In 2014, after Xiao Hua became the president of the NBA, the commercial nature of the game became increasingly serious, and in order to gain eyeballs and earn traffic, the official defaulted to the phenomenon of superstars holding the group to compete for the championship. Looking back at the distribution of championships in the league in the past 10 years, the success of the Warriors, Cavaliers, Bucks and other teams tells us that large capital investment has become the primary premise of the championship, and doing everything possible to strengthen is the top priority of the general manager of each team.
It is imperative for the championship team to make up for the strength, but the number of good players is limited, which has led to the emergence of many high-paid and low-energy players, taking stock of the 10 most failed signings this season:
10. Shamet ($42.5 million in 4 years)
Season stats: 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 37 percent shooting, 35.3 percent three-point range
At the 2018 Draft, Shamet, who was 1.93 meters tall and weighed 86 kilograms, was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 26th pick in the first round, and with his excellent no-ball running position and stable three-point shooting, Shamet quickly squeezed into the rotation lineup, averaging 9.1 points per game in his rookie season and shooting 42.2% from three-point range.
As a 1-2 swing man, Shamet has obvious advantages and disadvantages, general defense, poor overall view, and weak offensive ability to hold the ball, but outside the three-point line is full of threats and can play a role in changing the opponent's defensive layout.
In the four seasons of his rookie contract, Shamet played for the 76ers, Clippers and Nets in succession, playing steadily on the court, averaging 9.5 points per game, and his three-point shooting rate was also stable at about 40%, which is a reliable scorer in the backcourt.
Last offseason, Shamet, whose contract expired, did not wait for the Nets to renew his contract, but had to test the free market, at this time, the Suns, who had just folded in the Finals, were looking for a backcourt shooter, and the two were the same, and the Sun management, who was not bad for money, signed with him with a high salary.
So far this season, the Suns have ranked first in the league, and the members of the team have their own highlights, except for Shamet, who has an annual salary of more than 10 million, who is good at outside shooting, the shooting rate is even less than the team average (36.3%), and the average of 7.4 points per game has also created a new career low. Fortunately, Shamet's defensive line this season is currently 101.3 on the court, ranking 15th in the league, but the sluggish play on the offensive end makes his big contract super cost-effective.
9. Mar-Kanin ($67.47 million in 4 years)
Season stats: 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, shooting 43.6% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range.
Since Derrick Rose was injured in the 11-12 season, the Bulls have begun to lay out a new rebuilding system, with a few seasons of swing to get Kobe White, Williams and other high-pick players. As for Mar-Kanin's joining Chicago, it happened in the 2017 draft, when the Bulls won the No. 7 pick from the Timberwolves, and they finally chose the 2.11-meter-tall space-type big forward from Finland.
In the Bulls' four seasons, Mar-Kanin has been cultivated as the core of the team, playing a stable 30 minutes or so, including 18.7 points, 9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in the 18-19 season, and was once regarded by Bulls fans as a new generation of Nowitzki.
But as the game progressed, Mar-Kanin's play continued to shift to the outside, with almost zero defensive threats on the inside, and "soft" became his new name. Last summer, after Mar-Kanin's rookie contract expired, Bulls management did not offer him a contract extension considering that the team already had big center Vucevic.
As a space-based big forward, Mar-Canin's style was recognized by the Cavaliers, who offered him a mid-class contract with an average annual salary of more than $15 million. So far this season, the Cavaliers have a record of fourth in the East, but Mar Kanin's performance is difficult to satisfy fans, his three-point shots account for 52.2% of the total shooting, but the shooting rate is not guaranteed, compared to the play of Allen, Mobley, Lofford, Mar Kanin is obviously the most useless.
8. Jaylen Green (2021 List)
Season stats: 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shooting 37.6% from the field and 29% from three-point range
Jaylen Green was famous at a young age, and was named a "five-star high school student" in high school for his excellent physical fitness and comprehensive skills, and when most high school players were still choosing colleges, Jaylen Green chose to take a different path, join the development league, and fight against adults in advance.
