15 Worst TMBSL Contracts - 3021 Edition
Feb 8, 2022 11:59:54 GMT -5
TinyTimPig, Chaps, and 1 more like this
Post by Druce on Feb 8, 2022 11:59:54 GMT -5
With the offseason winding down we take a look at what I would say are the worst contracts in the league. I didn't include any rookie deals and largely stayed away from expiring contracts with one exception. Towards the end of the list we get into "not really that bad" territory. This list is of course subjective, and heavily slanted towards large salaried players. Do understand, I'm not saying all the guys on the list are bad, just that they are likely overpaid vs. where their market is.
Player Team 3020 Win Shares Age Remaining Contract
1. Alpha Kaba Bullets 3.2 27 $15,625,000 $17,187,500 $18,750,000 $20,312,500 $21,875,000
Hands down the worst contract I saw. Kaba is on a full bird max while providing the production of an LLE player. Someone call the Capitol police because this man is stealing. I can only assume Kaba will be an amnesty candidate, perhaps as soon as the end of this coming season. On the surface, his PPG look nice, but as you keep going down the stat line it's all just empty. Meh rebounding stats, bad defense, 2.3 turnovers in 30 minutes. None of this screams max player, and the Bullets just brought in Jabari Parker, who can provide similar production without the turnover problem...for the minimum. Kaba is no longer the Alpha in D.C.
2. Bob Cousy Hawks .8 30 $8,755,703 $9,456,159 $10,212,652
This contract was just handed out in free agency and honestly I was left scratching my head. Cousy's best seasons are behind him at age 30, and even at his peak I'm not sure he's worth this deal. He's spent the last 2 seasons as a backup, and at first glance you think maybe he'll start at the point for the Hawks, but then you realize they also have Jamal Crawford who they just awarded a max. I'm not entirely sure what King was thinking with this deal, but he's paid a serf well more than he's worth. Maybe King is an old Celtics fan, maybe he thought he was signing Bob Costas to call Hawks games from the Gold Club. Cousy is getting $1mm for every tenth of a win share. Eww.
3. John Beckman Pipers 7.5 28 $18,750,000 $20,312,500 $21,875,000
Beckman falls into the category of not a horrible player, he's just getting paid waaaaaaaaaay too much. I'm sure the Pipers expected him to improve at least some after awarding him a full bird max 4 seasons ago, but frankly it hasn't happened. Beckman has gotten considerably worse efficiency wise, and when you're paying a player $18mm you expect him to score and do it well. He's maintained his defense, handling, and passing but you just need more for this money. You can find those three things in MLE range. This former number 2 overall pick hasn't lived up to the billing outside of wages.
4. V.J. Beachem Grizzlies 2.2 29 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $8,000,000
I knew this contract wasn't great when I traded for him, but I also thought maybe a change of scenery or a different scheme could help Beachem. That was not the case. Now the Grizz are left with a bruised ego and a large sum on the wage bill. His last good season was 3018 with the Clippers. Perhaps he will be useful in an inside offense, but as it stands a completely useless $8mm cap charge for a replacement level player. Will he awake from hibernation or continue feasting on the salmon of the Capistrano without adding anything productive to the Grizzlies den?
5. Livio Jean-Charles Raptors 3.3 25 $9,585,865 $10,457,308 $11,328,750 $12,200,192
LJC seems like a case of good displayed grades, lackluster production. That is at least my guess as to why he got the contract he did. Looking at his historical stats it's like he's stuck on the cusp of being a solid rotation player, but he can't get over the hump for whatever reason. It doesn't help that he's not SG eligible either. He could have an aversion to the letter "R" and want to play for a team without an "R" name, I don't know. What I do know is that if he repeats last years performance he's an amnesty candidate for sure.
6. George Mikan Rockets 7.1 31 $17,500,000 $18,750,000
The problem with the Mikan contract is his effiency plummeting. What used to be maybe his greatest asset is now a liability, and while he's good on the glass and adequate on defense, in order to justify the price tag you need the scoring to be there. Truth be told I don't love the contract the Rockets gave to Juan Pablo this offseason either, but they will get a breath of fresh air when Mikan's deal runs out after next season. It seems Mikan's rocket is running out of fuel and thankfully in Houston they'll only be saddled with this salary for 2 more seasons.
