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https://www.spotrac.com/news/nbas-10-worst-value-contracts-2230/


Spotrac article lists 10 worst NBA contracts.


Who do you have as the worst. I've got Jordan Poole as the worst with Bradley Beal a close 2nd.

Team's have improved so much when giving contracts. Multiple contracts in the Top 10 are All-Star level talents or All-NBA level talents.

It's almost not worth having the discussion anymore on "worst". Aside from Jordan Poole, I don't consider any of these contracts unmovable. Beal, LaVine, Towns, Lillard, Draymond, Wiggins and Middleton have all proven track records of varying degrees of taking teams to the post-season or being seen as Top 20-30 players.

Vucevic is another player on the list--at 20 Million AAV [The value of less than 2 Full MLE Contracts].

Beal and Poole are in a league of their own. Two of the worst contracts in NBA history.

LaVine is a distant third, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him bounce back to positive value by the deadline next year.

No one is really close to Beal or Poole.

This is might be the best season Beal will have for the rest of his career.

He has 0.66 wins above replacement player on the entire season.

He's owed 3/150 after this year with a no trade clause.

I think we wait till free agency to do our own list again, but Poole in particular is putrid.

i would put Ayton on there

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Beal and Poole are in a league of their own. Two of the worst contracts in NBA history.

LOL Not even close.

What?

Have you ever heard of Gilbert Arenas?

Godaddycurse wrote:i would put Ayton on there

Ayton only has 2 years left on his deal, but the amount is pretty bad. The Suns did the Pacers a huge favor when they matched that offer sheet.

Colbinii wrote:Team's have improved so much when giving contracts. Multiple contracts in the Top 10 are All-Star level talents or All-NBA level talents.

It's almost not worth having the discussion anymore on "worst". Aside from Jordan Poole, I don't consider any of these contracts unmovable. Beal, LaVine, Towns, Lillard, Draymond, Wiggins and Middleton have all proven track records of varying degrees of taking teams to the post-season or being seen as Top 20-30 players.

Vucevic is another player on the list--at 20 Million AAV [The value of less than 2 Full MLE Contracts].

You mentioned LaVine who I wouldn't take unless you gave me 2 #1's with him. Of course Towns, Lillard would be tradable. Middleton is clearly not the player he was 2-3 years ago and has 2 season left after this on assuming he doesn't opt out of that final year. Wiggins and Greene are pretty bad contracts. I wouldn't want either of them on my team.

Then there is Ben Simmons only the fact that he's down to his last season in 2024-25 keeps him from being a top 3 bad deal. He is costing the Nets $40 million next year. Will Simmons ever find his game again?

I don't think Vucevic should be on the list due to the fact that he's only got 2 years at about $20 million each.

Colbinii wrote:

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Beal and Poole are in a league of their own. Two of the worst contracts in NBA history.

LOL Not even close.

What?

Have you ever heard of Gilbert Arenas?

If it was "Worst ever!" Gilbert would have to be up there, but then it's all relative based on the cap % there have been some whoppers and guys who were good got paid and then rolled over like a dead whale on the beach.

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Colbinii wrote:

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Beal and Poole are in a league of their own. Two of the worst contracts in NBA history.

LOL Not even close.

What?

Have you ever heard of Gilbert Arenas?

If it was "Worst ever!" Gilbert would have to be up there, but then it's all relative based on the cap % there have been some whoppers and guys who were good got paid and then rolled over like a dead whale on the beach.

Juwan Howard, Gil Arenas, John Wall, Brad Beal, Jordan Poole . . . take the Wizards half of the top 10 worst contracts in NBA history who is left?

Colbinii wrote:Team's have improved so much when giving contracts. Multiple contracts in the Top 10 are All-Star level talents or All-NBA level talents.

It's almost not worth having the discussion anymore on "worst". Aside from Jordan Poole, I don't consider any of these contracts unmovable. Beal, LaVine, Towns, Lillard, Draymond, Wiggins and Middleton have all proven track records of varying degrees of taking teams to the post-season or being seen as Top 20-30 players.

Vucevic is another player on the list--at 20 Million AAV [The value of less than 2 Full MLE Contracts].

