The 10 worst contracts in the NBA

It's not what you think.

Aug 18

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

Belshazzar’s Feast, Rembrandt

NBA free agency is mostly over (no offense to the Lakers’ final roster spot or Lauri Markkanen). A number of veteran players with injury histories, including Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, have recently signed major long-term extensions.

So now is as good a time as ever to look at an updated version of the list of the 10 worst contracts in the NBA. The numbers below indicate how much currently remains guaranteed or likely to be guaranteed on each player’s deal.

10. Anthony Davis (3 years, $114 million)

Davis is a proven NBA superstar who gave up money to exit the Pelicans and join the Lakers. That is to L.A.’s advantage. This is a pretty terrible contract for Davis, given that had he been subject to the NBA’s strict salary rules and not lived under Ringz Culture, he could have made tens of millions more on the open market as a free agent in 2020, coming off of a championship.

9. Clint Capela (2 years, $35 million)

Trae Young is the engine that makes the Hawks go, but Clint Capela is the braking system that keeps the team on the road. (Abysmal car analogies are free with your newsletter subscription.) This contract is an absolute disgrace; Capela is worth much more to the Hawks than the paltry $17.5 million salary he’ll average over these next two critical seasons. Terrible contract.

8. Ja Morant (2 years, $22 million)

The rookie scale is a joke. You have a player like Morant step in, turn around a franchise immediately, take them from the bottom of the table to a playoff chase, inject life into The Grindhouse, become a jersey seller, put Grizzlies reference back in rap songs … and the dude is getting $11 million a year? The rookie scale is a joke.

7. Luka Doncic (5 years, $170 million)

Luka Doncic made headlines by signing a $200 million contract a couple weeks ago. This was universally seen as tremendous news for the Dallas Mavericks franchise. It was also seen as great news for Luka Doncic. And why not? $200 million is a lot of money. Really, what Luka’s on now is a five-year, $170 million deal. Why? Because of the despicable rookie scale, Luka will make just $10 million next season. Two All-NBA nods in three years in the league, a traumatizingly good playoff series against one of the league’s greats (Kawhi Leonard) at the height of his powers and … $10 million next season. Ban the rookie scale.

After that, Luka is on the hook for four years at $160 million before he can opt out to demand more money. It still won’t be enough, because the individual max contract is also bogus. Barring a catastrophic injury, Luka will be on this list for the next few years and maybe until he retires.

6. Jaylen Brown (3 years, $80 million)

Jaylen Brown is a smart, smart man. But signing his early extension after his third season in Boston cost him a lot of money. The Celtics are stealing from him over the next three years as they pay him $80 million. He should be getting $100 million for this work. He signed a 4-year, $107 million extension in 2019 after averaging 13 points per game on OK shooting. He has started every game he’s played for the C’s since, become a 20-25 ppg scorer, become a dead-eye shooter, continued to improve his defense, fit perfectly with fellow rising star Jayson Tatum and made an All-Star team. That NBA rules do not allow him “backsies” on this contract is criminal. He is being robbed by the Boston Celtics.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (4 years, $176 million)

Under current NBA salary rules, the Milwaukee Bucks literally cannot pay Giannis what he is worth. The supermax extension Antetokounmpo signed last summer kicks in this coming season. Giannis can opt out after four years, so the locked-in value has an average annual value of $44 million. Giannis had 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to give Milwaukee their first championship in 50 years a month ago. Tens of thousands of fans swarmed the Deer District outside the arena in celebration. Tell me Giannis Antetokounmpo is only worth $44 million per year. Tell me he’s not really worth twice that to the Milwaukee Bucks. Tell me that if NBA rules allowed it the Bucks wouldn’t open bidding at $80 million for one year of Giannis. Tell me.

The individual max salary is a sham and a disgrace.

4. LaMelo Ball (3 years, $28 million)

You know what’s worse than a rookie scale contract for a No. 2 pick who immediately enters the NBA as a star? A rookie scale contract for a No. 3 pick who immediately enters the NBA as a star. The Charlotte Hornets are robbing LaMelo Ball for the next three years, plain and simple. And the NBA is complicit. (Frankly, the NBA players’ union that agreed to the rookie scale in the late ‘90s is complicit.) Nine million dollars for the privilege of being graced by LaMelo Ball and his Antics for the next three years. To add insult to injury, the Hornets will be in the driver’s seat in robbing LaMelo on his next contract as well, a la the plight of Luka as explained above.