During his time in the development league, Jaylen Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game, shooting 46.1% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, allowing him to lock in the top three positions of the 2021 Draft early with more gold-containing averages per game.
At last year's draft meeting, the Rockets, who won the picks through a season, tasted the "sweet" troubles, scoring guard Jaylen Green or center Mobley, became the most troubled point of the team management, after some measurement, they chose the draft template for Zach Lavin and Eddie Jones, 1.98m tall, 79 kg, arm span 2.04m, vertical bounce more than 90 cm Jaylen Green.
This season, the Rockets abandoned Wall, who earned more than $44 million a year, focused on cultivating Jaylen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., giving the two men plenty of ball rights and tactical freedom, without considering the pressure of the record, And Jaylen Green's rookie season can be called a "greenhouse".
But so far, the Rockets not only ranked first in the West, but the high school genius teenager played on the court is also a mess, inefficient shooting, frequent defensive leaks, no overall view, and does not reflect the appearance of the future star.
In contrast, Mobley, who currently averages 14.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game, relies on a steady contribution on the defensive end (103.1 on the court defensive efficiency, 28th in the league), and sits firmly in the Cavaliers' starting center position. Also as a rookie player, Mobley is much better than Jaylen Green in terms of contribution to game wins, on-court performance, and future potential, and the Rockets management's choice is really not far-sighted.
7. Danny Green ($20 million in 2 years)
Season stats: 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 41.5% shooting, 38.9% three-point shooting
In the 2013 Finals, the San Antonio Spurs played against the Miami Heat, and the two sides fought until game 7 of the series, and finally the Heat successfully defended the championship with a three-pointer from G6 Ray Allen. In this finals, Danny Green can be said to have made the Heat fans hate it, scoring 27 three-pointers in 7 series, "Tielin" became famous in one battle, and then followed the Raptors and lakers to win championships in 2019 and 2020, becoming a representative of high-quality 3D players.
In the 2020 offseason, in order to supplement the offensive firepower of the backcourt and throw off Danny Green's big contract, the Lakers chose to send him and the 28th sign to the Thunder in 2020 to get the German "sports car" Schroeder. The rebuilt Thunder sent them to the Philadelphia 76ers in order to get more draft picks.
Last season, Danny Green averaged 9.5 points per game and shot 40.2 percent from three-point range, helping the 76ers to a first-place finish in the East. But in the more defensive playoffs, Danny Green suffered from injuries and played only 8 games, averaging 7 points per game, did not provide much help on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, and watched the home team being eliminated by the Hawks.
Last offseason, the 76ers management chose to renew his contract with Danny Green, who turned 34, and so far this season, the veteran has not been in good shape, especially in the defensive end, the ability to move across the line has dropped significantly, and the three-point projection is no longer stable, and the title of "Tielin" has become a derogatory term. At present, the 76ers no longer have the ability to win the championship because of the Simmons incident, and the focus of the team has gradually shifted to help Embiid fight for the regular season MVP.
6. Garford ($40.18 million in 3 years)
Season stats: 8.9 points, 6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 67.8% shooting, 75.6% from the free throws
In the 2019 draft, Daniel Garford was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 8th pick in the second round, and his rough interior offensive skills allowed him to get only 14.5 minutes of playing time in his rookie season, averaging 5.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, making him a typical water dispenser administrator.
In March last year, Garford was traded by the Bulls as a chip to the Wizards, thus starting his low-pick counterattack road, with a height of 2.08m, an arm span of 2.20m, and a rebound speed comparable to that of a defender, allowing him to quickly grow into a pie-eating player around the "triple-double king" Wei Shao, and the average data per game soared to 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, becoming the team's main internal rotation player.
The phenomenal play allowed Garford to receive a contract with an annual salary of more than 10 million US dollars, but with the departure of Westbrook, it is difficult for Beal and Dinwiddie to form a tacit understanding with Garford, and his main means of scoring are rebounds in the front court and leaks under the basket. On the defensive end, poor standing and defensive timing make him at the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency, and Garford is currently in a similar situation to Jordan Jr. in the Clippers period, without Paul's "feeding cake", and gradually disappearing into the crowd.
