Recently, we covered the 10 best transfers of the NBA offseason, so naturally, it's time we cover the 10 worst transfers of the NBA offseason. The summer isn't even over yet, but there are already enough questionable transfers to make a list, so let's take a closer look.
The San Antonio Spurs traded Rob Dillingham for a 2030 draft pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick.
The San Antonio Spurs don't need to be championship contenders right away. Victor Wembanyama is only 20 years old. But most teams don't realize they've acquired a bona fide superstar after just one season. The Spurs had the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, but after drafting Stephon Castle, San Antonio traded their next pick for one that won't be around for another six or seven years. Whether you liked Rob Dillingham or not, you'd think they would have gotten more bang for their buck by adding another player with a good future, especially with no idea how many more years Gregg Popovich has left to coach.
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Los Angeles Clippers to spend another $70 million on James Harden
Now 34, James Harden is not aging gracefully. He averaged just 16.6 points last season, his lowest mark since his sophomore season. He also doesn't put much effort into defense, preferring to conserve his energy for more scoring. With PG-13 now in Philadelphia, Harden may regain some value, but it's hard to imagine him being worth $35 million. Worst of all, if Harden has another downturn, he'll be ditching his $36 million contract for 2025-26.
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The Brooklyn Nets sign Nic Claxton, but aren't they rebuilding?
Trading a thriving two-way wing and then paying a defensive-minded center $24.2 million in salary just doesn't make sense. I don't blame the Nets for getting Bridges an offer that was hard to refuse, but big men like Claxton just grow from trees. The Jazz have a player in Walker Kessler, who is three years younger than the 25-year-old Claxton and fits much better into Brooklyn's new competitive timeline.
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Tobias Harris to get paid by Detroit Pistons again
Tobias Harris is kind of the king of trash scoring that doesn't lead to winning basketball games. He's a respectable scorer, averaging 16.3 points over his career. But he's not a very efficient player, and it took him an average of 13 shots to get there. But he's good at rebounding, averaging 6.2 rebounds over his career. But the Pistons need more than a player who shoots a ton of shots, especially as a player who makes $26 million a season.
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Knicks give big bucks ($212 million) to OG Anunoby
The Knicks under Tom Thibodeau love to pay big money to players who can play defense and score decently. OG Anunoby is no exception. He has above average scoring (14.1 PPG), good defense (2.7 ppg) and plus rebounding, but I'm not sure he's worth $42.4 million a season. With Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and Mikal Bridges, Anunoby won't add to the scoring burden, so the Knicks are just paying him to play defense and score when called upon. But that's what a cheap role player does.
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Chicago Bulls to pay Patrick Williams $90 million signing bonus
In what world is Patrick Williams worth $18 million per season? The No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has never averaged more than 10.2 points per game, and the Chicago Bulls aren't loaded with talent. Plus, his average of just four rebounds per game is disappointing for a power forward. He's still only 22, but this is a classic example of a team paying for untapped potential.
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Toronto Raptors to pay Immanuel Quickley $162 million
If you'd told someone at the beginning of the offseason that Immanuel Quickley would sign a $32.5 million per season contract, you probably would've been laughed out of the room. But that's exactly what the Toronto Raptors did. Quickley is fresh off a breakout season (18.6 points, 6.8 assists with Toronto), but he's already 25 years old. How much more can he expect to develop?
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Orlando Magic sign Franz Wagner to $224 million contract extension
Franz Wagner has improved in all three seasons, but is he worth the max contract of $44.8 million per year? It will be hard to see him scoring any more points, and Paolo Banchero will continue to improve in that area. The 23-year-old Wagner still rebounds well for his position, averaging 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, but that seems too high.
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The Los Angeles Clippers released Paul George in free agency.
New York Knicks trade Mikal Bridges for five first-round picks and a pick swap
It's not that Mikal Bridges isn't a good player. He's one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Several teams have tried to trade for him, but no one has been convinced he's worth five first-round picks. Maybe that's why the Nets jumped on the Knicks' offer. Sure, the move strengthened the Knicks significantly and raised their championship hopes, but it seems like they would have been better off saving their assets for a true superstar instead of a star-spotter.
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