NBA Players: 5 Worst max contract extensions of the last decade

More so than in any other major team sport, basketball is driven by its biggest stars. For the Toronto Raptors, Kawhi Leonard's signing made the world of difference last season after years of near misses in the playoffs, and many of the most instrumental players around the league are now rewarded with maximum contract extensions as teams aim to contend.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis are among the stars that will be offered max extensions in the upcoming offseason - and both players have enough of an impact to justify the significant investment. However, max extensions are a risk as they take up a substantial amount of cap space over multiple years, and most teams in the NBA have the experience of signing a player to a max deal without yielding the expected results.

So, with no shortage of examples to chose from, here are the five worst maximum contract extensions from the past decade.

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#5 John Wall - Washington Wizards - 2017

John Wall has not played for more than a year

Selected first overall in the 2010 NBA draft, John Wall quickly became of the most dynamic and effective point guards in the league. Wall's speed and ability to score with ease put the Washington Wizards in contention in the East, and in 2017, the front office opted to hand the North Carolina native a four-year, $170 million extension.

However, Wall played just 41 times during the 2017-18 season due to a left knee injury - and the 29-year-old has missed the past year due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Wall is not expected back this season, and due to the seriousness of his injuries, it is unlikely that he will ever return to the form that made him a five-time All-Star between 2014 and 2018.

#4 Andrew Wiggins - Minnesota Timberwolves - 2017

Andrew Wiggins' performances never matched his maximum contract

Back in 2017, the Minnesota Timberwolves still had considerable faith in Andrew Wiggins, and the front office decided to sign the then 22-year-old to a five-year, $146.5 million max deal with no player option. Wiggins had averaged a career-high 23.6 points per game during the 2016-17 season, although the small forward's development quickly trended in the wrong direction following his extension.

Wiggins' effort was often called into question as he averaged 17.7 points on just 43.8 percent shooting during the 2017-18 season, and his shooting further dipped the following year. Wiggins experienced somewhat of a revival during the early months of the current campaign, although the Wolves had already lost faith - and opted to trade the final three years of his contract to the Golden State Warriors.

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#3 Harrison Barnes - Dallas Mavericks - 2016

Harrison Barnes' move to the Mavericks didn't work out as planned

Harrison Barnes struggled during the 2016 NBA Finals as the Golden State Warriors threw away a 3-1 series lead to lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, looking to contend in the West, the Dallas Mavericks came calling and signed Barnes to a four-year, $94 million contract.

Barnes was perceived as being highly talented but inconsistent during his four seasons with the Warriors, and while he averaged a career-high 19.2 points during the 2016-17 season, Barnes' inconsistency also plagued his time in Dallas. After shooting just 40 percent from the field during the first half of the 2018-19 campaign, it was evident that Barnes was unlikely to ever live up to his early All-Star potential - and the Mavs opted to take a hit and trade the 27-year-old to the Sacramento Kings.

#2 Chris Bosh - Miami Heat - 2014

Chris Bosh played just 97 times after signing a max deal with the Heat

Just hours after LeBron James left the Miami Heat in the summer of 2014, Chris Bosh committed his future to the franchise by signing a new five-year, $118 million max extension. Bosh had excelled as a third option behind James and Dwyane Wade, although Miami's decision to give an aging Wade a five-year deal quickly came back to haunt them.

While Bosh put up his best numbers in a Miami uniform over the next two seasons, he was limited to just 97 appearances - and the former All-Star's final appearance came in 2016 following the discovery of a blood clot. Heat president Pat Riley has since admitted that it was a mistake to give Bosh a max deal rather than Wade, and the impact of Bosh's contract was felt as Miami fell out of playoff contention.

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#1 Chandler Parsons - Memphis Grizzlies - 2016

Chandler Parsons' max deal will go down as the worst in NBA history

Back in the summer of 2016, Chandler Parsons signed a four-year maximum contract with the Memphis Grizzlies worth around $95 million. Parsons had averaged just 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds with the Dallas Mavericks the prior season - and Memphis' decision to award the forward a max deal soon became disastrous for the franchise.

Parsons' first season in Memphis was impacted by knee injuries as the Florida native played just 37 times - averaging career lows in points (6.2) and rebounds (2.5). Injuries continued to impact Parsons over the next two years, and he would feature just 95 times (45 starts) before being traded to the Hawks in 2019. Parsons averaged 7.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists while shooting just 39.3 percent from the field, and his deal is a prime example as to why NBA teams are now so fearful to commit to max extensions.