One Contract Each NBA Team Would Love to Forget

Let's be honest, folks.  One of the biggest reasons we have an NBA lockout on our hands right now is because too many bad contracts have been handed out to players undeserving of them.  As a result, many NBA teams, especially the small market ones, claim to have lost millions.

As a fan, some of these contracts just plain insult me.  Others make me laugh out loud.  For example, what were the Phoenix Suns thinking when they gave volatile point guard and known clubhouse cancer Stephon Marbury (pictured) a deal worth nearly $20 million a year?  Also, whose idea was it to give a bench player like James Posey $7 million a year?

Either way, these contracts have crippled the teams that initially signed them and as a result, the lockout cannot be solved until the owners start to take some responsibility for being so fast and loose with their checkbooks.

Yet, rather than get into a heated debate about who's to blame for the lockout, let's go through the annals of NBA history and pick one contract each team would love to forget.

Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson, Six Years and $119 Million

It pains me to have to mention this contract, seeing as how I've been a fan of Joe Johnson ever since his days with the Phoenix Suns.  When he signed his first contract with the Hawks in 2005, one worth $70 million over five years, he quickly established himself as one of the league's top shooters and the fact that he was a decent passer didn't hurt, either.

Sure enough, Johnson loved being in Atlanta so much that last offseason, he re-signed with them for a lofty six years and $119 million.  Yet, in the first season of that contract, his numbers took a dive.

After five consecutive seasons of averaging more than 20 points per game, Johnson averaged just 18.2 points and made just 29 percent of his three-pointers, his lowest percentage in that department since his rookie season.

It may be quick to judge this contract after just one season, but it's definitely starting to appear that the Hawks overpaid for Johnson.

Boston Celtics: Pervis Ellison, Six Years and $12 Million

Considering how the Boston Celtics are normally the epitome of efficient front office work, this contract just astounds me.  In 1994, they signed former first overall pick "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison to a six-year deal worth $12 million.  For the time, that contract was enormous.

While the 6'9" Ellison did have two effective seasons with the Washington Bullets in which he averaged 20.2 and 17.4 points, respectively, he was definitely not deserving of this contract.  In 11 NBA seasons, the man was never a full-time starter and always seemed to be injured.  In his time with the Celtics, that was no exception.

He lasted five years in Beantown and never played more than 69 games, nor did he ever average more than 6.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. 

This isn't that bad of a contract by today's standards, but the fact that someone with Ellison's injury history even got that much money is beyond ridiculous.  Today, he'd be lucky to get one of those 10-day contracts that teams hand out around the All-Star break.

Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas, 5 Years and $40 Million

Don't get me wrong.  Tyrus Thomas is a phenomenal dunker and is a lot of fun to watch when healthy.  Yet, I'm wondering what Bobcats management was thinking when it was decided that Thomas was worth $8 million a year.

He's a decent inside presence and plays decent defense, but he isn't dominant at his position in the same way as, say, Zach Randolph.  Throw in the fact that the Bobcats are struggling just to stay afloat as a young expansion team, and this contract could ultimately cripple them in the long run.

Chicago Bulls: Ben Wallace, Four Years and $60 Million

After six years in Detroit that resulted in an NBA championship and four Defensive POTY awards, Ben Wallace became a free agent and signed this contract with the Chicago Bulls. 

Fans of the team thought that his championship experience and leadership, not to mention his shutdown defense, would help bring the Bulls back into contention.

Instead, Wallace was a bust.  Bad knees robbed him of the effectiveness he showcased in the Motor City and he only lasted two years in Chicago before being dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In those two years, he averaged just 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

To date, Wallace has never been the same.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Ricky Davis, Six Years and $34 Million

Ricky Davis was not a bad player during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, at least in terms of numbers.  After a season as a decent shooter off the bench, team management signed him to this monstrosity of a contract in 2002.  At that point, the money got to Davis' head.

The man repeatedly clashed with head coach Paul Silas and gained a reputation for being selfish with the ball.  In one infamous incident, he was one rebound away from a triple-double and threw an intentionally bad shot at his own basket just so he could achieve that milestone.  He drew the ire of his teammates in doing so and the rebound didn't end up counting.

He was traded 22 games into the second year of his deal and bounced around the league from that point on.

