Every Player Who Is Currently Getting Paid Not To Play For Their Former Teams
Sometimes, NBA GM's make mistakes. It's human nature. Sometimes they are hypnotized by players having a career year before they hit free agency, and proceed to lock them up for multiple years, paying them insane amounts of money per year, only for said player to fall off the cliff and become a negative for the organization, both on the court and in the books.
Usually, general managers can redeem themselves by trading away these players so other teams have to take on their huge contracts, but other times, they just have to bite the bullet and take a risk waiving the player in hopes of another team signing them. If not, then a franchise could be paying millions of dollars for several years for a player who isn't even on the roster anymore, as we're about to find out -- hint: there's a lot of them.
Reddit user Perksofthesewalls has gone to the effort of listing every one of these players who are being paid by teams they don't even play for anymore, either via waives, retirements, or other contract shenanigans. Just a warning: Atlanta and Portland fans should look away now.
Atlanta Hawks
| <p>Former Team</p> | <p>Player</p> | <p>Guaranteed Money Owed</p> | <p>Last Season of Pay</p> |
|---|---|---|---|
ATL | DeAndre Liggins | $26,773 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Mike Dunleavy | $1,662,500 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Richard Jefferson | $2,500,00 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Nicolas Brussino | $1,312,611 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Jamal Crawford | $13,246,988 | 2018-19 |
ATL | Jeremy Evans | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Diamond Stone | $1,312,611 | 2017-18 |
ATL | Quinn Cook | $100,000 | 2017-18 |
Brooklyn Nets
BKN | Sean Kilpatrick | $1,524,305 | 2017-18 |
BKN | Deron Williams | $16,500,000 | 2019-20 |
Boston Celtics
BOS | Demetrius Jackson | $650,000 | 2022-23 |
Chicago Bulls
CHI | Jarell Eddie | $17,224 | 2017-18 |
CHI | Dwyane Wade | $15,550,000 | 2017-18 |
CHI | Diamond Stone | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
CHI | Isaiah Canaan | $200,000 | 2017-18 |
CHI | Rajon Rondo | $3,000,000 | 2017-18 |
CHI | Kay Felder | $456,529 | 2018-19 |
Dallas Mavericks
DAL | Gal Mekel | $315,760 | 2017-18 |
DAL | Jeff Withey | $350,000 | 2018-19 |
Denver Nuggets
DEN | Jameer Nelson | $4,736,050 | 2017-18 |
Detroit Pistons
DET | Michael Gbinjie | $500,000 | 2017-18 |
DET | Been Udrih | $25,000 | 2017-18 |
DET | Aaron Gray | $452,059 | 2017-18 |
DET | Josh Smith | $16,200,000 | 2019-20 |
Golden State Warriors
GSW | Jason Thompson | $1,890,252 | 2018-19 |
Houston Rockets
HOU | Chris Johnson | $25,000 | 2017-18 |
HOU | Cameron Oliver | $300,000 | 2017-18 |
HOU | Isaiah Canaan | $53,465 | 2017-18 |
Indiana Pacers
IND | Georges Niang | $100,000 | 2017-18 |
IND | Rakeem Christmas | $172,522 | 2017-18 |
IND | Monta Ellis | $11,227,000 | 2021-22 |
Los Angeles Clippers
LAC | Paul Pierce | $1,096,080 | 2017-18 |
LAC | Carlos Delfino | $1,300,000 | 2018-19 |
LAC | Miroslav Raduljica | $600,000 | 2018-19 |
LAC | Jordan Farmar | $510,921 | 2017-18 |
Los Angeles Lakers
LAL | V.J. Beachem | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
LAL | Briante Weber | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
Memphis Grizzlies
MEM | Rade Zagorac | $2,328,242 | 2018-19 |
MEM | Wade Baldwin | $1,874,400 | 2017-18 |
Milwaukee Bucks
MIL | Gary Payton II | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
MIL | Spencer Hawes | $6,021,175 | 2017-18 |
MIL | Jalen Moore | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
MIL | Larry Sanders | $9,327,735 | 2021-22 |
Minnesota Timberwolves
MIN | Kevin Martin | $2,720,610 | 2018-19 |
MIN | Nikola Pekovic | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
New Orleans Pelicans
NOP | Quinn Cook | $25,000 | 2017-18 |
NOP | Jordan Crawford | $250,000 | 2017-18 |
NOP | Alex Toupane | $25,000 | 2017-18 |
New York Knicks
NYK | Marshall Plumlee | $100,000 | 2017-18 |
NYK | Nigel Hayes | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
NYK | Mindaugas Kuzminskas | $3,025,035 | 2017-18 |
Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC | Ronnie Price | $2,442,455 | 2017-18 |
Orlando Magic
ORL | C.J. Watson | $1,000,000 | 2019-20 |
Philadelphia 76ers
PHI | TIbor Pleiss | $500,000 | 2017-18 |
PHI | Gerald Henderson | $1,000,000 | 2017-18 |
Phoenix Suns
PHX | Leandro Barbosa | $500,000 | 2017-18 |
PHX | Mike James | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
Portland Trail Blazers
POR | Anderson Varejao | $7,653,380 | 2020-21 |
POR | Festus Ezeli | $1,000,000 | 2019-20 |
POR | Andrew Nicholson | $19,911,003 | 2023-24 |
Sacramento Kings
SAC | Caron Butler | $1,034,440 | 2018-19 |
SAC | Arron Afflalo | $1,500,000 | 2017-18 |
SAC | Anthony Tolliver | $2,000,000 | 2017-18 |
SAC | Matt Barnes | $6,400,625 | 2019-20 |
San Antonio Spurs
SAS | Livio Jean-Charles | $1,035,200 | 2017-18 |
SAS | Tim Duncan | $3,762,500 | 2018-19 |
Toronto Raptors
TOR | K.J. McDaniels | $100,000 | 2017-18 |
TOR | Justin Hamilton | $3,000,000 | 2019-20 |
Utah Jazz
UTA | Joel Bolomboy | $1,312,611 | 2017-18 |
UTA | Eric Griffin | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
Washington Wizards
WAS | Carrick Felix | $140,902 | 2017-18 |
WAS | Daniel Ochefu | $50,000 | 2017-18 |
WAS | Martell Webster | $1,660,000 | 2018-19 |
The Atlanta Hawks are paying a whopping eight players for their services even though those eight players aren't even with the team anymore. Portland will be forking out over $28 million until 2024 for three players who will never play for them again, and the Trail Blazers also are paying Andrew Nicholson almost $20 million alone for the next six years.
Portland fans, we have you in our thoughts.
