Worst NBA Contracts Of The Last Decade 2010-2020
Contents
| Orignial Team | Contract | |
|---|---|---|
1. John Wall (4 Years $170 Million)
John Wall signed a massive 4 Year $170 million dollar contract prior to the 2017-18 season that would kick in during the 2019-20 season. At the time he was having a great season and in the next year his production drop off and he was not very efficient while he was on the court. He then ruptured achilles in a fall at his home in February of 2019. He will miss the entire 2019-20 season so he is collecting $38 million to not play next year and after missing almost a year when he returns he will be collecting $40+ million for the next 3 years. There is a chance he can return to form but with the history we have seen with achilles injuries, the jury is still out.
2. Chandler Parsons (4 Years $94.5 Million)
When Chandler Parsons signed a 4 Year $94.5 million dollar contract with the Grizzlies he was averaging 13.7 PPG 4.6 RPG 2.8 APG and was destined to become an above average player in the NBA. However, injuries starting to take over his career and due to his multiple knee surgeries he only played 95 games in his first 3 years with the Grizzlies. And in those games he wasn’t productive only averaging 7.2 PPG and 2.6 RPG. His contract was then dumped to the Atlanta Hawks in his final year and it’s hard to see him getting another chance, especially after the news that he was in a pretty bad car accident.
3. Chris Paul (4 Years $160 Million)
Chris Paul is still one of the most known players in the league and he has still had a productive season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, it is unclear if he is worth being paid like one of the top 5 players in the NBA. Chris Paul averages 17.7 PPG and 6.8 APG which is better than his last season with the Rockets but with around 20 games missed per year over the last 3 years and declining scoring this deal could turn bad very quickly. Next year he will be making $41 million and then $44 million the year after in what would be his age 36 season. He is more productive than some of the guys on this list but the salary is just way too high for what he is producing.
4. Andrew Wiggins (5 Years $147 Million)
When Wiggins signed his new deal he was playing at an elite level and he looked like he was living up to the billing of #1 overall pick in 2014. However his efficiency has dropped off tremendously and other than scoring he hasn’t really brought anything productive to the table. After signing this deal, the next year he only shot 41% from the field and is known as one of the worst defenders in the NBA in league circles. He is still young so this can turn around but after the Wolves traded Wiggins to the Warriors this season it leaves his future uncertain. There is a good chance the Warriors could try to move him in the offseason because with his skillset and salary as the 3rd or 4th option on the team wouldn’t be worth it.
5. Nicolas Batum (5 Years $120 Million)
When the salary cap in the NBA jumped in 2016 Batum was one of the players that benefited the most. He was always a solid player but when he was given a 5 year deal worth $120 million with the Hornets the expectations grew. He started 72 games in 2018-19 but only averaged 9.3 PPG and this year he has struggled to even find the court, starting in 3 of his 22 games played and only putting up 3.6 points. Whenever you’re paying $25 million dollars for that little production it’s never a good sign and the end isn’t near. The Frenchman will have an option next season to stay on the roster and make another $27 million. This deal has strapped the Hornets and stopped them from being able to quick start their rebuild.
6. Joakim Noah (4 Years $72.6 Million)
The Knicks giving Joakim Noah $72.6 million over the course of 4 years might have the biggest mistake Phil Jackson made in his tenure with the Knicks. He never put up big numbers in his career but he was serviceable and he played some of the best defense at the center position. He only played 53 in total with the Knicks and in his last year he only put up 1.7 PPG and 2.0 RPG. Noah’s was eventually waved and then his contract was stretched and the Knicks will be paying him $6 million dollars a year through the 2021-22 season. He made a return to the league with the Grizzlies where he played well last season but he hasn’t been seen on the court this year.
7. Luol Deng (4 Years $72 Million)
Another player that was given way too much money in 2016 was Luol Deng with the Lakers. He signed a 4 year deal worth $72 million and was expected to be a key piece on their team. In his first year Deng put up 7.6 points while playing in 45 games and then given the Lakers situation he was pretty much asked to not even be with the team in 2017-18 playing only 1 game. After all of that his contract was bought and stretched by the Lakers. Deng ended up making $72 million dollars and only playing in 57 games. The dollar amount wasn’t as big as some of these other contracts but given so little how he played it was one of the worst we have seen.
8. Amar’e Stoudemire (5 Years $99.7 Million)
Going all the way back to 2010 it was a big free agency period with the LeBron decision to go to the Miami Heat. The Knicks were hoping to get LeBron but after that fell through they went on to sign Stoudemire who had been great with the Phoenix Suns. After dominating in his first season with the Knicks, 25.3 PPG and 8.2 RPG, his health became an issue and that was a concern before signing him. Every year after that his PPG and RPG dropped and in his final year with the Knicks he only averaged 11.5 PPG and 5.6 RPG while making $21 million dollars. It wasn’t in their control but this contract really came back to bite the Knicks and they haven’t been able to sign a big named free agent since.
9. Timofy Mozgov (4 Years $64 Million)
The other mistake contract the Lakers gave out in 2016 was Timofey Mozgov coming off his season with LeBron and the Cavaliers. Before he signed this big deal with LA Mozgov had only averaged 6.9 PPG and 5 RPG but he had shown some promise with the Cavs. Over the course of this contract Mozgov only played 54 games with the Lakers and averaged about the same, 7.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG, as he did throughout his career. He was then moved the Brooklyn Nets in the Brook Lopez deal and then his deal was moved on to the Hornets in the Dwight Howard deal, and then AGAIN to the Magic where his deal was eventually stretched. After his first year with the Lakers, Mozgov has only played in 31 total games and he looks to be out of the league.
10. Bismack Biyombo (4 Years $72 Million)
Biyombo was great in a playoff series with the Raptors and that earned him a deal worth $72 million over 4 years with the Magic despite averaging only 5.5 PPG and 8.0 RPG during that previous year. Not much changed when he made the move to Orlando and even though his defense was good he wasn’t playing up to the $17 million dollars a year he was being paid. In 2018 he was moved to the Hornets in a big deal that also involved Timofey Mozgov, another player who made our list. Biyombo is in the final year of this contract and it not likely he will be able to get anywhere near the $17 million he is getting this season on the open market.