Dallas Mavericks: DeSagana Diop, Six Years and $32 Million

Ever since being drafted eighth overall in the 2001 draft, DeSagana Diop has been a Grade A bust.  He has never played more than 18.6 minutes per game and his career averages of 2.1 points and 3.8 rebounds are unacceptable considering he is 7'0" and weighs 280 pounds.

That being said, what were the Mavs thinking when they signed him to a six-year deal worth $32 million in 2008?  He has since been traded to Charlotte, so the damage has been alleviated to a degree, but this deal is exactly why the NBA is in a lockout.

Looking at Diop's career numbers, he should be making the league minimum, at best.

Denver Nuggets: Kenyon Martin, Seven Years and $90 Million

Throughout his career, Kenyon Martin has had a reputation for being a hothead with an attitude problem.  He dirty-played his way out of New Jersey and in 2004 was sent to the Denver Nuggets in a sign-and-trade deal. 

Needless to say, despite showing some flashes of good play, this contract proved to be one that team management would regret.

In a seven-year span that featured two microfracture surgeries as well as some clashes with team officials, the press and, in one infamous case, the fans, Martin has been the exact opposite of what the Nuggets hoped he would be. 

Instead of a shutdown power forward, he was an injury-prone liability that never once played a full season for the team.

Detroit Pistons: Loy Vaught, Five Years and $23 Million

Over a four-year stretch with the Los Angeles Clippers, Loy Vaught gained a reputation as one of the NBA's better defensive forwards despite being prone to nagging injuries.  In his last season with the team, he played in just 10 games due to a degenerative disc in his back.

Despite this seemingly serious injury, the Pistons chose to ink Vaught to a five-year deal in 1998 and this ultimately proved to be a big mistake.  Vaught lasted just two years in Detroit and appeared in a grand total of 80 games while averaging a paltry 9.9 minutes per game. 

He split the 2000-2001 campaign with the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards and retired following that season.

This contract is proof positive that players coming off major injuries should not receive heavy contracts.

Golden State Warriors: Andris Biedrins, Six Years and $54 Million Plus Incentive

After a 2007-2008 campaign that saw him average 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, Golden State Warriors Andris Biedrins was rewarded with a six-year extension worth $54 million, plus $8 million in incentives. 

Instead of breaking out the following year and becoming an elite big man like many hoped he would, Biedrins began a three-year (as of now) stretch of seasons marred by injuries and inconsistent play.

Since signing that extension, Biedrins has yet to play a full season.  Over the past two years, he has played in just 92 games. 

Considering how the Warriors have Ekpe Udoh and rookie Jeremy Tyler waiting in the wings, this would be a good time for team management to dangle Biedrins to see if anyone offers to take on this bloated contract.

Houston Rockets: Trevor Ariza, Five Years and $32 Million

After winning a championship ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, Trevor Ariza chose to sign a lucrative deal with the Houston Rockets and fill the void left by Ron Artest who, ironically, signed with the Lakers. 

Known primarily for his defense off the bench, Ariza struggled in an increased role with the Rockets despite averaging a career-high 14.9 points per game.

He never became the offensive presence coach Rick Adelman wanted, so Ariza was traded to the New Orleans Hornets after just one season with the Rockets. 

The damage done with this contract was minimal, but the fact that a role player was given that much money to begin with makes it one that Houston fans would soon rather forget.

Indiana Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal, Seven Years and $126 Million

Over his first three years with the Indiana Pacers, Jermaine O'Neal was a scoring and rebounding machine.  He averaged 17.5 points and 10.2 boards over that stretch and appeared well on his way to becoming a top big man.  Thus, the Pacers chose to sign him to an extreme extension worth a ton of money.

Yet, O'Neal's success quickly petered out.  In just the second year of his new deal, he was limited to 44 games due to a lengthy suspension for his role in the infamous "Malice at the Palace" incident as well as injuries.  He never reverted to his old form for the rest of the deal and was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2008.

The sad part is that today, O'Neal is just 33 and has a year remaining on his current contract with the Boston Celtics.  He is a shell of his former self, and this contract that the Pacers gave him crippled the franchise for years.

Los Angeles Clippers: Baron Davis, Five Years and $85 Million

After being an outstanding leader for the Golden State Warriors over the course of three and a half seasons, Baron Davis chose to return home and signed a lengthy contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

It was thought that Davis would be the key to the team turning from perennial cellar dwellers into legitimate contenders.  Sadly, such was not to be.

