Carl Landry Underpaid At $3 Million Per Season

A long summer rife with rumors of a move to Europe and lingering knee issues from an over three-year-old ACL injury ended happily for Carl Landry and the Houston Rockets... sort of. The Rockets matched the three year, $9 million offer sheet that the Bobcats offered Landry this week.

This may sound odd considering he's making $3 million a year, but Carl Landry should fire his agent. When he wasn't occupied with finishing game-winning three-point plays, giving Tim Duncan a facial, or evoking shades of Tayshaun Prince with his shotblocking in the playoffs, Landry simply posted the highest player efficiency rating of any rookie that saw significant minutes. He shot 62% from the field, which would have placed him third in the NBA had he attempted more shots, and his numbers projected to 17 points, over 10 rebounds, and just over one turnover per 35 minutes. To put those numbers into perspective, Portland's 6'11" franchise cornerstone LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 turnovers, and shot .484 from the field last season. In other words, Landry puts up just as many points, but does it more efficiently, while grabbing more rebounds, and turning the ball over less than his anointed future All Star (and likely soon to be recipient of a contract exceeding $10 million per year) colleague.

Somehow all of this was overlooked by the league's general managers, and Houston retained Landry at the bargain price of $3 million per season... while Kwame Brown is making $4 million a year... and Darko Milicic is making $7 million per year... and Troy Murphy is making over $10 million per year.

He's a snip, the one bargain in an industry of price gouging. Hopefully hard-working Hot Carl stays healthy... and hires a new agent to negotiate the proper mega-contract that he deserves in three years.