What are the most failed transfer cases in the NBA

There are indeed many heartbreaking cases of failed transfers in the history of the NBA. These transactions or signings either cost the team a huge price but gained little, or completely disrupted the team's team building plan. Here are some famous "negative textbooks":

1. Disaster high-paying contract (bad contract)

Chandler Parsons (Grizzlies, 2016)

Situation: The Grizzlies signed Parsons with a four-year, $94.8 million maximum salary contract in the 2016 offseason, hoping that he will become the team's new core scorer.

Reason for failure: Parsons suffered a devastating knee injury after joining the team and his condition plummeted. In his three seasons with the Grizzlies, he played only 95 games, never averaging more than 9 points, and his shooting percentage and on-court performance were terrible. This contract has completely become a garbage contract, seriously locking down the Grizzlies' salary space and hindering the team's development.

Consequences: The Grizzlies are in a long-term struggle, and Parsons has become one of the synonyms for "high salary and low energy".

Rul Deng (Lakes, 2016) & Tymofe Mozgov (Lakes, 2016)

Situation: In the summer after Kobe retired, the Lakers management was eager to fill in salary space and instant combat power, and signed the declined Ruul Deng (72 million in 4 years) and center Mozgov (64 million in 4 years) who just won the championship with the Cavaliers but was not the core.

Reason for failure: Both contracts seriously overestimate the player's value and status. Deng's Lakers quickly declined and had limited roles; Mozgov completely did not conform to the modern basketball style and quickly lost his position. Both of them quickly fell out of rotation.

Consequences: These two contracts have become a huge burden for the Lakers' reconstruction period, occupying huge salary space for many years (especially Deng's contract), seriously hindering the growth of the Lakers' attracting stars and young players. The Lakers eventually had to settle for draft picks (such as sending Russell away) to clear these contracts.

Jokin Noah (Knicks, 2016)

Situation: The Knicks signed former defensive player Noah in 2016 with a four-year, $72 million contract.

Reason for failure: Noah was already suffering from injuries when joining the franchise, and his condition declined sharply. He played only 53 games in total in two seasons with the Knicks, with a tiny contribution. His playing style also seems out of touch with the times.

Consequences: The contract quickly turned into a garbage contract. The Knicks cut him off with extended clauses in 2018 and did not pay all his salary until 2022. It is a typical salary burden.

Nicolas Batum (Hornets/Clippers, late contract)

Situation: The Hornets renewed the next five-year, $120 million maximum salary contract with Batum in 2016.

Reason for failure: After the contract renewal, Batum's condition declined rapidly, and his data shrank completely, and he was completely unable to match his maximum salary. His contract became the league's famous "premium contract" representative.

Consequences: The Hornets eventually had to trade him to the Clippers, who later cut him through extended terms. This contract is a lesson for the team to misevaluate the player’s peak and value.

2. Deals with heavy losses

Brooklyn Nets exchanged for "sunset" Garnett& Pierce (2013)

Transactions: The Nets gave the first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (unprotected), as well as the first round pick swap rights in 2017, plus multiple players, exchanged the Celtics for the elderly Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry.

Reason for failure: The Nets boss is eager for quick success and hopes to win the championship quickly. But Garnett and Pierce have been seriously aged and their condition has declined significantly. This combination did not bring the expected competitiveness (it was eliminated in the second round), but instead disintegrated quickly.

Consequences: Disastrous consequences! The Celtics used these valuable draft picks (especially the 2016 Title Lottery and the 2017 No. 1 Lottery Lottery) to select Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum (acquired through the No. 1 Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lottery Lo The Nets lost their reconstruction capital for years to come and fell into a long-term trough. This is one of the most painful deals in NBA history that paid a price for overdrawing the future in exchange for short-term combat power.

Los Angeles Clippers for Paul George (2019)

Trade: The Clippers sent Shay Gilgers-Alexander (at the time of potential new star), Danilo Gallinari, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 first round picks (5 unprotected), 2023, 2025 first round swap rights, and 2026 second round picks, exchanged Paul George from the Thunder (the purpose is to attract Leonard to join).

Reason for failure (currently viewed): Although the Kajiao combination was formed, the team has not reached the finals so far, and the core players are suffering from injuries. The price paid is extremely high, especially Alexander has grown into an MVP-level superstar in the Thunder.

