As a top basketball temple, the NBA has never lacked legends. In the era of the prevalence of small balls, superstars are not uncommon, and even a number of young heroes who debut and peak.
However, in the era of materialism, some superstars rely on past achievements, or the team's record is complacent, and once arrogant, and even at the expense of the palace management, asking for a super maximum salary contract, although it has long been unworthy of salary, but still not to be spared, and even difficult to fill, for the super contract, do not hesitate to ruin the reputation, self-destructive future.
Today, take stock of the eight stars whose hearts are higher than the sky this season.
Eighth place: Wiggins, son of the Chosen
Wiggins was selected by the Cavaliers with the 1st pick in the 2014 first round. After James and Irving, the Cavaliers are another chosen son. However, the knight sent Wiggins away in order to increase his immediate combat power.
Wiggins also started a new career in the Timberwolves, as the champion Wiggins has excellent physical fitness, but in the Timberwolves for many years, Wiggins has not been able to cash in on the talent, has been criticized, health basketball has become famous.
Wiggins was traded to the Warriors in 2020, but Wiggins has never been able to help the Warriors complete the recovery, and has always been tepid, without too many ups and downs, and without amazing highlight moments.
The Warriors ushered in a recovery in the new season and returned to the ranks of the Western Conference giants in one fell swoop. As the second leader of the team, Wiggins was selected to the All-Star starting lineup for the first time in his career, and even Wiggins once gave up the player option this season to sign a five-year, 207 million top salary contract with the Warriors.
However, the Warriors' recent performance has been extremely sluggish, and after Curry's injury, Wiggins has not performed anything, and even the team's 2019 young player Poole has played better than Wiggins. Cole even openly ridiculed Wiggins after Wiggins was 5/19 of the game against the Magic, and the locker room contradictions were once again intensified.
Although Wiggins is just 27 years old, athletic talent has begun to gradually decline. Not only is there no achievement on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, Wiggins is also useless, without any defensive intensity, almost easily passed by the opponent, becoming the biggest loophole in the team.
This season, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, as a highly talented champion, Wiggins is now even the Warriors' low-ranking draft young man Poole, not only failed to cash in on the talent, but collapsed.
If the active champion ranks, Wiggins is afraid that he will also be labeled as a parallel goods champion, as the son of heaven, Wiggins has never played a highlight moment, but now it has come to an eclipse, Wiggins was completely destroyed by his own health play, never plagued, once fell into the abyss, his heart and mind of the maximum salary contract may also disappear with his gradual decline, and finally become a dream.
Seventh place: Low pick legend Grant
Grant was selected by the 76ers with the 39th pick in the second round in 2015. Grant has successively tossed 76ers, Thunder, Nuggets, Pistons and other teams, as a low-pick draft, Grant's counterattack path is jaw-dropping.
But this low-ranking counter-attacking small forward, after coming to the Pistons, did not stay happy, after the team identified the new branch canningham as the focus of training, Grant became a victim of the team, became a chip for the team's reconstruction.
This season, Grant has averaged 19.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, and as the team's leading scorer, Grant is not the Pistons' focus on training. On the contrary, Cunningham, who is slightly immature in all numbers, is the focus of the piston's training object.
Grant himself is also a positive attitude towards the team's transaction, and has repeatedly revealed that he hopes to go to a team that wins the championship, the Pistons have communicated with the Lakers many times, in addition to the Lakers' chips have not reached the Pistons' demands, Grant's own willingness has also affected the trend of the transaction to a certain extent. As a result, Grant remained in the Pistons before the trade deadline.
But the Pistons' deal with Grant did not end there, both sides have long been tacit, leaving is only a matter of time, once the pistons and Grant's needs can be reached, the deal will also be called out.
However, recently, Grant suddenly and unusually, began to force the palace Pistons management, and once asked for a maximum salary contract, for the Pistons, Grant has not been a key training object, Grant so ignorant of the palace management, will only aggravate the time granted away.
In the offseason, the Pistons will inevitably put the extremely arrogant Grant on the trading shelf, especially after Cunningham gradually adapts to the rhythm of the game, Grant's existence has lost its meaning, and the palace may become the fuse to accelerate the transaction, and Grant will also pay for his arrogance.