Davis struggled immediately with the Clippers and was not the electrifying presence he had been with Golden State and, before then, the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets.  Last year, the third of his five-year contract, Davis was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This contract's failure isn't 100 percent to blame on Davis, as the Clippers are notorious for not spending a lot of money on players, but the fact that he so quickly turned into a shell of his former self is just plain shocking.

Los Angeles Lakers: Ron Artest, Five Years and $33 Million

At one point in his career, Ron Artest (or, as he likes to be called now, Metta World Peace) was one of the game's best forwards.  He could shoot, rebound and just play amazing defense in general. 

When he signed a long-term deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, fans hoped that he would continue to produce on that level with a bunch of talent surrounding him.

Instead, like Davis was with the Clippers, Artest has been a shell of his former self since becoming a Laker.  In two years, he as averaged just 9.7 points and 3.7 rebounds.  Given his salary, those numbers are extremely disappointing.

The man cannot be blamed entirely, seeing as how Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol control the offense on this team, but the fact that he is being paid this much money to be inefficient is just plain, well, forgettable.

Memphis Grizzlies: Bryant Reeves, Six Years and $61.8 Million

In 1997, Bryant "Big Country" Reeves averaged 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds.  Naturally, the Grizzlies, then playing in Vancouver, chose to extend the seven-footer and did so for six years.

While Reeves was just as effective the following season, he started to run out of gas from that point on.  He struggled with both his weight and a variety of injuries as his minutes declined each of the next four seasons.  At that point, he was forced to retire.

While he was a decent player at one point, Reeves' story should be one of caution to NBA GMs looking to extend certain players after one breakout season.

Miami Heat: Brian Grant, Seven Years and $86 Million

Here we have another contract that is a perfect example of one that contributed to the lockout.  Brian Grant was a decent power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers who was an ideal presence for inside scoring and rebounding.  While effective, many scratched their heads when the Miami Heat chose to sign Grant for such a long period of time and for $86 million.

His first season in Miami was good, as he averaged a career high 15.2 points to go with 8.8 rebounds, but that was the best he did.  He lasted three more years as an average power forward before being sent to the Los Angeles Lakers for Shaquille O'Neal. 

Considering how that trade gave Miami its first championship, I don't think any more needs to be said.

Milwaukee Bucks: Bobby Simmons, Five Years and $47 Million

Here we have another instance of a team spending too much money on a player following a breakout season. 

Such was the case with the Milwaukee Bucks and forward Bobby Simmons, who averaged 16 points and six rebounds while shooting 43 percent from three-point land.  Apparently, this was enough reason to reward him with a lucrative multi-year deal.

Simmons was decent his first year in Milwaukee, averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds on 42 percent three-point shooting, but it all went downhill from there. 

He was such an ultimate disappointment that he was out of the starting lineup the next year and was then traded to the New Jersey Nets.  He spent two years there before an extremely brief tenure with the San Antonio Spurs.

Once that contract was up, the only work Simmons could find was in the D-League.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Michael Olowokandi, Three Years and $15 Million

After being selected first overall in the 1998 draft, Michael Olowokandi spent five average years with the Los Angeles Clippers.  The seven footer posted respectable numbers over his final two seasons with the team, averaging 11.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and two blocks per game during that stretch.

He then became a free agent and for some reason or another, the Minnesota Timberwolves chose to give him a contract this lucrative.  It may not seem so bad at first glance, but look at the type of player Olowokandi was.  He was not a dominant center by any means.

Sure enough, he never played a full season in Minnesota and was traded to the Boston Celtics midway through the third year of his deal.  Two seasons later, he was out of the NBA.

New Jersey Nets: Todd MacCulloch, Six Years and $33.75 Million

This is a deal I'm still trying to figure out just why it happened.  In the 2000-2001 season, Todd MacCulloch played just 9.5 minutes per game for the Philadelphia 76ers and averaged just 4.1 points to go with 2.7 rebounds. 

Still, some thought he would break out and thus the Nets threw this behemoth of a contract at him.  Sure enough, the seven-footer signed it.

MacCulloch appeared in 62 games in his lone season in New Jersey, averaging 9.7 points and 6.1 rebounds.  Yet, his season was cut short when he was diagnosed with a genetic neuromuscular disease that caused chronic foot pain.  During the offseason, he was traded back to Philadelphia.

This should serve as a lesson to all teams: HAVE ALL MEDICAL BASES COVERED BEFORE SIGNING ANYONE TO A CONTRACT.

