The Five Worst Contracts in The NBA Today

 The Five Worst Contracts in The NBA Today 

    In the NBA their has been some bad contracts for either team or player. Usually when the contract is bad for the team they rush to dump the player for basically whatever they can get. Even if that means taking on a lesser evil contract, or maybe more expensive for the year but shorter contract so they don’t have to remain loyal to a player that isn’t worth it to them for to long. When a player has a bad contract depending on the level of star they are the situation can go a lot of different ways. If they are bench player they’ll just have to ride it out, a role player they can get more say but probably just be cut or sent in a deal with another player. If they are a sixth man or a starter they can cause headaches. When it’s a star that’s when it’s getting serious when you get into that All-Star level. An all star all the way up to a superstar can cause major headaches for an organization. It can mess up their culture and team relations. Making the environment toxic. That’s why we see stars dished out so frequently in today’s game. Players have a voice. Unlike back in the day when they just had to be okay with their bad contracts. The contract situation interested me. These contract trap situations interested me. What it really was is the trap situation. When I say trap situation my meaning is where either side is clearly getting paid to much or to little forcing them to be trapped since their isn’t a lot they can do. For example James Harden felt like he was trapped in Houston. So he caused many headaches till his departure. It was Harden being trapped since he has multiple years on his deal. However we’ll take a view point from both player and team. Here are my top five worst trap situations in the NBA today. 

Kevin Love (Team) 

     Yes Kevin Love most recent extension in my opinion is a team trap even though how much he’s brought to Cleveland. For the next two seasons he will make 31.9 million dollars each year. Then his cap hit does go down but not much with 28.9 million in the 2022-2023 season. Love has a very injury filled career, especially in his Cavs stint but certainly in Cleveland. He hasn’t played 70+ games since his second season in Cleveland when they came back from 3-1 down in the NBA Finals. He averaged nearly the same numbers the whole time. A calm 17.6 points and 9.8 rebounds. Yes those are good numbers it’s nearly a double double every game. However he doesn’t put them in the playoffs and he’s now suppose to be the best player on the team. They don’t get into the playoffs in the East. He’s probably a great leader and mentor for the young players they have in Cleveland. After the Jarrett Allen acquiring the Cavs should try twice as hard to ship Love. It’s still hard because he’s not worth the money to anyone. Especially if you build a young core then want to convince another star to come to Cleveland. You need money for that. It’s hard to convince someone to come to the windy shores of Lake Erie. Let’s just say it’s no Miami. They don’t have that money. The Cleveland Cavs are trapped inside the Love contract for the next few seasons. 

Tobias Harris (Team)

    Now you see here the Tobias Harris situation is a super interesting one because he can be useful but is he worth that deal? Harris deal for the next four seasons is 34.4, 36, 37.6, and in the final 2023-24 season he gets paid 39.3 million. That’s a lot of money to put out with not a lot to show thus far. Their is also another kicker if Harris gets traded he gets a 5% increase in pay or paid 5 million from the 76ers. Harris was drafted by the Magic played well there but still got shipped to Detroit. Then in the Blake Griffin package the Pistons send him to the Clippers. In LA is where he had a career high in points with 20.9 and FG% with 49%. He then was shipped to the 76ers in what Philly thought was going to be their big four with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Jimmy Butler. However Butler did not stay he took his talents to South Beach. Where Butler took the Heat all the way to the NBA Finals. He lost but sure was better than the first round exit like the 76ers took in the bubble. Harris three point percentage has gone down. From shooting 39% with other teams to 35% with the 76ers. He doesn’t turnover the ball, he’s a good defensive rebounder but he’s not 30 million worth of any of these. The 76ers are trapped with Harris and it’ll affect upcoming cap moves for coming years. To be honest could restrict them from becoming that championship team in the Simmons-Embiid era. 