Sixth place: City Hero Randall
Randall was selected by the Lakers with the 7th pick in the 2014 first round. After the Lakers did not play the peak state, last season went to New York, and once played the peak state, leading the Knicks back to the playoff stage after many years, Randall also became the Knicks City hero.
In the new season, Randle is not in good shape, although the team's foundation has not been shaken, but the team's record continues to decline, Randall also lost the peak state of last season, once suffered criticism and questions, and even before the deal deadline, the management once revealed that it was expected to trade during the period.
This season, Randall averaged 20.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, all of which are lower than last season, and the team also fell to the twelfth place in the East.
In the near future, Randall did not usher in a strong rebound, but collapsed, the sense of powerlessness at the key moment is also vividly reflected, last season's inspiration to play will also be gone, Randall has once again been reduced to a prisoner.
Randall, as the player who improved the most last season, was extremely angry, and even broke out in the dressing room with the team at one point, but due to his arrogant personality and weak weakness at key moments, Randall once caused public anger.
The Knicks have publicly expressed the possibility of trading Randall more than once, and it seems that Randall's short-lived performance last season will not only be reduced to a passerby again, but also the sweet period with New York will also end, and the parting may be just around the corner.
Fifth place: Interior Giant Tower Ayton
Ayton was selected by the Suns with the 1st pick in the first round of 2018. As a top inner tower that has not been encountered in a hundred years after O'Neill, Ayton was also pinned on high hopes after his debut, and was once known as one of the few inner monsters that is expected to inherit O'Neill's mantle in recent years.
Last season, Ayton broke into the Finals with the Suns, and as the son of the chosen, Ayton's performance throughout the series was not eye-catching. Especially in the face of Alphabet Brother and Lopez, he completely lost control of the inside line, which also caused the sun to be reversed by the Bucks.
Ayton averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in the playoffs last season, and as a top-level interior line with high hopes, Ayton's growth is far from expectations.
In the new season, Ayton is still tepid, although he can still play a double-double data performance, but as a talented interior lineman, Ayton has not fully cashed in his talent, and when facing the top interior line, he is still slightly tired, and the ability to lead the team is also worrying.
。 This season, Ayton averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, which is not much better than last season. Even the pace of progress is not as fast as the team's 2019 rookie Johnson.
As the leader of Ayton's performance is only decent, it is reported that Ayton has been asking the Suns for a 5-year 173 million contract. However, with Ayton's competitive state and strong and weak performance, it is difficult for the Sun to give Ayton a maximum salary contract, otherwise it will not wait until Ayton's rookie contract is about to expire and still have no statement.
For Ayton, it is true that to a certain extent, it has become an important contributor to the Suns to achieve the top spot in the West, but the contract of the maximum salary is indeed slightly far-fetched, and if Ayton insists on the maximum salary, I am afraid that he will only be able to start a new journey.
Fourth place: Lillard who lost his watch
Lillard was selected by the Blazers with the 6th pick in the 2012 first round. As a leader, Lillard has led the Blazers in the ranks of the West's giants for many years, becoming the hottest team in the West.
However, the Blazers have never been able to go further in the playoffs, making the Blazers determined to change. Last season, the Blazers lost to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs and returned home again.
The Blazers therefore cut the meritorious coach Stotts, as Lillard's mentor, the Blazers angered Lillard, causing Lillard's extreme dissatisfaction, and later, the Blazers did not ask Lillard's opinion when choosing the new manager Billups, such a move, but also completely angered the Blazer leader, so that the two sides once estrangeed.
In the new season, Lillard was deeply affected by the transaction storm and was not in good shape, and the new coach Billups publicly satirized Lillard's remarks, and the locker room contradiction broke out again, making the Blazers completely fall.
Lillard from last season, once threatened to take the initiative to apply for a trade, and the new season, the discord with the manager made this voice endless, Lillard is also absent-minded for the Blazers, lost confidence and motivation.
It is reported that the reason why Lillard has not exercised his superstar rights and voluntarily applied to leave the team is because Lillard still hopes to complete an early renewal with the Blazers this summer and sign a 2-year, $107 million early renewal contract. His current contract is $176 million for 4 years, expiring in 2025. Coupled with a 2-year contract extension, Lillard's contract expires in the summer of 2027, when he will be 37 years old.
