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The salary cap often leads GMs to make avoidable mistakes during free agency. If you don’t take our word for it, just take a look at some of the worst NBA contracts right now, as there are plenty of guys who are making top-dollar and not backing that up in the court.
Players often ‘fool’ front offices after breaking out during contract years. They put up huge numbers that are unsustainable through time, and their teams are pretty much stuck with their contracts for years to come.
Other times, teams are forced to match huge offers and overpay for players that aren’t worth that much just to prevent another team from acquiring their services. Then, they wind up buying them out or trading away picks just to get their deals off their books.
And, even though it may seem avoidable, this situation repeats itself on a yearly basis. The most overpaid NBA players this season will likely be at the top of the list again next year, and so it goes.
Worst NBA Contracts 2021/22
The worst NBA contracts in 2021/22 are going to be a massive headache for fans and executives alike. So, if you’re a fan of any of the teams we’re about to discuss right now, we’re pretty sorry for you, as things aren’t likely to get any better.
While there are many players making north of $30 million next season, most of them back that money up every time they’re out there.
That’s why, without further ado, let’s take a look at the 5 most overpaid NBA players this season:
5. Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins has one of the worst NBA contracts right now. The Minnesota Timberwolves signed him to a huge contract extension hoping he’d become a superstar, even though he had struggled with inconsistency from the very second he made it to the league.
Surprisingly, Wiggins has made great strides as a defender with the Golden State Warriors and is still pretty young, so the upside is there. Then again, there’s just no way to justify the fact that he’s due to make $31,579,390 next season.
4. Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward is actually a pretty decent player but he’s not good enough to make $29,925,000 a year. He was poised to break out as a star with the Boston Celtics before suffering that gruesome injury, and he just hasn’t been the same player ever since.
It may sound obvious but being able to play is actually a huge part of the job. So, even if Hayward is able to average 20 points and 5 rebounds per game for the up-and-coming Charlotte Hornets, he’s still one of the most overpaid NBA players this season because he’s hurt more often than not.
3. Kevin Love
Talking about players who can’t seem to stay on the court, we have to bring in Kevin Love. Once an All-Star and one of the best stretch big men in the league, it’s been a while since he’s been able to contribute for the ever-struggling Cleveland Cavaliers.
Not only has Love been often injured but he has looked very frustrated when he’s been able to play. Basically, the Cavaliers are paying him $31,258,256 to throw tantrums and dress in street clothes. He’s expected to be bought out at some point next season, as no other team will absorb the two years remaining on his deal.
2. Al Horford
While he’s always been a pretty solid contributor, Al Horford has also been one of the most overpaid NBA players of the past couple of years. And if we take a look at the worst NBA contracts for the 2021/22 season, we can’t ignore him and his $27,000,000 deal.
Horford is far from the player he was when he first joined the Boston Celtics. For starters, he’s 3 years older, and he’s coming off a season where he barely played for the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s a good passer, defender, and rebounder, but he’s unlikely to give the Celtics more than 25 minutes per game next season.
1. John Wall
And last but not least, we find John Wall as the most overpaid NBA player for the upcoming season. Wall suffered back-to-back career-altering injuries and he’s spent most of his mammoth contract extension dressed in street clothes rather than actually playing.
John Wall is not only on the worst NBA contract right now but also one of the worst of all time. He featured in just 40 games last year and is due to make $44,310,840 this season. The Houston Rockets have a young backcourt and have no use for him at this point in his career, and the worst part is that he’s still got another year left in his contract.
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