Eric Gordon (Team)

   The Rockets gave Eric Gordon a four year max worth $75,574,356 in the summer of 2019. To me that’s when the Rockets chances to ever win a championship with James Harden died. He was clearly to me just watching the games not worth a max contract. His career high in points was 22.6 and that was ten years ago with the Clippers. His point total has only gone down since. The 2018 season he averaged 16.2 while shooting 40.2% from the field then he got the max. Don’t know how that warrants a max but somehow it does. Last season he averaged 14.4 points while shooting 36.9% from the field. While also being non existent in the playoffs. The next four years Gordon makes 16.9, 18.2, 19.6, 20.9 million dollars. The only thing on the deal the Rockets have is in the final year if Gordon doesn’t make an all star team it’s not guaranteed. You know if he plays up to then coming into the season Gordon only played 36 of the last 72 games. The contract keeps the Rockets trapped from brining in dynamic players or maybe even convincing someone coming to Houston for the next few seasons. Even with dumping Harden’s deal. You can’t bring in good young players without some money. They still have to pay Wall then the first round picks they get. The rebuild will be tough for Houston. They’ll have to go through the draft. The Rockets are trapped inside the Gordon contract. 

De’Aaron Fox (Player) 

  Yes the deal is very early but De’Aaron Fox is and will be trapped inside the Kings organization. In November of 2020, so just two months ago Fox signed a five year deal worth 163 million dollars. The deal begins in the 2021-2022 season and runs all the way through the 2025-2026 season. Fox has enormous potential. Ever since being drafted with the fifth selection in the 2017 NBA Draft Fox has improved every year. He has become a better passer and defender. To go with his crazy speed and ability to score Fox is really shaping into becoming a Superstar guard. He’s also only 22 years of age. He still has so much more time. Last year he had a career year with 21.1 points, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 48% from the field. Winning also has come with Fox. The Kings have won 40% of their games in back to back seasons for the first time since 2008. The Kings nonetheless are very dysfunctional. Buddy Hield signed an extension then a couple months later asked for a trade. The second overall pick in 2018 Marvin Bagley III who was taken over Luka Dončić and Trae Young, has been rumored he wants out of Sacramento. The Kings can’t figure it out now don’t see them figuring it out soon. Understand Fox is young how could anyone at 22 refuse that much money no matter who’s offering? Especially in a world where a injury can happen whenever. Get your bag. That’s what Fox did. However that’ll put him in trap situation. Definitely could see him asking for a trade a couple years into the contract. Fox is indeed trapped in Sacramento. 

Bradley Beal (Player) 

 Now the most trapped human, place, or thing in the whole NBA. To be honest Bradley Beal may be the most trapped player in sports. Beal signed a two year extension with the Washington Wizard about a year ago. That’ll keep him in Washington until the end of 2022-2023 season. The contract extension is worth 71,764,430 over those two years. That let me tell you is a big chunk of change. However in my opinion Beal could of gotten paid that anywhere. He averaged 30.5 points last season and is currently averaging 35 points in the NBA. While shooting 49% from the field while also giving off 5 dimes a game. Bradley Beal is a superstar and is a problem for other teams. Understand Beal thought John Wall would be healthy when he signed that deal. He probably thought Wall and him could use that speed to cause many problems especially in the new NBA. When John Wall gets his season ending injury last season the contact blows up for Beal. Bradley Beal is a superstar there is no doubt about that. The Wizards try to help him by getting Russell Westbrook but they traded away close friend John Wall. Nonetheless it didn’t work they are 3-8 to start the season, with head coach Scott Brooks on the hot seat. Beal should be dealt to another team. Yes two years isn’t a long time to ride out but it’s clear Beal grows frustrated with the team not winning. He should be he’s never really been on a winning team while being the first or second guy. Beal does deserve that. He is the hottest trade piece right now and if you’re contender who can go get him do that. He makes your team that much better. Nonetheless until he is traded Beal may play his best years on losing Wizards team. Making him the most trapped player in the NBA. 

By Matthew Doherty