7. Mason Plumlee Hornets 5.8 28 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000
Quite a few questioned this deal when it was signed, and it's proving to be a significant overpay. Plumlee is very similar to Alpha Kaba above, just cheaper. The Hornets have a few questionable deals with bigs over the next 3 years where that space could be better used going after big fish and signing 1 year deals if they miss. That being said, maybe Fecta is playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers...nah, definitely not that.
8. Serge Ibaka Jazz 8.6 34 $24,500,000 $26,250,000
Though Serge is aging, he's certainly not a bad player, the problem is he's taking up half of your soft cap. He's uber efficient, he blocks shots, he hits the glass. The turnovers aren't great. The good news is it's not really killing the Jazz as they're loading up for the 3022 draft where they have 3 of the top 4 picks, and when Ibaka's deal falls off they'll be in a prime spot to offer that money to some top tier free agents.
9. Jamal Crawford Hawks 6.6 24 $12,500,000 $13,750,000 $15,000,000 $16,250,000 $17,500,000 $18,750,000
Not only our second Hawk on the list, our second Hawks point guard. Honestly Crawford could be a few spots up as I don't see him as a max player at all. On the bright side, he's 24 with B potential still, but he just doesn't do enough to justify the cost. If I'm going to give a point guard a max, he's gotta be a hands down elite scorer. That isn't what Crawford is. He's got a good A/TO ratio, but the defense is a bit lacking also, and he gets a few boards but again not enough. Maybe the Hawks didn't run an outside offense and if they do I may end up looking stupid, I don't know, but I currently see Crawford in that 7-9mm range. This one could get real ugly in a couple years.
10. Trey Burke Trail Blazers 6.4 26 $9,965,313 $10,871,250 $11,777,188 $12,683,125
After his second season Burke looked like he could blossom. That hasn't happened. He's basically stayed stagnant since that point and has very similar numbers to Crawford above. His current year salary probably isn't horrible, but the remaining 3 years it gets dicey. Just don't love spending this type of coin on a guy when I could get a bit less of a player for half the cost. Granted the Blazers have lost a couple huge pieces to FA lately so I don't blame him for paying Trey, just not ideal.
11. Harry Giles Hornets 3.0 26 $4,994,333 $4,994,333 $4,994,333
Nearing the end of the list here, Giles isn't a cap killer at just under $5mm per season, but I think you could get similar production from a minimum player to be honest. This is coming from someone who once mistakenly traded a 1.16 for Giles. He really hurts you on the offensive end, and just doesn't give enough on the glass or defensively. If he's pulling regular minutes as a third big, you need a new third big. So while the salary is on the lower end, it's still about 5x what he's actually worth.
12. Michael Beasley Clippers 4.5 34 $26,250,000
Super Cool Beas is a shell of his former self. The contract is massive and almost untradeable, and while it's expiring it still limits how you can build your roster in the present. Dirt obviously took him on as this year is a transition year for him, and with Beas and Pettit falling off the books he'll have a bunch of cap going into the next offseason.
13. Joel Embiid Jazz 11.1 33 $22,750,000 $24,500,000 $26,250,000
Embiid being on the list is more of a projection at this point. He's still a top tier player and very useful, but he's 33 and coming into the twilight of his career, and due $50mm plus over the next two seasons. He's going to limit what the Jazz can do in free agency and their roster construction, but they also will have 3 top draft choices on their roster, so having a very expensive player won't hurt them too much. If Embiid drops off in TC however, look out.
14. Kyle Kuzma Cavaliers 3.3 28 $3,000,000 $3,300,000
Not a horrid contract, just one of those that bites you if you're in the situation where you need a couple million in space to sign a max. I personally think Kuz is terrible and equal to a min level player who's the 12th guy on your roster, but $3mm isn't going to kill Sap and the Cavs and I assume they'll ride out this deal and let Kuzma go at the conclusion of it.
