In the NBA, free agency is very important. While many teams try to use the draft to make it to the playoffs and finals, it has become more common in the modern NBA to use free agency to acquire superstars through big-money contracts. Sometimes big deals work out. However, sometimes there are players who get big-money contracts and fail to live up to expectations. On that note, let’s have a look at some of the most disappointing and worst contracts in NBA history.
10. Joakim Noah
(4-Years, $72 Million)
Joakim Noah was on a decline by 2016 and despite this, the New York Knicks decided to give him a huge deal to pair him with his former teammate Derrick Rose. But the contract failed immediately as Noah faced injury problems and when he was on the court, Jo was not the same as before. Within two seasons, he was out of New York.
9. Chris Bosh
(5-Years, $118 Million)
When the Miami Heat made this deal, it made a lot of sense at the time, as Chris Bosh was one of the league’s best players in 2014, and after the departure of LeBron James, the team decided to sign a superstar. Unfortunately, Bash barely played for the team after signing this deal. He missed most of the next two years due to injuries before retiring in 2017 due to a blood clot problem.
8. Bismack Biyombo
(4-Years, $68 Million)
Bismack Biyombo was a good player during his time in Toronto and had a great performance in his final postseason series with the Raptors against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which led to the Orlando Magic giving him an amazing contract. Biyambo was given a four-year contract with a $70 million deal, but sadly, this deal did not work out. He played only two seasons with the Magic, spending most of his time off the bench.
7. Gilbert Arenas
(6-Years, $111 Million)
Gilbert Arenas was not in good form in 2008, but he was still one of the faces of the Washington Wizards. He was still a highly sought-after player, and the team was determined to do everything possible to keep him. As a result, they gave him a six-year contract worth $111 million. But the deal didn’t prove to be fruitful for the team, as Arenas barely played for the Wizards after signing it. He played only 55 games over three seasons before being released.
6. Andre Roberson
(3-Years, $30 Million)
The contract Oklahoma City Thunder gave to Andre Roberson in 2017 proved to be a rough one for them. When he got the deal, Roberson couldn’t perform well as a shooting guard, although he was one of the best defenders in the league. However, the problem with the deal was that Roberson barely played for Oklahoma. He was part of only 46 games over three years for the team, mainly due to a ruptured left patellar in 2017.
5. John Wall
(4-Years, $171 Million)
The contract looked great when signed by John Wall, but it failed badly. In 2017, the Washington Wizards were determined to hold on to their biggest star and one of the best players in the league at the time. They gave him a huge contract worth $171 million. The deal failed horribly, as Wall began having injury problems in the season after receiving the deal. He was shifted from Washington to Houston in 2020 due to injuries and spent most of his time with the Rockets, not playing for the same reason.
4. Luol Deng
(4-Years, $72 Million)
Luol Deng was signed to the Los Angeles Lakers in an effort to remain competitive following Kobe Bryant’s retirement the year prior. The deal looked good at the time, as he was a former All-Star and defensive specialist. However, Deng barely played for the Lakers. Due to his downside, he was relegated to the bench for most of his time in Los Angeles. After only two seasons, he was shipped out of the franchise after playing 58 games.
3. Timofey Mozgov
(4-Years, $64 Million)
Timofey Mozgov showed a lot of potential during his time in Cleveland and played a good role in helping the Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA Finals. However, when the Los Angeles Lakers gave him a big contract after the championship, it was a big gamble and didn’t work out. Despite getting a big deal, Mozgov struggled badly and was traded after just one season.
2. Steve Nash
(3-Years, $28 Million)
Steve Nash was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012 and he was still a good starter for his former team, the Phoenix Suns. As part of the deal, they gave him a contract worth approximately $30 million as they attempted to hook him up with fellow All-Stars Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol. It became an unsuccessful super-team, largely due to Nash’s decline and injury issues. He played only 65 games in those three years and when he was on court, he was clearly not the same as before.
1. Chandler Parsons
(4-Years, $94 Million)
Chandler Parsons was a great scorer when he used to play for Houston and Dallas. However, the entire league was surprised when he received a huge deal worth $94 million from the Memphis Grizzlies in 2016. Parson’s play declined rapidly in Memphis, partly due to injuries. Eventually, he was regulated to the bench, where he continued to struggle before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2019.
Also Read:- 10 Most One-Sided Rivalries in the History of NBA
