs | $49,084,191 | 0.0% | 62 | $798,117 |
| Indiana Pacers | $36,322,572 | 3.4% | 51 | $715,603 |
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