15. Tyus Jones Bobcats 10.4 26 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000
What I don't like about this deal isn't necessarily the present, but the length and flexibility it takes away. Jones is a solid, not great player who improves a few teams point guard slot, I just wouldn't want him on the books for 5 more seasons.
Player Team 3020 Win Shares Age Remaining Contract
1. Alpha Kaba Bullets 3.2 27 $15,625,000 $17,187,500 $18,750,000 $20,312,500 $21,875,000
Hands down the worst contract I saw. Kaba is on a full bird max while providing the production of an LLE player. Someone call the Capitol police because this man is stealing. I can only assume Kaba will be an amnesty candidate, perhaps as soon as the end of this coming season. On the surface, his PPG look nice, but as you keep going down the stat line it's all just empty. Meh rebounding stats, bad defense, 2.3 turnovers in 30 minutes. None of this screams max player, and the Bullets just brought in Jabari Parker, who can provide similar production without the turnover problem...for the minimum. Kaba is no longer the Alpha in D.C.
2. Bob Cousy Hawks .8 30 $8,755,703 $9,456,159 $10,212,652
This contract was just handed out in free agency and honestly I was left scratching my head. Cousy's best seasons are behind him at age 30, and even at his peak I'm not sure he's worth this deal. He's spent the last 2 seasons as a backup, and at first glance you think maybe he'll start at the point for the Hawks, but then you realize they also have Jamal Crawford who they just awarded a max. I'm not entirely sure what King was thinking with this deal, but he's paid a serf well more than he's worth. Maybe King is an old Celtics fan, maybe he thought he was signing Bob Costas to call Hawks games from the Gold Club. Cousy is getting $1mm for every tenth of a win share. Eww.
3. John Beckman Pipers 7.5 28 $18,750,000 $20,312,500 $21,875,000
Beckman falls into the category of not a horrible player, he's just getting paid waaaaaaaaaay too much. I'm sure the Pipers expected him to improve at least some after awarding him a full bird max 4 seasons ago, but frankly it hasn't happened. Beckman has gotten considerably worse efficiency wise, and when you're paying a player $18mm you expect him to score and do it well. He's maintained his defense, handling, and passing but you just need more for this money. You can find those three things in MLE range. This former number 2 overall pick hasn't lived up to the billing outside of wages.
4. V.J. Beachem Grizzlies 2.2 29 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $8,000,000
I knew this contract wasn't great when I traded for him, but I also thought maybe a change of scenery or a different scheme could help Beachem. That was not the case. Now the Grizz are left with a bruised ego and a large sum on the wage bill. His last good season was 3018 with the Clippers. Perhaps he will be useful in an inside offense, but as it stands a completely useless $8mm cap charge for a replacement level player. Will he awake from hibernation or continue feasting on the salmon of the Capistrano without adding anything productive to the Grizzlies den?
5. Livio Jean-Charles Raptors 3.3 25 $9,585,865 $10,457,308 $11,328,750 $12,200,192
LJC seems like a case of good displayed grades, lackluster production. That is at least my guess as to why he got the contract he did. Looking at his historical stats it's like he's stuck on the cusp of being a solid rotation player, but he can't get over the hump for whatever reason. It doesn't help that he's not SG eligible either. He could have an aversion to the letter "R" and want to play for a team without an "R" name, I don't know. What I do know is that if he repeats last years performance he's an amnesty candidate for sure.
6. George Mikan Rockets 7.1 31 $17,500,000 $18,750,000
The problem with the Mikan contract is his effiency plummeting. What used to be maybe his greatest asset is now a liability, and while he's good on the glass and adequate on defense, in order to justify the price tag you need the scoring to be there. Truth be told I don't love the contract the Rockets gave to Juan Pablo this offseason either, but they will get a breath of fresh air when Mikan's deal runs out after next season. It seems Mikan's rocket is running out of fuel and thankfully in Houston they'll only be saddled with this salary for 2 more seasons.
