5 Worst Contracts Signed in 2024 NBA Free Agency
The 2024 NBA free agency is upon us, and franchises are rushing to make the most of it and improve their rosters. While many teams have acquired bargains, such as the San Antonio Spurs in Chris Paul and the Philadelphia 76ers in Andre Drummond, there have also been many misses.
Here, we look at the five worst contracts players have signed in 2024 NBA free agency, from the perspective of their teams.
5 Worst Contracts in 2024 NBA Free Agency
1) James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers
First and foremost, we have James Harden, who has snagged another major contract despite his injuries and off-court issues. The LA Clippers have signed Harden on a $70 million, two-year deal, and the contract seems to be a panic buy after the loss of Paul George.
The NBA veteran has shown a track record of faltering when his teams need him the most in recent years. The deal comes with a 2025-26 player option, which will allow him to enter free agency once again. Further, the sheer financials mean this one seems unlikely to work out for the Clippers in the long run.
2) Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards
Another move that does not quite add up is the three-year, $30 million deal that the Washington Wizards offered to Jonas Valanciunas. This is mainly because the Wizards also recently snagged Alex Sarr via the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
Not only have the Wizards paid big money for an aging star who had his worst season in the last five years with the New Orleans Pelicans, but the move will also impact the game time of highly-rated center Sarr. The 19-year-old player gives the Wizards a chance to rebuild with a younger core. The Pelicans' moves to sign Valanciunas and 30-year-old Richaun Holmes, who signed a two-year deal, hinders that.
3) Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks would have considered Klay Thompson a bargain had the move happened a few years ago. However, the four-time NBA champion has regressed in recent seasons owing to his injuries, and the three-year, $50 million deal might be something the Mavericks regret.
While Thompson remains a lethal sharpshooter who will add value to the 2023 NBA finalists, especially from the bench, his contributions have regressed in recent seasons. Giving him a three-year deal at 34 might not be looked at favorably in the future.
4) Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have bet big with a five-year deal for 25-year-old Immanuel Quickley. While nobody will doubt Quickley’s potential, whether he has already done enough to warrant such a huge salary is uncertain.
The player averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 assists in 38 matches for the Raptors last season, but he only became a firm starter in the most recent campaign. Quickley’s five-year deal might be seen as a bad investment if he does not become the kind of star that his salary now demands.
5) Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have done something similar to the Raptors with their four-year-deal for Pascal Siakam, which amounts to a whopping $189.5 million. The two-time All-Star can contribute big on both ends of the court, but he has not improved how his team would have expected after his Toronto Raptors days.
Siakam was an NBA All-Star in 2023. He has never made an All-NBA First Team and made the All-NBA Second Team in 2020 — he will need to prove his worth. Of course, the Cameroonian has the talent to do so. At 29, he is at an age when he should be the team’s main man, especially considering the kind of money that he will now receive.
Those, in a nutshell, appear to be the worst contracts of the 2024 NBA free agency thus far. While a few of these players might prove their worth with time, they have all seemingly been given heftier deals than they deserve.