The Worst Contracts In NBA History

Free agency is important for most sports but is even more important in the NBA. While a lot of squads have tried to use the draft to earn their way to the NBA Finals, it's become more common in the modern NBA to use free agency to get superstars through big money contracts.

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Sometimes, those big deals work. Look to Kevin Durant in Golden State, and LeBron James in Los Angeles as recent examples of superstars being acquired through free agency to lead their teams to championships. However, for every Durant and James, there's a player who got a big money contract and failed to live up to expectations.

10 Andre Roberson (3-Years, $30 Million)

While not a terrible contract on paper, this contract that Andre Roberson received in 2017 was a rough one for the Oklahoma City Thunder. When he got this deal, he couldn't shoot to save his life, but he was one of the best defenders in the league.

However, the issue with this deal is that Roberson barely played for the Thunder. He played only 46 games across three years for the team, mainly due to a ruptured left patellar tendon in 2017.

9 Chris Bosh (5-Years, $118 Million)

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To be fair to the Miami Heat, this deal made a lot of sense at the time. Chris Bosh was one of the best big men in the league in 2014, and following LeBron James's departure, the team decided to lock up one of their biggest stars.

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Sadly for Bosh and the Heat, he barely played for the team after signing this deal. He was out for most of the following two years due to injuries, before being forced to retire in 2017 due to blood clot issues.

8 Gilbert Arenas (6-Years, $111 Million)

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Gilbert Arenas was ON the downside by 2008, but still one of the faces of the Washington Wizards. Despite that, he was still a heavily sought-after player, and the team was determined to do everything they could to keep him.

As a result of that, they gave him a six-year contract, worth over $100 million. In the end, Arenas barely played for the Wizards after signing this deal. He played only 55 games across three seasons before being released.

7 Joakim Noah (4-Years, $72 Million)

Everyone in the NBA seemed to be aware that Joakim Noah was on the downside by 2016. Despite that, the New York Knicks decided to give the former All-Star a massive deal to pair him with his former teammate Derrick Rose.

This contract failed almost instantly. Noah quickly ran into injury issues, and when he was on the court, he was a shell of what he once was. He was out of New York within two seasons.

6 John Wall (4-Years, $171 Million)

Another contract that seemed great on paper, but failed horrifically is John Wall's current contract. In 2017, the Washington Wizards were determined to hang onto their biggest star, and one of the best players in the league. So, they gave him a massive contract for nearly $200 million.

This deal failed almost instantly, as he began to run into injury issues the season after he got the deal. Due to injuries, he was shipped out of Washington in 2020 to Houston. He's spent most of his time on the Rockets not playing for the same reason.

5 Chandler Parsons (4-Years, $94 Million)

Chandler Parsons carved himself out a role in Houston and Dallas as a solid scorer and option. However, the entire league was shocked when he got a massive deal from the Memphis Grizzlies in 2016 for over $90 million.

Parsons's play quickly declined in Memphis, partially due to injuries. He was eventually regulated to a bench role, where he continued to struggle before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2019.

4 Steve Nash (3-Years, $28 Million)

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Steve Nash was still a decent, if older, starter for the Phoenix Suns when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012. As part of the deal, they gave him a nearly $30 million contract, as they attempted to pair him with fellow All-Stars Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Pau Gasol.

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This wound up being a failed super-team, due in large part due to Nash's decline and injury issues. He wound up playing only 65 games across those three years. Furthermore, when he was on the court, he was clearly not the same.

3 Luol Deng (4-Years, $72 Million)

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Luol Deng was signed alongside Timofey Mozgov (we'll get to him later) in an attempt to remain competitive following Kobe Bryant's retirement the year prior. This deal made sense at the time, as the former Chicago Bull was a former All-Star and defensive savant.

However, Deng barely played for the Lakers. Due to his decline and offensive wows, he was relegated to the bench for most of his time in Los Angeles. He was shipped out of town after just two seasons, having played 58 games.

2 Bismack Biyombo (4-Years, $68 Million)

Unlike some contracts, this one seemed dead on arrival. Bismack Biyombo was a decent player during his time in Toronto and had a legendary performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in his final postseason series with the Raptors, a performance that likely led to the Orlando Magic giving him an insane contract.

Biyombo was given a four-year, nearly $70 million deal to head to Florida. To nobody's surprise, this deal didn't work out. He played only two seasons in a Magic jersey, with much of that time coming off the bench.

1 Timofey Mozgov (4-Years, $64 Million)

Timofey Mozgov showed potential during his time in Cleveland and played a decent role in the Cavaliers winning the 2016 NBA Finals. However, when the Los Angeles Lakers gave him a massive contract following the championship, it was seen as a massive gamble.

It was a risk that didn't pay off. Despite getting a massive deal, Mozgov struggled badly in Los Angeles. He was traded after just one season.