Research: Which NBA teams spend the most money on stars?

For a league in which star power so greatly determines outcomes, money is more evenly distributed among players than you might expect.

In the last 20 years, All-Star players (roughly 5 percent of the players in any given NBA season) have received only 16.59 percent of total league salaries. For All-NBA players (15 annually), the number would be 10.37 percent.

But which teams spend the most money on those star players?

We tried to find out by focusing on All-NBA selections in the past two decades (since we have 30 teams in the league).

Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Lakers top the list, having spent $792.7 million on All-NBA players – 30.61 percent of their total salary expenditure. Interestingly, they rank 29th in spending on non-All-NBA players.

More surprisingly, the small-market Oklahoma City Thunder rank second, investing $484.8 million in All-NBA talent. They also rank last in non-star player expenses. A prime example of efficient resource allocation right there.

For the full ranking, check below:

1

LA Lakers: $792,660,339

Share of total salaries: 30.61 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,796,803,043 (No. 29 in the NBA)

2

Oklahoma City: $484,832,813

Share of total salaries: 21.89 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,729,996,839 (No. 30 in the NBA)

3

Golden State: $455,088,946

Share of total salaries: 18.19 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,046,536,917 (No. 18 in the NBA)

4

San Antonio: $402,179,627

Share of total salaries: 17.73 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,866,701,486 (No. 27 in the NBA)

5

Phoenix: $393,422,682

Share of total salaries: 17.00 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,920,672,540 (No. 24 in the NBA)

6

Houston: $358,832,609

Share of total salaries: 15.86 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,903,414,510 (No. 25 in the NBA)

7

LA Clippers: $354,996,504

Share of total salaries: 15.29 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,966,053,015 (No. 21 in the NBA)

8

Miami: $347,453,646

Share of total salaries: 13.99 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,136,234,957 (No. 10 in the NBA)

9

Minnesota: $257,481,582

Share of total salaries: 11.44 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,993,749,234 (No. 20 in the NBA)

10

Denver: $252,862,123

Share of total salaries: 11.23 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,998,871,297 (No. 19 in the NBA)

11

Milwaukee: $257,367,896

Share of total salaries: 10.92 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,099,239,938 (No. 12 in the NBA)

12

Dallas: $271,947,627

Share of total salaries: 10.84 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,236,521,812 (No. 4 in the NBA)

13

Philadelphia: $232,205,530

Share of total salaries: 9.90 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,112,216,160 (No. 11 in the NBA)

14

Boston: $235,700,918

Share of total salaries: 9.73 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,187,716,644 (No. 7 in the NBA)

15

Utah: $193,564,969

Share of total salaries: 8.97 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,963,813,772 (No. 22 in the NBA)

16

Sacramento: $191,100,624

Share of total salaries: 8.89 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,958,754,237 (No. 23 in the NBA)

17

Cleveland: $212,544,726

Share of total salaries: 8.80 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,201,475,212 (No. 6 in the NBA)

18

Portland: $217,166,774

Share of total salaries: 8.32 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,391,995,644 (No. 2 in the NBA)

19

Chicago: $164,151,369

Share of total salaries: 7.27 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,093,823,061 (No. 13 in the NBA)

20

Orlando: $151,035,034

Share of total salaries: 6.54 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,158,024,193 (No. 9 in the NBA)

21

Toronto: $133,677,855

Share of total salaries: 6.08 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,065,710,742 (No. 16 in the NBA)

22

New York: $151,203,688

Share of total salaries: 5.50 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,596,938,046 (No. 1 in the NBA)

23

Detroit: $109,308,222

Share of total salaries: 5.04 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,058,914,219 (No. 17 in the NBA)

24

Brooklyn: $123,531,250

Share of total salaries: 5.03 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,333,114,666 (No. 3 in the NBA)

25

New Orleans: $93,339,798

Share of total salaries: 4.87 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,823,522,819 (No. 28 in the NBA)

26

Indiana: $96,868,592

Share of total salaries: 4.27 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,169,603,436 (No. 8 in the NBA)

27

Washington: $81,989,812

Share of total salaries: 3.59 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,204,685,506 (No. 5 in the NBA)

28

Atlanta: $62,553,269

Share of total salaries: 2.93 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,070,996,070 (No. 15 in the NBA)

29

Memphis: $56,991,073

Share of total salaries: 2.67 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $2,074,037,710 (No. 14 in the NBA)

30

Charlotte: $42,021,000

Share of total salaries: 2.17 percent

Money spent on non-stars: $1,893,808,885 (No. 26 in the NBA)