​To take a deep dive into NBA salaries, SI.com partnered with tax expert Robert Raiola (@sportstaxman) to examine how much NBA players really make and what financial challenges they face. When Joe Johnson signed a six-year, $123.7 million extension with the Hawks in the summer of 2010, it was considered a massive overpayment by Atlanta. Johnson was 29, his per-minute numbers didn’t suggest he was one of the top players in the league and the Hawks had yet to advance beyond the conference semifinals during his five seasons with the team.