Consequences: Even if the Clippers can win the championship in the next few years, the price of this deal will be too huge. If you cannot win the championship in the end, this will be another failure case of severely overdrawing the future to form a giant. Alexander's outbreak in the Thunder made this deal seem like a loss. In the future, the Clippers will not have their own first-round picks to control by 2029!

Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant (2023)

Transaction: The Suns give Mikal Bridges (top 3D), Cameron Johnson (high-quality scorer forward), 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029 first round picks (4 unprotected), 2028 first round swap rights, and 2024, 2026, 2028 second round picks, exchanged from the Nets for Durant.

Reason for failure (currently viewed): Although I got superstar Durant, the team's lineup depth and defensive ability were severely weakened. Booker, Durant and Bill have suffered a huge salary, and the quality of role players is worrying. The team failed to show dominance in the playoffs, ended in the second round in 2023 and was swept in the first round in 2024.

Consequences: The Suns bet on almost all future assets (the first round of picks will be restricted by 2030), and the salary space is completely locked, with almost no room for adjustment. If the Big Three combination cannot win the championship quickly, the team will be in a long-term dilemma of no draft picks and flexibility. Bridges' performance at the Nets (becoming an All-Star Fringe player) also made Suns fans feel sorry for him.

3. "Missing" to let go of future superstars (although atypical transaction failed, but the consequences were serious)

Thunder trade James Harden (2012)

Trails: Because the Thunder was unwilling to pay Harden's maximum salary renewal requirement, they traded him to the Rockets before the start of the 2012-13 season in exchange for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.

Reason for failure: Thunder management underestimated Harden's superstar potential and the importance of being the sixth man to the team's chemistry. They value millions of dollars in cap space (avoiding luxury taxes) and abandon future MVP-level super scorers and organizers.

Consequences: Although the Thunder were still strong teams in the next few years (with Durant and Westbrook), they never made it to the finals again. Harden quickly grew into the league's top superstar with the Rockets, and the Thunder missed a long-term collaboration opportunity for perhaps the most talented young core trio in history (Deweyden). This transaction is more of a strategic misjudgment from management.

Trail Blazers missed Michael Jordan (1984)

situation: Strictly speaking, it is not considered a transfer, but the consequences are extremely far-reaching. In the 1984 draft, the Trail Blazers, who already owned Clyde Drexler (also SG) and thought that center was needed, skipped Michael Jordan and chose Sam Bowie.

Reasons for failure: Stereotyped understanding of position needs and a serious underestimation of player potential (especially Jordan). Bowie was plagued by injuries and had a mediocre career.

Consequences: The Trail Blazers missed the greatest player in basketball history. This became the most famous "if" in NBA draft history.

4. Representatives of the local environment and the incompatibility of the system

Kemba Walker (Celtics, later)

Situation: In 2019, he signed a four-year maximum salary contract of 141 million yuan to join the Celtics.

Reason for failure: Walker suffered a knee injury while at the Celtics, and his condition was severely declined, and his defensive disadvantage was magnified in the playoffs. His playing style doesn't seem to be very compatible with the growth direction of the team's young core (Tatum, Brown).

Consequences: The contract quickly turned into a negative asset. After two seasons, the Celtics had to trade him to the Thunder with the first round pick, and then was bought out. Walker's career has taken a sharp turn since then.

Summary of common reasons for these failure cases

Injury curse: Stars such as Parsons, Noah, Walker (latest), and Roy fell due to injuries, making big contracts a burden.

Overestimate player status/potential: Offer maximum salary to downward or non-top stars (such as Deng, Mozgov, Batum renewal, Noah).

Awaiting for quick success and instant benefits, overdrawing the future: The Nets' replacement of the elderly KG&PP is a textbook-level failure, and the Clippers' replacement of George and the Suns' replacement of Durant also bears huge risks.

Unvalued the star value/potential: The Thunder let Harden go, and the Trail Blazers missed Jordan.

system misfit/poor chemical reaction: The player's characteristics are incompatible with the team's tactical system (such as Howard in the late stage of the Lakers and Walker in the Celtics).

Management decision-making errors: wrong judgment of the market, deviate from understanding the team's needs, and avoid luxury taxes too much (Thunder Harden).

These cases always remind NBA team management: signing and trading need to carefully evaluate risks (especially injuries and age), avoid being lost in short-term interests or market fanaticism, and be more cautious about future overdrafts. A failed transfer may put the team in a quagmire for years.

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