There has been a lot of talk about the worst contracts in the NBA following the revelation that the association’s salary cap situation will look a lot different over the next couple of years. Most of the deals signed over the past two summers look a lot worse on paper now. However, there are also a handful of contracts that look a lot better now on paper. Here is a look at the NBA’s best contracts for the point guard position.
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
Walker’s improvement on the floor makes his contract an obvious choice for the best in the NBA among point guards. Walker has played better than the four-year, $48 million deal he signed in 2014. He still has two years left on that contract for a total of $24 million. When you consider the going rate for point guards these days, this is an absolute steal. Guys like Kyle Lowry and Jrue Holiday are earning $30 million per season and while it can be debated whether they’re worth it or not, Walker’s contract looks like fantastic value in comparison to somewhat similar players.
Walker averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Hornets last season while earning an All-Star appearance. At $12 million over each of the next two years, Walker owns the best contract among NBA point guards.
Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Clippers
Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey deserves a ton of credit for the contract he was able to get Beverley to sign. Now it’s the Clippers that will benefit from the deal. Beverley signed a four-year, $28 million deal a couple of years ago. The contract included a declining salary scale and a full non-guarantee for the final season. That means Beverley will be paid only $10.5 million over the next two years with no guarantee for the 2018-19 season.
Beverley can start but on a championship-caliber team, you’d like him as a good sixth man. He can score and shoot, and he’s excellent on the defensive end. Considering the pay scales these days, $7 million per year is highway robbery for the type of quality that Beverley brings.
The Clippers are worse without Chris Paul. However, Beverley’s contract is one of the best in the NBA and should give the franchise a little more flexibility for the next two seasons.
Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee Bucks
Brogdon’s Rookie of the Year victory doesn’t mean he is going to be a superstar in the NBA. However, he is definitely on the right track with the potential to be the perfect complement to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. Brogdon’s length allows him to play different positions and he is the best three-point shooter on the Bucks roster. The fact that he is owed $4.8 million over the next three seasons with a qualifying offer for 2019-20 is incredible. Now Milwaukee will need to capitalize on its salary cap flexibility by building a contender over the next few seasons.
Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns
Bledsoe will never be an All-Star in the absolutely loaded Western Conference. However, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals last season while shooting 43-percent from the field. Those are solid numbers and we have to think his numbers could have looked even better if he played for a contender in the Eastern Conference. Bledsoe has two years left on his current deal and is set to earn $29.5 million over that span. That is a discount price for one of the more underrated point guards in the NBA right now.
Ricky Rubio, Utah Jazz
Rubio might not be the perfect fit for the Jazz but his reasonable contract should make him at least a little more appealing. Rubio will be paid $29.2 million over the next two seasons. That isn’t bad for a point guard that averaged 11.1 points, 9.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals last season and still has considerable upside. Utah is banking on Rubio taking over for George Hill as the starting point guard and if that happens his contract will look even better on paper. It will be very interesting to see how Rubio performs in a new setting this coming season.
The 2017 NBA futures are out. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
