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    10 NBA players with huge contracts that rarely played

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    NBA players are rewarded with contracts to reward their performance. But while massive deals are a great incentive, not all players live up to the contract. In fact, a handful of players have failed to perform up to expectations, causing a downward spiral to their careers.

    While failing to make an impact for a team is one thing, missing games after a lucrative signing is another issue altogether. Here is a look at 10 NBA players with huge contracts that rarely played.

    Gordon Hayward

    Gordon Hayward was one of the top signings by the Boston Celtics during the 2017 free-agency period. In fact, he signed a four-year deal worth $128 million with the Celtics.

    But right from the get-go, Hayward suffered a broken leg that changed his career forever during the first minutes of the season opener. The injury limited the All-Star forward to only 125 games across three seasons with Boston.

    Zion Williamson

    Coming out of Duke University, Zion Williamson was expected to take over the NBA with his size and strength. However, he hasn’t entirely lived up to expectations.

    Nonetheless, the Pelicans maintained their faith in the two-time All-Star big man by giving him a massive five-year contract extension worth $197 million. Since then, he has only played 105 games across 2+ seasons due to various injuries, and Williamson is currently out indefinitely with a hamstring strain.

    Timofey Mozgov

    Fresh from winning an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Timofey Mozgov emerged as an enticing free agent. As a result, the Lakers were quick on their feet to pick up the services of the Russian center by signing him to a four-year deal that paid him $64 million prior to the 2016-2017 season.

    Afterwards, Mozgov would only play for 54 disappointing games with the Purple and Gold before they traded him to the Brooklyn Nets, where he played 31 games a season later. After that, Mozgov was out of the league.

    Andrew Bynum

    Andrew Bynum was a revelation for the Lakers, helping the Purple and Gold win back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. But after a pair of championships, Bynum’s career went downhill.

    The Cavaliers did offer a chance for the All-Star center by signing him to a two-year deal worth $25 million. However, injuries and some off-court drama held Bynum to only 24 games with the Cavs before they traded him to the Indiana Pacers, where he only appeared in two games.

    Brandon Knight

    Brandon Knight was a reliable scoring guard, and the Suns were impressed with his addition after acquiring him at the trade deadline of the 2014-2015 season. Shortly after, they inked him to a five-year deal worth $70 million.

    While he continued his fine play, injuries hindered his availability by limiting him to only 106 games across two seasons. Although the production was there, Knight’s failure to stay healthy ultimately hurt his stock before it negatively affected his production on the court. After missing the entire 2017-2018 season, the Suns traded him to the Houston Rockets.

    Gilbert Arenas

    Gilbert Arenas is one of the most controversial players in NBA history. However, the Washington Wizards were somehow convinced that his skills on the court were enough to crown him as the face of the franchise. As a result, they surprisingly rewarded the All-Star guard with a six-year contract extension worth $111 million in 2008.

    Arenas ultimately failed to live up to the contract by playing only two games after signing the deal and 32 games the next season due to a myriad of injuries and his gun scandal. The Wizards eventually traded him midway through the 2010-2011 season to the Orlando Magic.

    John Wall

    Speaking of the Wizards, another Washington star, John Wall, certainly played well but failed to live up to the bill. While Wall did enough to lead Washington to several playoff appearances, injuries hampered his career.

    In the 2017 offseason, Wall was signed by the Wizards to a four-year contract worth $171 million. Although he was an All-Star after that, Wall only played 41 games in the 2017-2018 season before only suiting up for 32 in the next season. Worst of all, Wall’s Achilles injury became infected, forcing him to miss the entire 2019-2020 season.

    Chandler Parsons

    Chandler Parsons had all the tools to thrive in the NBA. However, lingering injuries prevented that. The Dallas Mavericks first witnessed this after signing Parsons to a three-year deal worth $46 million.

    In Dallas, Parsons never played an entire regular season in his two years there. Somehow the Memphis Grizzlies failed to learn from the Mavericks by inking him to a four-year deal worth $95 million. Parsons only played 95 games with the Grizzlies across three seasons.

    Luol Deng

    Luol Deng was easily a fan favorite when he was in Chicago with the Bulls. However, the same cannot be said when he was in Los Angeles.

    In fact, Lakers fans will not forget how the franchise threw a four year contract worth $72 million at the All-Star forward to only play for 57 games across two seasons, including only one game in the 2017-2018 season. It’s worth noting that despite being healthy, the Lakers decided to shut him down in lieu of the young players.

    Ben Simmons

    Despite having all the potential to succeed in the NBA, former All-Star Ben Simmons has been on a downward spiral since his playoff blunder in 2021. Back in 2019, Simmons signed a five-year deal worth $177 million with the Philadelphia 76ers.

    He played only 115 games across two seasons with Philadelphia before going on his infamous strike against the franchise to demand a trade. Now with Brooklyn, injuries and mental health concerns have limited Simmons to only 65 games across 2+ seasons. The Nets currently won’t let him play in back-to-back days in an effort to keep him healthy.

    The post 10 NBA players with huge contracts that rarely played appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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