This contract can also allow Lillard to live forever, even if the state declines, Lillard whether he stays behind in the Blazers, enjoys retirement, or stores strength for the championship, the big contract is in hand, Lillard has a huge guarantee, Lillard can also be said to be exhausted.
However, things are not so perfect, before the trade deadline, the Blazers once sent McCollum, Cowington and other stars away, the intention to rebuild is extremely obvious, because Lillard is in the recovery stage, the Blazers did not receive too many chips, suspending Lillard's trade.
But for a team that has already begun to rebuild, Lillard's existence is extremely embarrassing and worthless, and trading Lillard has become a matter of course.
And Lillard has also publicly hinted recently that he will target the MVP and the championship, both sides have tacitly agreed, and Lillard's departure is only a matter of time. And his wishful thinking will also fail, and the Blazers will naturally not send Lillard away before signing a big contract with him for more than 200 million yuan. Lillard's self-directed and self-acting drama will eventually be shattered, becoming an illusion of nothingness. Once a fairy tale vow will eventually shatter Portland' dreams.
Third place: Irving, the singles king of the peak circuit turn
Irving was selected by the Cavaliers with the 1st pick in the first round in 2011. As the most scoringly talented young guard in the game, Irving's talent on the offensive end is amazing, and the title of offensive kaleidoscope is not a waste of time.
Irving became famous with the Cavaliers, and in the 2015-16 season, in the finals of the earth-shattering reversal warriors, Irving threw a jaw-dropping three-pointer, not only ending the Warriors' two-game winning streak, but also the first championship in cavaliers' team history.
However, in the following years, Owen's maverick personality and unwilling personality, Irving once fought with James, took the initiative to apply for a trade, so that the Cavaliers gradually lost.
Irving, who came to the Celtics, was still careless, not only failed to bring glory to the Celtics, but frequently caused locker room conflicts due to objective factors such as injuries and diseases, and finally left the Celtics again.
In 2019, Irving teamed up with Durant to travel to the Nets, and in the 202021 season, the Nets formed a Big Three team. Irving's unsociable personality broke out again, from last season's frequent leave of absence for personal matters, causing the team and management to be extremely dissatisfied, and once moved the idea of trading Owen.
In the new season, Irving was once unable to play due to New York policy, although the Mid-Season Nets compromised, Irving played in away games as a part-time role, but could not play at home, which once caused Harden's dissatisfaction, and even pressed the whistle to leave the Nets before the trade deadline.
Irving's paranoia also became the culprit in the disintegration of the Nets' Big Three. However, as the boss of the team, Durant has always supported Irving, and other players dare not speak out.
Recently, New York has relaxed policy again, and Irving has also ushered in the good news of home return. And Irving also immediately stated that the Nets want to stay, but Irving obviously wants to get a 5-year, 243 million super contract.
But the Nets were previously only willing to offer a 4-year top salary contract. It is reported that showing goodwill to the team has become the usual measure of Irving when signing a contract, and when the Cavaliers, Irving said that he would not leave the team, and the result was still determined to leave.
And with Irving's personality, once the new York epidemic policy changes again, Irving will naturally not be vaccinated, and the Nets will probably exchange 200 million salaries for a part-time player who can only play away, which is not worth the loss. Even Irving is likely to leave the Nets after signing a big contract. Therefore, the Nets will not agree to sign a 5-year top salary, after all, this is too unpredictable for them, and the Nets cannot withstand such pressure. Owen's careful thinking is likely to be ruined again.
Second place: Young Hollywood Lavin
LaVine was selected by the Timberwolves with the 13th pick in the 2014 first round. As a dunk expert, Lavine has amazing bouncing power and once won the Dunk King award in 2015 and 2016.
In the 2017-18 season, LaVine joined the Bulls, and with his super explosive power and amazing bouncing power, he gradually gained a foothold in the Bulls, and once became the future leader of the Bulls.
But all this, in the 2021-22 season, after the addition of DeRozan, will change completely. The already deflated All-Star broke out after joining Chicago, and even played the most explosive game of his career. Relying only on the insoluble long-range shooting, it shocked the league and killed all sides.
DeRozan not only returned to the ranks of superstars personally, but also promoted the Bulls from a fish-belly team to a super team in the league, and DeRozan became the Bulls' well-deserved leader in just a few months.