7. Mason Plumlee Hornets 5.8 28 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000
Quite a few questioned this deal when it was signed, and it's proving to be a significant overpay. Plumlee is very similar to Alpha Kaba above, just cheaper. The Hornets have a few questionable deals with bigs over the next 3 years where that space could be better used going after big fish and signing 1 year deals if they miss. That being said, maybe Fecta is playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers...nah, definitely not that.
8. Serge Ibaka Jazz 8.6 34 $24,500,000 $26,250,000
Though Serge is aging, he's certainly not a bad player, the problem is he's taking up half of your soft cap. He's uber efficient, he blocks shots, he hits the glass. The turnovers aren't great. The good news is it's not really killing the Jazz as they're loading up for the 3022 draft where they have 3 of the top 4 picks, and when Ibaka's deal falls off they'll be in a prime spot to offer that money to some top tier free agents.
9. Jamal Crawford Hawks 6.6 24 $12,500,000 $13,750,000 $15,000,000 $16,250,000 $17,500,000 $18,750,000
Not only our second Hawk on the list, our second Hawks point guard. Honestly Crawford could be a few spots up as I don't see him as a max player at all. On the bright side, he's 24 with B potential still, but he just doesn't do enough to justify the cost. If I'm going to give a point guard a max, he's gotta be a hands down elite scorer. That isn't what Crawford is. He's got a good A/TO ratio, but the defense is a bit lacking also, and he gets a few boards but again not enough. Maybe the Hawks didn't run an outside offense and if they do I may end up looking stupid, I don't know, but I currently see Crawford in that 7-9mm range. This one could get real ugly in a couple years.
10. Trey Burke Trail Blazers 6.4 26 $9,965,313 $10,871,250 $11,777,188 $12,683,125
After his second season Burke looked like he could blossom. That hasn't happened. He's basically stayed stagnant since that point and has very similar numbers to Crawford above. His current year salary probably isn't horrible, but the remaining 3 years it gets dicey. Just don't love spending this type of coin on a guy when I could get a bit less of a player for half the cost. Granted the Blazers have lost a couple huge pieces to FA lately so I don't blame him for paying Trey, just not ideal.
11. Harry Giles Hornets 3.0 26 $4,994,333 $4,994,333 $4,994,333
Nearing the end of the list here, Giles isn't a cap killer at just under $5mm per season, but I think you could get similar production from a minimum player to be honest. This is coming from someone who once mistakenly traded a 1.16 for Giles. He really hurts you on the offensive end, and just doesn't give enough on the glass or defensively. If he's pulling regular minutes as a third big, you need a new third big. So while the salary is on the lower end, it's still about 5x what he's actually worth.
12. Michael Beasley Clippers 4.5 34 $26,250,000
Super Cool Beas is a shell of his former self. The contract is massive and almost untradeable, and while it's expiring it still limits how you can build your roster in the present. Dirt obviously took him on as this year is a transition year for him, and with Beas and Pettit falling off the books he'll have a bunch of cap going into the next offseason.
13. Joel Embiid Jazz 11.1 33 $22,750,000 $24,500,000 $26,250,000
Embiid being on the list is more of a projection at this point. He's still a top tier player and very useful, but he's 33 and coming into the twilight of his career, and due $50mm plus over the next two seasons. He's going to limit what the Jazz can do in free agency and their roster construction, but they also will have 3 top draft choices on their roster, so having a very expensive player won't hurt them too much. If Embiid drops off in TC however, look out.
14. Kyle Kuzma Cavaliers 3.3 28 $3,000,000 $3,300,000
Not a horrid contract, just one of those that bites you if you're in the situation where you need a couple million in space to sign a max. I personally think Kuz is terrible and equal to a min level player who's the 12th guy on your roster, but $3mm isn't going to kill Sap and the Cavs and I assume they'll ride out this deal and let Kuzma go at the conclusion of it.
15. Tyus Jones Bobcats 10.4 26 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000 $9,000,000
What I don't like about this deal isn't necessarily the present, but the length and flexibility it takes away. Jones is a solid, not great player who improves a few teams point guard slot, I just wouldn't want him on the books for 5 more seasons.