5. Fourniers ($73 million in 4 years)
Season stats: 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 42.8% shooting, 40% three-point shooting
As a traditional striker from France, Fournier, who is 1.98 meters tall, has no particularly strong physical qualities, and stable shooting is the foundation of his foothold in the NBA. Since entering the league with the 20th pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, he first sat on the cold bench with the Nuggets for two years before being traded to the peak of his career with the Magic, and in Orlando's six and a half seasons, Fournier's stats have been stable at the 17+3+3 level, making him an absolute mainstay of the team.
In the middle of last season, the magic choice that had been rotten for many years to tear down the reconstruction, sending out the core players such as Vucevic, Fournier and Aaron Gordon, in exchange for the draft rights they needed for reconstruction. In the half season when Fournier was sent to the Celtics, he did not play much brightly, but at last year's Tokyo Olympic Games, he led the French men's basketball team to victory over the American Dream Team, and finally reached the final, and personally staged superstar performance moments in Tokyo repeatedly.
When he competed in the Tokyo Olympics, the New York Knicks, the dark horse of the East last season, threw an olive branch of a middle-class contract for Fournier, and he had no reason to refuse when he was unemployed, so he joined the defensive army led by Coach Thibodeau with Kemba Walker (2 years and 17.89 million US dollars).
So far this season, the Knicks' record has slipped from fourth in the East last season to the current 12th place in the East, and the playoffs are gradually drifting away, Fournier's performance on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends is not satisfactory, as a partial fixed-point pitcher player, Thibodeau obviously does not have his manual. The Knicks, who started defending last season, after getting two offensive players, the team's tactical system became four different, and the loss was expected.
4. Dragic (annual salary of $19.44 million)
Season stats: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, shooting 38.2% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range.
In last year's playoffs, the Heat was swept out by the Bucks led by the alphabet brother in the first round of the playoffs, the core of the team Butler and young player Hiro played sluggishly, shooting less than 30%, the 35-year-old Dragic became the only fig leaf for the Heat, he averaged 16 points and 2.8 assists in four series, showing the responsibility and experience of the veteran.
After experiencing this tragic loss, the Heat were determined to strengthen the team's backcourt, and the veteran Lowry became their first choice, but the team's salary space was limited, the difficulty of the naked signing was too great, and finally the two teams reached an agreement, the Heat sent Dragic and Achuva to the Raptors, and then signed Lowry by signing for three years and then 85 million.
Discerning people know that the Raptors have lost money on this deal, but the veteran Lowry's contract has expired, plus he is enough to enter the history of the Raptors and send him to the championship team, which is also a silent respect for this veteran. But respect comes respect, the raptors get these two players are almost useless, the annual salary of only $20 million Dragic after playing five games for the Raptors, for personal reasons indefinitely suspended so far.
Now seeing the hope of the playoffs, the Raptors are trying to explore the value of Dragic's deal, and the team management is reluctant to buy out the veteran's big contract, in order to use his surplus value, even at the expense of the first round to seek a deal. But at present, no team is interested in this, after all, Dragic's age and physical condition are indisputable facts, and the result of the Raptors' deal can be said to be a loss of the lady and a fold.
3. Collins ($125 million over 5 years)
Season stats: 17 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, 54% shooting, 39.2% three-point range
In the middle of last season, the Eagles management had a heated discussion about whether to renew Collins' contract, which wanted a contract extension with an average annual salary of nearly $30 million, but the team executives simply refused, and the renewal was not heard.
In the playoffs, the Hawks made an unprecedented breakthrough in the Eastern Conference Finals, Collins averaged 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, a remarkable performance, and the Hawks finally gave Collins a contract extension close to the top salary after failing to recruit the right person in the offseason free market.