New Orleans Hornets: Peja Stojakovic, Five Years and $62.3 Million

When he was with the Sacramento Kings, Peja Stojakovic was one of the league's most charismatic shooters.  He had no problem shouldering more than his share of the load when his teammates were having off-games, and his three-point shooting was just eye-popping.  Simply put, the man was fun to watch.

Yet, the Kings traded him to the Indiana Pacers for Ron Artest in 2006 and after finishing that season with them, he went to the New Orleans Hornets in a sign-and-trade deal.  The contract seemed respectable given the man's talents.

Instead, while the three-point shooting was there, Stojakovic's leadership and charisma seemed to fade.  His scoring dropped tremendously and injuries took their toll on him. 

It was so bad to the point that he was traded to the Toronto Raptors last season and subsequently bought out before signing a league-minimum deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

Seeing as how this deal could be considered a reason the Hornets are currently run by the NBA, fans could sooner forget about it.

New York Knicks: Jerome James, Five Years and $30 Million

As a Knicks fan, this slide was tough to pick.  There are so many bad contracts I could have gone with, but instead I'll go with easily the most bass-ackwards deal ever given. 

The year was 2005 and GM Isiah Thomas chose to give center Jerome James a long-term deal based not off of a breakout season, but off of 11 playoff games played for the Seattle SuperSonics.  In that year's postseason, James averaged 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds.

First off, while those numbers were a far cry from what fans expected of the 7'1", 285 pound James, they were still fairly low for a center his size.  On top of that, who gives out heavy contracts based on playoff performance???  The criteria should be postseason AND regular season performance.

Anyway, the long and short of it is that James played just 90 games in four seasons with the Knicks and never averaged more than nine minutes per game.  Seriously, this contract makes Eddy Curry's deal look like the steal of the century.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Jim McIlvaine, Seven Years and $33.6 Million

This front-office flub occurred back when the Thunder played in Seattle, and I personally believe it to be the beginning of the end of NBA basketball in that city. 

Fresh off an appearance in the NBA Finals in which they lost to the Chicago Bulls, the SuperSonics needed a center.  Instead of extending star forward Shawn Kemp and using whatever money was left to sign a moldable man to work the middle, they instead made an epic mistake.

Enter Jim McIlvaine, a 7'1" center who had barely been a factor with the Washington Bullets his first two seasons.  Despite this, Seattle team management offered him a seven-year deal that he simply couldn't refuse.  Sure enough, Seattle fans were upset and so was Kemp.

To add insult to injury, McIlvaine averaged just 3.8 points, four rebounds and two blocks his first season in Seattle.  He was nowhere near the "Shaq Stopper" that the front office tried to advertise him as. 

After his first season, the Sonics basically had a fire sale and sent Kemp to the Cleveland Cavaliers in four-team deal that saw Vin Baker come to Seattle from Milwaukee.  Both players went on the decline following this trade.

As for McIlvaine, he lasted just two years in Seattle before being traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1998 and spending three forgettable years there.

Orlando Magic: Grant Hill, Seven Years and $86.5 Million

When he was with the Detroit Pistons, Grant Hill was considered one of the best offensive forwards in the NBA.  He could score, rebound and even pass effectively.  Needless to say, Detroit fans were quite sad when he departed for the Orlando Magic via free agency in 2000.

However, instead of leading the Magic back to glory alongside Tracy McGrady, Hill was not his usual electrifying self.  Over the course of his seven-year deal, he never played more than 67 games due to an ankle injury that just wouldn't go away.  It was so bad that Hill sat out the entire fourth year of his deal.

He has since reestablished himself with the Phoenix Suns, but the man's glory days are long gone.  If Orlando's front office could turn back time, perhaps they would not have made this deal.

Philadelphia 76ers: Elton Brand, Five Years and $82 Million

In 2008, Elton Brand chose to opt out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and seek a new deal.  This was an interesting choice, seeing as how Brand had played in just eight games the previous season before tearing an Achilles tendon. 

Yet, the Sixers rewarded him with a heavy contract in hopes that he would continue to be a dominating power forward to take them back to the playoffs.

Instead, Brand has been a shell of his former self.  A shoulder injury limited him to a mere 29 games his first season and while he has not missed much time the past two years, Brand has averaged just 14 points and 7.7 rebounds since coming to the City of Brotherly Love.

At this rate, it's just another inflated contract for an over-the-hill player.

