The National Basketball Association (NBA) has seen its fair share of big contract deals gone wrong. While some star players have lived up to their lucrative salaries, others have not. Here are some of the worst NBA contracts of all time.
First on the list is the infamous contract of Gilbert Arenas, who signed a six-year, $111 million deal with the Washington Wizards in 2008. Arenas was a top scorer at the time but had a history of injuries and off-court issues. He played only 55 games over the next three seasons before being waived by the team.
Next up is Allan Houston`s six-year, $100 million deal with the New York Knicks in 2001. Houston was a popular player in New York and had helped lead the team to the NBA Finals in 1999, but his production declined significantly after signing the deal. He played only 70 games over the next two seasons before retiring due to a knee injury.
Another example of a bad NBA contract is Eddy Curry`s six-year, $60 million deal with the Knicks in 2005. Curry was a promising young center at the time, but he struggled with injuries and conditioning issues. He played just 10 games in his second season and was eventually traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010.
One of the most recent bad contracts is Chandler Parsons` four-year, $94 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2016. Parsons was coming off a series of injuries, but the Grizzlies saw him as a player who could stretch the floor and provide leadership. However, Parsons played just 95 games over three seasons and was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2019.
Finally, we have the infamous contract of Jerome James, who signed a five-year, $30 million deal with the Knicks in 2005. James was a journeyman center at the time, but he had several strong games in the playoffs the previous year. The Knicks hoped he could bring that same energy to the team, but James played just 90 games for New York and was eventually released in 2009.
In conclusion, these are just a few examples of some of the worst NBA contracts of all time. While some of these players had potential, injuries and off-court issues ultimately derailed their careers. Teams must be careful when signing big contracts, as they can have long-lasting effects on the team`s success.