So far this season, just by looking at Collins' average per game and shooting percentage, he is worthy of an annual salary of $23 million, but from the effect presented on the court, the disadvantage of the space-based big forward is too obvious. 2.06 meters tall, 2.11 meters arm span, 100 kg weight, playing the fourth position is too thin and has no self-offensive ability, playing the third position is slow to move, can not rotate outside the three-point line, which led to his defensive efficiency on the court outside the league 200.
At present, the Eagles' record is only tenth in the East, compared to last season's extreme record gap, so that the team management put Collins on the shelf, the Eagles asked for a valuable first-round pick and starter, in order to be able to facilitate this deal, the Eagles in addition to Capela and Trey Young can be used as chips, which is enough to prove how unpopular Collins is currently unpopular with management.
2. Porter Jr. ($172 million in 5 years)
Season stats: 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, shooting 35.9% from the field and 20.8% from three-point range.
Every year in the offseason, the league will give birth to several super top salary contracts, last year's first maximum salary contract players are Doncic, Trae Young, Alexander and Porter Jr., the first three players are the leaders of each team, and Porter Jr. is not even the team's three bosses, the Nuggets management of this operation also caused a lot of home team fans dissatisfaction.
You know, after Porter Jr. was selected by the Nuggets with the 14th pick in the 2018 draft, he missed his first season due to a back injury, and then referred to his college injury, he is completely called a "glass man". Last season, a healthy Porter Jr. cashed in on some of his talent, averaging 19 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, including a 44.5 percent three-point shooting percentage, and it was with such efficient play that he earned him this top salary contract.
This season, After playing nine games for the Denver Nuggets, Porter Jr. chose to follow the doctor's advice and undergo lumbar spine surgery, missing out indefinitely. Counting Murray, who has been injured for nearly nine months, the Nuggets' two top-salary players have suffered serious injuries, and even if Jokic currently plays the first efficiency value in the league's history, it will not be able to bring the team to the championship.
At the end of the season, Jokic will also qualify for a super salary (nearly $250 million in five years), and if Porter Jr. and Murray's injuries affect the competitive state on the court, the Nuggets will have no hope of competing for the championship, and there will be no room for reinforcement in the next five years, and they will have to pay high luxury taxes, which is unacceptable to a small ball market.
1. Wei Shao (annual salary of 44.21 million US dollars)
Season stats: 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 43.8 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range.
In the summer of 2020, the Milwaukee Bucks traded Holliday with a number of main players and draft picks, reinforcing the team's last shortcoming and successfully lifting the O'Brien Cup. In the summer of 2021, Lakers general manager Pelinka also wanted to do the same, after learning of The Westbrook's application to the Wizards management, in order to balance the salary of the historical triple-double king, the Lakers chose Kuzma, Harrell and Pope, and finally got the 16-17 regular season MVP.
But Wei Shao is no longer the Wei Shao of five years ago, the accumulation of age and injuries has made his athletic ability decline seriously, and the "god turtle" who once flew in the sky is now greatly reduced in the threat of impacting the inside line. What is even more fatal is that the disadvantages of the shooting end have begun to show continuously, and the scenes of various free throws and jump shots that do not touch the frame are also not uncommon, and the spokesman of the once violent aesthetics has now become a clown in the eyes of Lakers fans.
Not to mention how Westbrook played this season, Pelinka's transaction is not forward-looking, Westbrook and James's playing style obviously coincides, the Lakers' big three outside projection ability is very general, and choosing Westbrook undoubtedly gives up the three-point shot advocated in the small-ball era today.
The second is the salary problem, Westbrook will have player options next season, testing the free market in his current state will not get too much contract, and executing next season's player options is his only option, which will cause the Lakers' luxury tax to soar to $80 million next season, even if you pay so much money, the strength of the team will not change qualitatively.
The Lakers' acquisition of Wei Shao last summer was undoubtedly a reckless and short-sighted choice, and the Lakers are currently trapped in this quagmire that can hardly be rescued.