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Big signings in the NBA often generate championship expectations for franchises, as a superstar could make a big difference to a team's fortunes. Of course, one player alone is seldom enough for a team to win the championship. But high-profile signings are seen as the beginning of the road to an NBA championship for many teams.
Over the last ten years, we've seen the league shaken with several big-name players changing teams and moving cities. They do so to give themselves the best chance to win the championship or land in a good city and bag the best or biggest contract available.
Some high-profile contracts in the last ten years in the NBA's Eastern Conference did not work
However, some contracts that have been signed in the NBA's Eastern Conference over the last ten seasons did not yield the desired results for franchises. The reasons for that could range from player's poor performances, unfortunate situations with coaches or injuries.
On that note, here's a look at the five most disappointing high-profile signings in the NBA's Eastern Conference over the last decade. Without further ado, let's get started:
#5 Joakim Noah - New York Knicks
Joakim Noah carved out a solid career with the Chicago Bulls from 2007 to 2016. He had a decent resume with the Bulls, despite not being the best player on the team. He won two All-Star selections, an All-NBA selection (first team), three All-Defensive selections and the 2013-14 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
However, it was his contract with New York Knicks in 2016 that has earned him a mention on this list. The four-year, $72-million contract Noah signed with the New York Knicks turned out to be a poor one for the franchise. That's because the center (who had a top-5 finish in the NBA MVP voting with the Bulls) only played 53 games for the Knicks before he was waived off.
Joakim Noah earned $6.4 million with the New York Knicks in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, even though he has not played for the Knicks since October 2018.
#4 John Wall - Washington Wizards
John Wall has had a tough luck with injuries in the last few years of his NBA career. Those years were torrid for the teams he was a part of, especially after signing a huge contract extension with the Washington Wizards in 2017.
The extension was set at four years and $171 million, and kicked in at the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. Wall missed the entirety of the campaign due to an Achilles injury and further complications.
After the contract (which gives him an annual average salary of over $42 million, kicked in), Wall was traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2020-21 season. He has appeared in just 40 regular-season games for them.
The contract gives John Wall a player option for the 2022-23 campaign, and he is set for a salary of over $47 million from his fully-guaranteed contract.
#3 Gordon Hayward - Boston Celtics
The NBA can be cruel. Gordon Hayward endured an unfortunate run with the Boston Celtics after signing a four-year contract worth over $127 million in the 2017 NBA Free Agency. He was coming off his first NBA All-Star selection.
Barely five minutes into his stint with the storied NBA franchise, Hayward suffered a fractured ankle in the first game of the 2017-18 season. That led to him missing the entire campaign.
Overall, Hayward's run with the Celtics was never consistent, due to several reasons. Notwithstanding a horrible start due to a freak injury, he played 125 games for Boston, but made just 71 starts.
Hayward averaged just 13.9 points per game with Boston. But he did manage to sign a four-year, $120-million contract with the Michael Jordan-owned Charlotte Hornets. He enjoyed a brief revival in the 2020-21 season before injuries plagued him once again.
#2 Dwyane Wade - Chicago Bulls
Dwyane Wade is a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, and his NBA career up to the 2016 Free Agency was illustrious and glorious. After failing to reach an agreement with the Miami Heat, the legendary shooting guard signed a two-year, $47-million deal with the Chicago Bulls to play in his hometown.
However, the 34-year-old Wade was not the player he was when he won the 2006 NBA Finals MVP or his two NBA championships alongside LeBron James. Wade's stint with the Bulls lasted only 60 regular-season games and a first-round exit in the 2017 NBA Playoffs.
With the Bulls, Wade averaged 18.3 points per game with 43/31/79 shooting splits in the regular season.
#1 Kyrie Irving - Brooklyn Nets
It may be premature to draw conclusions, but Kyrie Irving's stint with the Brooklyn Nets has been a disappointment thus far. It can be said that Irving has not only disappointed the Nets, but also many fans who want to see the Nets' 'Big Three' competing against other elite teams in the postseason.
Irving inked a four-year contract with Brooklyn in 2019, worth over $136 million. But injuries and personal reasons have severely limited his game time.
He played only 20 games in the 2019-20 NBA season due to a shoulder injury, while he missed 18 in the 2020-21 season, many of them due to 'personal reasons'.
As of now, Irving is set to play only road games for the Brooklyn Nets due to New York's rule for unvaccinated people attending mass events and Irving's reluctance to be vaccinated. The situation is such that there are even talks of the team wanting to trade Irving and even the possibility of the player retiring.
Given Irving's unique talent and the presence of Kevin Durant and James Harden alongside him, it can be surmised the former has had a forgettable stint.
He has fared decently on the court, averaging 27 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 74 games with the Brooklyn Nets. He's also posted a 49.8/40/92.2 shooting split with the Nets. and had a 50/40/90 shooting line in the 2020-21 NBA season.
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