NBA 2019-20: 5 Bloated contracts offered during free agency this offseason

#2 Kristaps Porzingis - 5 years, $158 million

The Unicorn

When he came to the NBA as an unknown import from the EuroLeague in 2015, the main concerns for the 7'3" unicorn were exactly the same as the ones skeptics have today. In the 3 seasons that Kristaps has suited up for the Knicks, he displayed a noticeable drop in his performances as the season ground through December and into January.

In my opinion, a player who has not demonstrated that he can be a regular difference-maker through the course of an entire season does not deserve a contract paying an average of $31.6 million over the next 5 seasons. The Mavericks held his Bird rights and could have waited for the market to demonstrate his true value, but they decided to play it safe and offer him the full max that he's eligible for, right away.

If the Zinger is able to maintain health over the course of his prime, this deal would look eminently fair and I'd have to eat my words. But the Mavericks quite clearly missed a trick this summer, and should KP be regularly absent due to injury concerns, wonderboy Luka Doncic may be forced to demand a trade to a contending team in his prime.