Phoenix Suns: Josh Childress, Five Years and $33.5 Million

This judgment may prove to be premature as this contract is just a year old, but Suns fans are already shaking their heads about bringing in Josh Childress last season. 

After two years in Greece, Childress opted to return to the NBA on a long-term deal with Phoenix.  Prior to his days in Greece, he was an electrifying bench shooter for the Atlanta Hawks.

Last season, however, Childress was the exact opposite of what he should have been in the Suns' run-and-gun offense.  He played in just 54 games and averaged five points in 16.3 minutes per contest.  Even worse, he made a horrendous 6 percent of his three-pointers.

Portland Trail Blazers: Ruben Patterson, Six Years and $34 Million

I don't know where to begin with this one, so I'll keep it short and sweet.  Not only was Patterson largely ineffective with the Blazers, but his time there was marred by incidents both on and off the court.

First, before he even signed with the team, he was accused of rape by his child's nanny.  Once with the team, he was punched in the face during practice by teammate Zach Randolph. 

In another instance, he got into a shouting match with coach Nate McMillan over lack of playing time, which resulted in a suspension.

Throw in various assault charges and a domestic disturbance with his wife, and I bet Portland wishes Patterson had never been part of the infamous "Jail Blazers" era.

Sacramento Kings: Mikki Moore, Three Years and $18 Million

Desperately needing a big man, the Kings brought Moore in to play power forward in 2007 after he had a less-than-average year with the New Jersey Nets.  Still, team management came to the questionable conclusion that he was worth $6 million a year.

Moore lasted less than two years in Sacramento and was waived in February 2009.  Given his 6'11", 225 pound size, it is unacceptable that he only averaged six rebounds per game in his lone full season with the team.  Currently, his unathletic self is a free agent.

San Antonio Spurs: Richard Jefferson, Four Years and $39 Million

When he was with the New Jersey Nets, Richard Jefferson was a phenomenal shooter who also showed some flashes of effective defense.  He was traded to the Spurs from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2009 and averaged 12.3 points before re-signing with the team during the offseason.  It was after this season that Spurs fans began wishing that Jefferson was gone.

In an offense already dominated by the likes of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, there is little room for Jefferson to work his magic.  His defensive game has become borderline nonexistent and last year, despite making a career-high 44 percent of his three-pointers, he averaged just 11 points per game.  It was his lowest scoring average since his rookie season.

Toronto Raptors: Linas Kleiza, Four Years and $20 Million

Again, we have a contract that is just a year old.  Yet, Raptors fans are probably wishing that it had never happened.  Linas Kleiza was brought in for defense and physicality and thus far, has not provided either.

He played in just 39 games last year and averaged 11.2 points to go with 4.5 rebounds before suffering a knee injury that could keep him out for up to a year.  Could this be a Grant Hill situation happening again?  Let's hope not, for Toronto's sake.

Utah Jazz: Andrei Kirilenko, Six Years and $86 Million

Back in 2004, in negotiations that took three months, the Utah Jazz gave Andrei Kirilenko this ridiculous extension.  It made sense at the time, seeing as how the lanky Russian had shown prowess as a shot blocker with a decent perimeter shot.  Yet, down the stretch, it was a deal that team management surely tried to unload multiple times.

After signing the extension, Kirilenko never again played a full season as something always seemed to be ailing him.  On top of that, he just didn't seem happy in Utah, as he declared in 2007 that he was ready to walk away from the NBA and remaining $63 million on his deal so that he could return to Russia.

This summer, Kirilenko got his wish as he re-signed with his former team, CSKA Moscow.

Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas, Six Years and $111 Million

Honestly, I don't know where to begin with this one.  Gilbert Arenas signed this ridiculous contract in the summer of 2008 despite appearing in just 13 games the previous year due to injuries.  In the first year of this new deal, he only played in two regular-season games.  The following year, the house fell down.

Arenas infamously got into an altercation with then-teammate Javaris Crittenton over a gambling debt.  The situation got so out of hand that the two drew guns on each other in the team's locker room at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. 

Sure enough, just 32 games into the season, Arenas was suspended for the rest of the year.

The next season, as the team looked to dump some salary and distance itself from the incident, he was traded to the Orlando Magic along with his heavy contract.  The sad part is that the whole ordeal has robbed Arenas of the great talent he once showcased.

Even sadder, said talent will probably never be seen again as long as he is coming off the bench in Orlando.