NBA players who play well ultimately deserve a max contract. But while getting the bag is a great incentive to play better, that isn’t always the case. In fact, a handful of players with max contracts wouldn’t even make an All-NBA team even after inking a max deal. Here is a look at 10 NBA players with max contracts who failed to make All-NBA.
Hassan Whiteside
Contract: Four years, $98 million (2016)
A lot of Miami Heat fans remember a time when the franchise was invested in Hassan Whiteside. The seven-foot center was fresh from leading the NBA in blocks and made the All-Defensive Second Team.
As a result, the Heat rewarded Whiteside with a max deal. Although Whiteside responded by leading the league in rebounds and blocks for the second time in his career, an All-NBA Team selection wasn’t one of his awards.
Chandler Parsons
Contract: Four years, $94 million (2016)
While Chandler Parsons impressed with the Houston Rockets, an underwhelming performance riddled with injuries in Dallas should’ve raised questions for the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the franchise still decided to sign Parsons to a max deal. In hindsight, the move was regrettable with the All-Rookie Second Team player failing to stay healthy.
Contract: Five years, $148 million (2017)
After getting traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite being the first overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, Andrew Wiggins played well enough to make a statement by winning the 2015 NBA Rookie of the Year. This convinced the Timberwolves to reward him with a max deal.
Unfortunately, since getting that extension, Wiggins’ play dramatically declined. It took a trade to the Golden State Warriors for Wiggins to elevate his game towards being an NBA champion and All-Star but still no All-NBA nods.
Contract: Five years, $180 million (2019)
Tobias Harris has proven to be a reliable starting forward in his NBA career. He impressed enough to convince the Philadelphia 76ers to reward him with a max extension for him to stay in Philadelphia.
Unfortunately, the deal backfired for the Sixers. Harris wouldn’t make a single All-NBA or All-Star team. But even worse, Harris went scoreless in the Sixer’s elimination game against the New York Knicks in the 2024 playoffs.
Gordon Hayward
Contract: Four years, $128 million (2017)
Coming off a stint with the Utah Jazz, where he flaunted his All-Star form, Gordon Hayward became an enticing free agent in 2017. As a result, the Boston Celtics lured him away from Utah by rewarding him with a lucrative max deal.
Unfortunately, the Celtics never enjoyed a healthy Hayward. In his Celtics debut, Hayward broke his ankle on an alley-oop play, sidelining him for the most part of his Celtics stint. After that, Hayward was never the same. However, he still managed to earn a $120 million deal with the Hornets later on.
Mike Conley
Contract: Five years, $153 million (2016)
In 2016, Mike Conley signed the largest NBA contract. However, given the way he was playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, it was quite convincing at some point. Although Conley has been an effective playmaker, the league was just filled with elite guards during his time. This included the likes of Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Chris Paul.
With no room for Conley, he was certainly a snub. Fortunately, he eventually broke the All-Star snub in 2021. But All-NBA Team-wise, it’s quite a different story.
Brandon Ingram
Contract: Five years, $158 million (2020)
As part of the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade, the New Orleans Pelicans were hoping that Brandon Ingram would shine bright as the main wing. He shined brightly in the 2019-2020 season, earning his first appearance in the All-Star game and the Most Improved Player award.
After the season, the Pelicans gave him a max deal. However, Ingram has struggled to stay healthy. Furthermore, with his contract expiring, it’s wait-and-see whether Ingram can score another max deal.
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Contract: Four years, $117 million (2019)
D’Angelo Russell had a disappointing stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in his first few years in the NBA. A move to Brooklyn did wonders for his career, transforming him into an All-Star guard with the Nets.
Fresh from an All-Star season, Russell earned a max deal with the Golden State Warriors. However, Russell failed to make a significant impact to power the Warriors back to the NBA Finals. On the other hand, he also failed to elevate into an All-NBA Team player. A return to Los Angeles turned him into an NBA In-Season Tournament champion, though.
Contract: Five years, $170 million (2019)
Jamal Murray has deserved every penny of his max deal. Murray may not be getting regular-season awards. However, he has always showed up in the playoffs when the games mattered the most. In fact, he played an instrumental role in the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA championship run, the first banner for the franchise, so you won’t hear any complaints coming out of Denver.
Contract: Five years, $158 million (2019)
When Kristaps Porzingis left New York, signing with the Dallas Mavericks allowed him to join forces with Luka Doncic in Dallas. To join Dallas, KP was lured with a lucrative max deal.
Unfortunately, injuries continued to hound the Latvian unicorn, preventing the Mavs from going deeper in the playoffs. While Porzingis failed to live up to the bill in Dallas, he played impressive enough to win his first NBA championship in Boston in 2024.
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