3. LeBron James (2 years, $85 million)

For all that LeBron has brought the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, delivering them from an embarrassing and rare playoff drought, adding a banner to the rafters, pulling Anthony Davis into the vortex, the Space Jam sequel … $85 million over the next two seasons? NBA teams have been stealing from LeBron James for almost two decades now. How he hasn’t been railing against the individual max contract in every press scrum for 16 years is beyond me. How he doesn’t have lawyers filing anti-trust complaints against the NBA is beyond me. Frankly, to get around individual max salary rules, LeBron should tell whatever team happens to be paying him below market value any given year that he will pro-rate his games played based on the calculated value of his contract. If he’s making $42 million next season and determines that his value to the Lakers is $84 million per season, then he plays a maximum of 50 percent of the games. Done deal.

2. Nikola Jokic (2 years, $62 million)

Absurd. Just absurd. The reigning MVP is on a maximum contract he signed in 2018. He’s on a MAX DEAL. And he’s making just $31 million. How about a new rule? If you win MVP, you get to renegotiate your contract with no salary limits immediately. None of this “you’re the MVP but also the 32nd highest paid player in the NBA next season” nonsense. Free Jokic (to make more money from the Nuggets).

1. Zion Williamson (2 years, $24 million)

An absolutely horrible contract. No wonder his camp is already (reportedly) grousing — they should be grousing at the NBA as much as they grouse about the Pelicans. This is Luka Doncic Part 2. Barring catastrophic injury, Zion will be on this list with Luka for the next decade. He’s a generational talent making $12 million a year while averaging 27-7-4 on 60% shooting as a 20-year-old. And when this contract is up, NBA rules will dictate that on his next multi-year deal he’ll make about half as much as what he’d likely fetch in a truly free market … even if he takes a major individual risk to play for the qualifying offer in 2023-24. The NBA Draft meant that Zion couldn’t pick where to start his professional career. NBA salary rules means he can’t make what he’s worth, perhaps for his entire career but certainly for the first 7-10 years. What a load of garbage.

Honorable mentions: Kevin Durant (5 years, $235 million), James Harden (1 year, $44 million), Bradley Beal (1 year, $34 million), Harrison Barnes (2 years, $38 million), Stephen Curry (5 years, $261 million), Every Average Or Better Player On A Rookie Scale Contract, Larry Nance Jr. (2 years, $20 million)

Scores

Lynx 60, Sun 72 — Alright, maybe the Lynx are back but they are not quite at Connecticut’s level. Jonquel Jones, y’all.

ESPN @espn

Jonquel Jones making it look easy 🔥 (via @WNBA)

The Sun are 14-3 with JJ in the lineup and 2-3 with her out. Tina Charles, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart don’t read this: she might be the MVP.

Wings 80, Sky 76 — Really big win for Dallas, led by 3x3 gold medalist Allisha Gray.

Mystics 83, Aces 93 — Las Vegas is inevitable.

Fever 80, Mercury 84

Dream 80, Sparks 85 — L.A. needed overtime, nearly a disaster loss as the Sparks chase a playoff bid.

KANGZ 100, Celtics 67 — The Sacramento Summer Kangz are your 2021 Vegas Summer League champions. And the (unofficial) championship gear is glorious.

The Kings Herald @thekingsherald

🕶☀️👑☀️👑☀️👑🕶 Move over Celtics, it's time to recognize a REAL dynasty! 🕶☀️👑☀️👑☀️👑 🕶 #RANGZ Get yours and rep the Summer Kings today: Kingsherald.com/store

Louis King, Davion Mitchell, Jahmi’us Ramsey, Neemias Queta. Coach Bobby Jackson. Champs. Look at Davion “Off Night” Mitchell put Payton Pritchard in the torture chamber.

Sacramento Kings @SacramentoKings

"He's got him on Rikers" @hoopculture13 | #NBASummer

Parade details tk.

Share

Schedule

Storm at Liberty, 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

Links

The NBA released the opening week national T.V. and Christmas Day schedules. My condolences to everyone forced by their line of work to chase engagement by having takes on “what time is this game on?” and “is it disrespectful to make someone not work on a holiday?” I’ve been there.

The rest of the 2021-22 schedule is coming on Friday.

The biggest Christmas game is Nets vs. Lakers. Here’s Michael Pina looking ahead to a potential Nets vs. Lakers Finals. It would truly be incredible from a narrative standpoint.

The Grizzlies traded Patrick Beverley to the Timberwolves for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez. Great deal for Memphis. I feel a little bad for both Pat Bev (Clips to Wolves in a week?!) and the Wolves (what a turn of events after drafting Culver two years ago)? Anyways, this documentation of Beverley’s fall from contendership this offseason as told by his tweets is great.

Jeremy Woo on the best Summer League performers.

Carmelo Anthony on the fact that the Pistons promised to draft him No. 2 and … didn’t. (This fact has been out there, still fascinating to hear Melo discuss it in his own words.)