5 most disappointing high-profile signings in NBA’s Eastern Conference in the last 10 years

A detail of an official Spalding basketball going through the net with an official logo of the 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star Game
A detail of an official Spalding basketball going through the net with an official logo of the 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star Game

#3 Gordon Hayward - Boston Celtics

Gordon Hayward with the Boston Celtics.
Gordon Hayward with the 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

Jimmy Butler (#21) of the Chicago Bulls talks with Dwyane Wade (#3) in 2017.
Jimmy Butler (#21) of the Chicago Bulls talks with Dwyane Wade (#3) in 2017.

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

Kyrie Irving (#11) of the Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving (#11) of the 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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