I'm not sure unmoveable is required to get to bad. If you have to attach an asset to move the contract, or can only trade it for another bad contract, it's a bad contract.

penbeast0 wrote:

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Colbinii wrote:
LOL Not even close.

What?

Have you ever heard of Gilbert Arenas?

If it was "Worst ever!" Gilbert would have to be up there, but then it's all relative based on the cap % there have been some whoppers and guys who were good got paid and then rolled over like a dead whale on the beach.

Juwan Howard, Gil Arenas, John Wall, Brad Beal, Jordan Poole . . . take the Wizards half of the top 10 worst contracts in NBA history who is left?

I don't remember Howard's contract but you're right about John Wall's deal. Washington didn't give Poole that deal but they did trade for him!

The Hornets have given out some whoppers as bad as Burger King! Remember that deal they gave Gordon Hayward?

After Howard turned down an offer from the Wizards, he signed a big deal with Miami, but the league voided the Miami deal. To keep team harmony, the Wiz more than matched the Miami offer despite their bidding only against themselves with the Heat out of the picture. They gave Howard an 11 year deal(!) making him the 3rd highest paid player in the NBA behind only Michael Jordan and (?) Patrick Ewing. Then Webber felt slighted and demanded to be paid more than Howard, Howard slipped back to being a mediocre 4 playing out of position at the 3, and the Wiz were handicapped for most of a decade with a really high payroll despite never winning a single playoff game with the Webber/Howard core.

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:i would put Ayton on there

Ayton only has 2 years left on his deal, but the amount is pretty bad. The Suns did the Pacers a huge favor when they matched that offer sheet.

He has $69 million/2 left on his deal and will be 26 years old next season. I think Portland could live with Ayton's
deal for the guy does rebound

penbeast0 wrote:After Howard turned down an offer from the Wizards, he signed a big deal with Miami, but the league voided the Miami deal. To keep team harmony, the Wiz more than matched the Miami offer despite their bidding only against themselves with the Heat out of the picture. They gave Howard an 11 year deal(!) making him the 3rd highest paid player in the NBA behind only Michael Jordan and (?) Patrick Ewing. Then Webber felt slighted and demanded to be paid more than Howard, Howard slipped back to being a mediocre 4 playing out of position at the 3, and the Wiz were handicapped for most of a decade with a really high payroll despite never winning a single playoff game with the Webber/Howard core.

An 11 year deal!! That was a different time for sure.

Norm2953 wrote:

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:i would put Ayton on there

Ayton only has 2 years left on his deal, but the amount is pretty bad. The Suns did the Pacers a huge favor when they matched that offer sheet.

He has $69 million/2 left on his deal and will be 26 years old next season. I think Portland could live with Ayton's
deal for the guy does rebound

My point was like yours with only 2 years left on his deal it's not to terrible.

I think that’s a good list except for Vucevic. The extension wasn’t a great move for Chicago, but he’s a functional starting C on $20m/yr for two more years. He’s a reliable double double who doesn’t get hurt. There are numerous worse deals out there to round out this list.

I think most teams would rather pay Vuc $40m the next two seasons than $69m for Ayton, for example.

I agree on the other nine.

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Norm2953 wrote:

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Ayton only has 2 years left on his deal, but the amount is pretty bad. The Suns did the Pacers a huge favor when they matched that offer sheet.

He has $69 million/2 left on his deal and will be 26 years old next season. I think Portland could live with Ayton's
deal for the guy does rebound

My point was like yours with only 2 years left on his deal it's not to terrible.

i think he should replace vuc on that list

penbeast0 wrote:

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Colbinii wrote:
LOL Not even close.

What?

Have you ever heard of Gilbert Arenas?

If it was "Worst ever!" Gilbert would have to be up there, but then it's all relative based on the cap % there have been some whoppers and guys who were good got paid and then rolled over like a dead whale on the beach.

Juwan Howard, Gil Arenas, John Wall, Brad Beal, Jordan Poole . . . take the Wizards half of the top 10 worst contracts in NBA history who is left?

It’s crazy how many examples the Wizards have. Never thought of them all together until your post. That’s crazy

John Collins deserves an honorable mention at the very least