Welcome to the summer of 2009 in the NBA. This could be the most boring time of year. Summer league is over, most of the good free agents are gone, the draft is over, and it sure seems like a long time until October. Due to this, I’ve comprised a list of the top 10 most cost effective players for the 2009 season. This list is designed to highlight some great moves by some great GMs.

The ranking is based on recent performance, over the past 1-2 years, in order to properly predict their production for the upcoming season. On that note, I want to reemphasize that their 2009 salary is all that we care about here. I realize that Kevin Martin and Danny Granger will be making significantly more money by the last year of their deal, but that is quite a while from now.

Obviously, if we included rookie contracts in this list, we would simply end up with a list of the most valuable draft picks of the last 5 years, which is not the name of the list. That could be a good article for another day, but today is not that day. This article is part one of a two part series ranking players based on their salary. Be sure to check back Monday for part two, where I rank the least cost effective players for 2009. So without any further ado:

1) Ron Artest (LA Lakers) $5,854,000 – 17.1 PPG, 5.2 REB, 3.3 AST, 1.5 STL, 40% 3PT

Some consider Artest to be the single best defensive player in the league. You could certainly make that argument, because of his athleticism and size. You could also say that he is an exceptional offensive player as well. He can play 4 positions, which is especially interesting because of his great shooting percentage and passing ability. Overall, I don’t think anyone can argue for a better bargain in the league than the 125^th highest paid player.

2) Luis Scola (Houston Rockets) $3,383,333 – 12.7 PPG, 8.8 REB, 1.5 AST

Technically, I said no rookie contracts included, but this doesn’t really count. Scola was signed after already having played pro ball for almost 10 years. Teams knew what they were getting. His game has transferred wonderfully to the NBA, and he may never make an all-star team, but he is a player that can certainly win you games, and at $3.3 million, and the 202^nd highest paid player, you can never go wrong.

3) Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers) $9,930,500 – 25.8 PPG, 5.1 REB, 2.7 AST, 1 STL, 1.5 BLK, 40% 3PT

Some scouts believe that he has yet to reach his potential after recently signing his new contract. Granger could be in the running for MVP before his career is over. He has progressed very well in each pro season since he arrived, rising to become the 5^th leading scorer in the league, while only being the 60^th highest paid player in the league. Larry Bird knew what he was doing when he signed him to this long term deal.

4) John Salmons (Chicago Bulls) $5,456,000 – 18.3 PPG, 4.2 REB, 3.7 AST, 1.1 STL, 42% 3PT

Salmons is an extremely underrated player in this league. He can play the 1-3 positions, has great percentages, and plays solid defense. The reason nobody knows about him is because he isn’t a 20 PPG scorer, he’s not a flashy dunker, and he doesn’t slash to the basket and make people look silly. He is just a good all-around player, much like Artest. His passing ability is his strength, but it’s emphasized by his high-quality shooting ability. Salmons comes in at only the 114^th highest paid player in the NBA

5) Jose Juan Barea (Dallas Mavericks) $1,620,000 – 7.8 PPG, 2.2 REB, 3.4 AST

Does anybody play over 20 MPG for a playoff team and make less than $2 million anymore? JJ sat on the deepest part of the bench and watched Jason Terry and Devin Harris take his minutes for years, but now with the aging Jason Kidd running the Mavs, his time has come. He provided some great starts while Kidd was injured last season, and obviously has an exceptional assist/48 mins ratio. At $1.6 million, he may even deserve to be higher on this list, because he is only the 286^th highest paid player, but he just hasn’t proven his ability over the long term.

6) Devin Brown (New Orleans Hornets) $1,107,572 – (07-08) 7.5 PPG, 3.4 REB, 2.2 AST

This is a bit of stretch, but bear with me. I’ve included his numbers from two years ago, because I think he got the shaft this season with the signing of James Posey. Brown was a starter for the Hornets three years ago and put up solid numbers in 28 MPG. While playing with LeBron in Cleveland, he played over 20 MPG, and earning the stats that you see above. Point being, Brown deserves to be a 7^th or 8^th man on a good team, and at $1.1 million, he’s only the 324^th highest paid player; this is good value.

7) J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets) $5,508,426 – 15.2 PPG, 3.7 REB, 2.8 AST, 1 STL

Smith exploded onto the scene last season in a way that most people honestly did expect, but weren’t sure when. He has always had the talent, athleticism, and surroundings, but his head seemed to get in the way of being a reliable player. It all came together this season under George Karl. Smith shot lights out, and became a much-improved passer. He was a key cog in the playoff machine that became the Denver Nuggets of 2008, a great value for the 119^th highest salaried player.

8) Caron Butler (Washington Wizards) $10,030,970 – (07-08) 20.3 PPG, 6.7 REB, 4.9 AST, 2.2 STL, 90% FT

Talk about being underrated, remember when Butler was traded first in a deal from Miami, for the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal,  along with Lamar Odom and Brian Grant? He was essentially a throw-in. Apparently the Lakers didn’t notice him either, as he was traded for the Wizards’ Kwame Brown, straight up (no that is not a typo). The Wizards took the Lakers to school on that deal. Butler has emerged as one of the top 5 best defensive players in the league, and is an ever-improving offensive player, while only being the 65^th highest paid player in the NBA. He can rebound the heck out of the ball, and is a great passer to boot. I included his 2007 stats because I think they best represent his overall game. That’s not to say, though, that his 2008 season was bad, because it was very similar. I just wanted you to realize that his passing ability, along with the rebounding and free throw shooting is virtually unmatched in this league.

9) Kevin Martin (Sacramento Kings) $10,180,170 – 24.6 PPG, 3.6 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 41.5% 3PT 87% FT

The K-Mart that isn’t failing (wait, aren’t there two failing?) had a huge breakout in 2008, as most players on this list did. I was hesitant to put him on this list, since he makes over $10 million, but I believe that the 7^th leading scorer in the league deserves to be higher than the 67^th highest paid player in the league, yes 67^th. He is obviously the most valuable player for the Kings, and with his outstanding shooting percentages, he is very consistent.

10) Delonte West (Cleveland Cavaliers) $4,254,250 – 11.7 PPG, 3.2 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.5 STL, 40% 3PT

West became a perfect role player in the Cleveland LeBrons of 2008. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in large part due to his quality defense, and pinpoint shooting. For the league’s 167^th highest salary, the possibilities are endless. He can play some point guard, and also play off the ball with Maurice Williams running the show. He will be a perfect catch and shoot option for Shaq on the perimeter. This could be a banner year for West, which is why he fills out my top 10 list.

Related posts:

1. Worst Values of 2009
2. Free Agent Update: Summer 2009
3. Krzyzewski has ‘no interest’ in Nets’ position