Contracts that cannot be traded?. The past shows that there is no such thing. But which teams currently have the worst contracts in the NBA on the payroll?
Important to mention: This is not a criticism of the players, but of their contracts. Injuries, age and some other circumstances are beyond the control of the actors.
Also, a player isn’t “bad” just because they appear here. On the contrary, there are even several (ex-)All-Stars on the list for whom future value or injuries appear to be more of a problem.
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Expiring contracts were not taken into account, but here are the worst ones that will disappear after the season:
Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors): 43,2 Mio. DollarTobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers): 39,3 Mio. DollarKyle Lowry (Miami Heat)Gordon Hayward (Charlotte Hornets): 31,5 Mio. Dollar
But now we come to the “Top 10” of the most unfavorable deals in the NBA!
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Platz 10: C.J. McCollum (New Orleans Pelicans)
Age: 31Contract until: 2024 (Extension: 2 years, 64 million)Salary 23/24: $35.8 million
The fit in New Orleans is good, but McCollum continues to be well rewarded for a number three behind Zion and Ingram. Never was an All-Star, but is arguably the best active player yet to have that honor.
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Platz 9: Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets)
Age: 25Contract until: 2027Salary 23/24: $33.4M
Despite injury worries, got the maximum extension in 2021 and then missed almost the entire season. MPJ remained fit last year, but was at most the third option for the champion and played mostly weak finals. The risk of injury remains, despite two back surgeries there is no protection in the contract. That can still fly around the ears of the nuggets.
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Platz 8: Lonzo Ball (Chicago Bulls)
Age: 25Contract until: 2025Salary 23/24: $20.5M
Will Ball Ever Play Basketball Again? The guard played his last game in January 2022 and will probably not be able to play until spring at the earliest in the coming season. For the Bulls, the point guard is rather dead capital for the moment. If fit, then the contract is in order, but Ball has not been fit enough in two years.
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Platz 7: Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat)
Age: 29Contract until: 2026Salary 23/24: $18.2M
In the finals there were at least small signs of life from the heat forward, who had hardly hit a flower pot before and at times wasn’t even in coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotation. In theory, Robinson is one of the best marksmen in the league, but there has been little sign of that over the past two years.
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Platz 6: Evan Fournier (New York Knicks)
Age: 30Contract until: 2025Salary 23/24: $18.9M
Fournier, on the other hand, no longer plays any role in New York, after all, his last year is a team option. Still, the Knicks still haven’t managed to trade the Frenchman after iceing him out of Boston for big bucks in 2021. Now 30 years old, Fournier is more of a shooter who otherwise doesn’t have much to offer.
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Platz 5: Tim Hardaway Jr. (Dallas Mavericks)
Age: 31Contract until: 2025Salary 23/24: $17.9M
Still, THJ’s salary has declined over the years, but even $18 million is a lot of money over an inefficient scorer who only hits 43 percent from doubles and adds no value defensively.
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4th place: Davis Bertans (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Age: 30Contract until: 2025Salary 23/24: $17.0M
At least the Mavs shed another bad apple. It is possible that OKC will release the Latvian before the season, since the Thunder have little use for the shooting specialist. What the 2020 Wizards were thinking when they gave Bertan $80 million over five years remains a mystery.
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Platz 3: Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Age: 31Contract until: 2026Salary 23/24: $41.0M
Quite apart from the fact that Minnesota peddled house and yard to wrestle the French from Utah last year. The Frenchman no longer plays defensively at the level of his best years, and the fit with Karl-Anthony Towns remains more than questionable. Minor injuries accumulate in the center as well, which will certainly not get better.
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Bradley Beal will play for the Phoenix Suns next season.
Platz 2: Bradley Beal (Phoenix Suns)
Age: 30Contract until: 2027Salary 23/24: $46.7M
Two things that weigh heavily. On the one hand the term, on the other hand the continuing right that Beal can prevent any trade if he wants to. Of course, Beal can be an All-Star at his best, while still getting paid like one of the top five players in the NBA despite being only the third offensive option on his own team. Also: Beal has played a total of 90 games in the past two years, which is a meager yield.
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Platz 1: Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets)
Age: 27Contract until: 2025Salary 23/24: $37.9M
Incidentally, Simmons only had 42 games in which he averaged a 7/6/6 stat line. The Aussie remains an enigma and a shadow of himself after his back injury (and holdout with the Sixers). When Simmons plays for Brooklyn, he mostly does so without confidence, so coach Jacque Vaughn eventually had to sideline him.
2023-08-02 14:48:28
#worst #contracts #season