DeRozan's strong rebound has made LaVine, the leader of the Bulls, extremely embarrassed, and even the top salary contract that has won the ticket will be in vain, and LaVine will become a free agent at the end of this season, but the Bulls still have no intention of signing LaVine with a maximum salary.
After all, top superstar DeRozan only got a cheap contract of 3 years and 81.9 million, and with Lavine's performance this season and the condition of being full of injuries, the Bulls naturally will not be willing to sign LaVine with the highest salary.
This also makes LaVine, who once worked hard in the Bulls, extremely troubled, after all, staying is LaVine's best choice, but for an All-Star player, LaVine is naturally unwilling to lose the status of the boss, and then lose the salary of the top salary, condescending to a salary cut to renew the Bulls.
Recently, LaVine has also publicly called out to the team, leaving the team without giving the maximum salary, in order to force the management to obey, but it seems that the Bulls management does not care about Lavin's forced palace.
For LaVine, after all, the position of the boss of the team has been lost, and if there is another salary cut, Lavin will lose more than he loses, which is obviously not the result that LaVine wants.
However, the competitive state presented by Lavin in the second half of the season is far from deRozan's performance, and the team would have fallen out of the playoffs if it had not been for DeRozan's hard support. In the middle of the season, Lavine was plagued by injuries and had large fluctuations in his state, so the depressed Lavine wanted to ask for a large contract with a maximum salary, which was difficult to work in the Bulls, and perhaps leaving would be the best destination for Lavine.
First place: Harden, the almighty god of war who runs for his dreams
Harden was selected by the Thunder with the 3rd pick in the first round of 2009, as the best sixth person in the past, Harden had a beautiful experience in the Thunder period, the Thunder Three Youngsters once went all the way in the 2011-12 season, broke into the stage of the Finals, faced the same Big Three Heat, the young Thunder Three Young finally lost to the Heat, Harden also ended the only career Finals road.
After that, Harden came to the Rockets and successfully transformed from the best sixth man to a top superstar, receiving all the honors of Harden's career in the Rockets, but never leading the Rockets to the stage of the Finals became the only regret of Harden's career.
In the 2020-21 season, disheartened Harden left his old club Rockets, joined forces with Durant and Irving to form the Nets Big Three, Harden also sprinted for the first championship of his career, but the first season of the Big Three, full of injuries, finally lost to the Bucks, the first season of the Big Three.
In the new season, the Big Three cannot play because of the rules of New York prevention and control, and the Nets' big three combination has been postponed again, but relying on the super capabilities of Durant and Harden.
The Nets' record is firmly at the top of the Eastern Conference and has not been affected in any way. Harden was plagued by injuries, his form fluctuated slightly, and he gradually lost his previous super ability, but he was still at the level of an All-Star level.
Harley averaged 22.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists this season, and despite the fluctuations in form, Harden still played a quasi-triple-double. As a top superstar, Harden whether he helped the team to the top spot in the East for a time in the Nets, or went to the 76ers, in the 14 games he played, won 10 of them, Harden's super ability to lead the team and force, still make Harden in the top superstar ranks.
However, for Harden, in addition to winning the championship, the maximum salary contract is also an extremely important thing. It is reported that the reason why Harden left the Nets is closely related to the Nets' only willing to provide a 3-year maximum salary contract.
But Harden, who took pains to do this, thought that going to the 76ers could get the five-year, 270 million maximum salary contract that he had in mind. But the recent attitude of the 76ers has made Harden hit the wall again.
It is reported that the 76ers hope that Harden will cut his salary in order to win the championship and sign a 5-year 180 million contract, which is far from the maximum salary contract that Harden expected, but it is clear that the 76ers are unwilling to give in, after all, as the second leader of the team, this is also the greatest sincerity that the 76ers can give.
They were naturally reluctant to let Harden's contract surpass team leader Embiid, who renewed a four-year, 196 million contract with the 76ers offseason. Perhaps Harden forced Paul away that year and was doomed to a championship-free career.
Harden for many years of painstaking management, to the 76ers, did not expect, he thought that the 76ers will be in order to win the championship top salary to leave this superstar, the result of the matter is willing, Harden's self-righteousness will make him fall into confusion again, and eventually fear that the championship and the maximum salary will be lost, maybe the fish and the bear paw really can not have both, after all, Durant in order to win the championship, two consecutive years of salary cut, Harden should make a choice as soon as possible, otherwise it is too late to regret.