Worst Contracts in the League

Ben Simmons talk and other offseason boredom has lead me to consider what few before have been brave enough to ask: what are the worst contracts in the NBA? Insert my defense of player empowerment and explanation as to why player’s having a huge share of basketball related revenue compared to other leagues is actually good and an athlete taking money from a billionaire is always great etc. With all of that very nuanced socio-economic discourse being said, some contracts are more valuable than others. Here are the ten worst. This isn’t worst situation, this is purely “contract I would least like to have on the books as an expansion team” type of scenario, so things like current roster fit and franchise timeline do not play into the rankings, although they may be discussed. Ok, let’s go.

10. Eric Gordon

At one time this wasn’t that bad I guess. He’s still got all that money from playing Michael Jordan’s son in Space Jam too so he’s gotta be loaded.

9. Buddy Hield

At least it’s declining over the next three years! Maybe some of the wealthier owners wouldn’t mind stomaching this if you’re contending and Hield seems like the right fit (basically referring to the Lakers trade rumors this past offseason), but for almost anyone else this isn’t great.

8. Andrew Wiggins

You know this contract is absurd because this man went on the record saying he sacrificed his core beliefs, values, and integrity by getting vaccinated so that the direct deposit would hit. Grindset.

7. Gordon Hayward

At the time of the signing and still today, I literally do not understand why the Hornets signed him for this much. He doesn’t match the timeline of their young core. Maybe you want an established vet in the locker room and on the court for them to learn from, but I absolutely promise you The Gamer is not that guy pal. And you’ll have to start actually paying some of your better young guys while you still have this contract on the books! Extremely injured for the past half decade now, and he will be 34 when this contract expires.

6. Russell Westbrook

Getting traded for John Wall last offseason and bouncing around the league over the past few years should tell you enough. Dude just had 14 turnovers in a preseason game too. Can’t wait to watch him and Bron share one (1) basketball.

5. Rudy Gobert

He wasn’t a max player before this contract, he wasn’t a max player when they offered the contract, he isn’t a max player as of this blog, and he CERTAINLY won’t be as a 34 year old (!!!) when this contract expires. I get that as the Utah Jazz you have to pay your guys to stay because nobody else is coming over. But even from who they have now, this is never the guy I would want to pay.

4. John Wall

Absolutely picking up that nearly $50mil player option, despite being on the exact opposite timeline of the team that currently rosters him. Got swapped for one of the other worst contracts in the league last offseason, and the Wiz even needed to attach draft compensation to get it to go through.

3. Kevin Love

Kevin Love, in contrast with the top two spots, at least seems like a nice enough guy. I feel a little bad. But the Cavs have been trying to move this contract for years now, since the second it appeared LeBron wasn’t coming back. 33 year old injured and barely useful big man who’s guaranteed $60mil. Not great.

2. Kristaps Porzingis

It was tough, but this gets the second place spot due to the fact that Kristaps is 100% picking up that third year left, even if him and Luka, and possibly the Mavs’ front office, don’t get along, since he literally might not make that much total money for the rest of his career. He’ll also be a 30 year old, already unathletic and injured big by the end of the contract. Rough.

1. Ben Simmons

Even outside of the Philly situation, this literally has to be number one. No team in the league is willing to even match salaries to make this trade work, let alone send back any positive value to Morey. Even Russell Westbrook and John Wall were traded for each other, and Kemba Walker and Al Horford were traded for each other. No team will even propose a deal of that nature, at least that has been made public knowledge. The Cavs aren’t even sending Kevin Love for Simmons. $140mil guaranteed. That’s rough.