Top 10 Worst FA Signings of All-Time
May 15, 2015 10:15:40 GMT -6
London, Tel Aviv, and 1 more like this
Post by Sydney on May 15, 2015 10:15:40 GMT -6
Sydney (AP) - Well, our annual top FA list had to be bypassed due to our editors sickness, so we came up with something a little different that has not been done. Due to the archives of the ABCA not being robust to provide us with a list of all historical FA signings, this list will be done based off this columnists own memory. If any signing was erroneously omitted, feel free to comment and add it to the list. Here we go:
1. Dave Debusschere – 2 different contracts of 64mil for 4 years
The fact that he tricked two different teams (Milan & Istanbul) into giving him max contracts is astonishing. Blessed with great athleticism and a soft touch around the basket, Dave didn’t bring much of anything else to the table. He was a decent rebounder but was a ridiculously poor defender and should have been no more than a scorer off the bench. Since two teams overpaid this guy, he’s the clear cut #1 since he averaged 14ppg for his career and was paid like he averaged 20+.
2. Alex Groza – 103 mil for 5 years by BA
Already declining athletically, which had begun to impact this averages, Groza would go on to never average over 13ppg after this contract was handed out. BA had put himself in a tough situation and was forced to resign Groza or lose him for nothing. He became one of the most untradeable players in ABCA history and slowly fizzled out over time. What started off as a very promising career turned quickly to an overpaid player overshadowed by the big money that followed him.
3. Bill Spivey 72mil for 4 years by Titans
Just one of 3 players on here signed by Mexico City, Bill would be known to many as the curse. Maybe it was the fact that he made more money annually then the amount of points + rebounds + blocks combined or the fact that MC started a trend of overpaying mediocre big men. Whatever the case was, Spivey was so overpaid that it totally negated any value he did bring to a team.
4. Sergie Belov — 86mil for 5 years by Istanbul
This guy is going to go down as the #1 franchise destroyer in ABCA history. After being drafted #2 overall and being paid 86mil shortly afterward, Belov never produced anything on the court that would even make him an average regular. Crushed by TC death in back to back seasons, Belov was never able to recover and would have to be paired with assets by the teams owner in order to move him. This goes to show you that players will almost always live and die by the TC.
5. Antonio Diaz Miguel – 103mil for 5 years by Sydney
Backed into a corner after losing in the conference finals, ADM was handed a massive contract to retain his services and hopefully push the Kings into the finals. Unfortunately for them, they got hit by the injury bug during preseason and the team went into full rebuild mode. He was traded to Toronto (seer) , who would immediately regret the move and traded him back to Sydney along with turned into a top 5 pick. He was still an above average regular, albeit a dramatically overpaid one.
6. Terry Dischinger – 67mil for 4 years by Pacers
After signing this deal, Terry would go on to average a whopping 8ppg for the duration of this deal. He was signed for his defense but teams liked his offensive versatility but that all went away once he lost all of his athleticism. Poor Terry would have had a nice finish to his career if he wasn’t being traded away with assets just so teams no longer had to see his terrible contract on their books.
7. Satch Sanders – 64mil for 4 years by Titans
He should probably be higher on the list but that just goes to show you how bad some of these contracts given out actually were. Satch was being paid max money to be a backup and provide 25+ minutes off the bench. He would never turn into anything other then an average big man but was paid like a superstar. This is only the second MC player on the list, good job Roark.
8. Victor Zubkov – 76mil for 4 years by Cairo
This guy always had tantalizing potential but was a terrible FT shooter. He was paid off what teams hoped he would become but unfortunately, he never made it out of the land of mediocrity. Blessed with good athleticism, he was able to stick around the league for a long time but a career averaged 12/3/4 should not net you a deal for 18+mil a season, which is what he ultimately got.
9. Greg Kite – 60mil for 4 years by REAL
While writing this, I was shocked that I didn’t have more players from REAL on the list but man there were some good candidates. I went with Kite because REAL would immediately regret this signing, which showed by Kite not even playing more than 15mpg. Kite was given this deal due to his age and potential but never panned out. He’s just wasting away his time in Cairo now.
10. Orlando Wooldridge – 40mil for 4years by Titans
The third and final player from MC, Wooldridge is going to go down as having the worst hands of all time and that has led him to be a major tweener between SF/PF. He has been unable to crack a starting lineup that lacks any punch at either spot and is practically untradeable. Roark has tried time and time again to give away Woolridge unsuccessfully, which is why he falls in at #10.
Feel free to chime in who else you would have put on this list!
1. Dave Debusschere – 2 different contracts of 64mil for 4 years
The fact that he tricked two different teams (Milan & Istanbul) into giving him max contracts is astonishing. Blessed with great athleticism and a soft touch around the basket, Dave didn’t bring much of anything else to the table. He was a decent rebounder but was a ridiculously poor defender and should have been no more than a scorer off the bench. Since two teams overpaid this guy, he’s the clear cut #1 since he averaged 14ppg for his career and was paid like he averaged 20+.
2. Alex Groza – 103 mil for 5 years by BA
Already declining athletically, which had begun to impact this averages, Groza would go on to never average over 13ppg after this contract was handed out. BA had put himself in a tough situation and was forced to resign Groza or lose him for nothing. He became one of the most untradeable players in ABCA history and slowly fizzled out over time. What started off as a very promising career turned quickly to an overpaid player overshadowed by the big money that followed him.
3. Bill Spivey 72mil for 4 years by Titans
Just one of 3 players on here signed by Mexico City, Bill would be known to many as the curse. Maybe it was the fact that he made more money annually then the amount of points + rebounds + blocks combined or the fact that MC started a trend of overpaying mediocre big men. Whatever the case was, Spivey was so overpaid that it totally negated any value he did bring to a team.
4. Sergie Belov — 86mil for 5 years by Istanbul
This guy is going to go down as the #1 franchise destroyer in ABCA history. After being drafted #2 overall and being paid 86mil shortly afterward, Belov never produced anything on the court that would even make him an average regular. Crushed by TC death in back to back seasons, Belov was never able to recover and would have to be paired with assets by the teams owner in order to move him. This goes to show you that players will almost always live and die by the TC.
5. Antonio Diaz Miguel – 103mil for 5 years by Sydney
Backed into a corner after losing in the conference finals, ADM was handed a massive contract to retain his services and hopefully push the Kings into the finals. Unfortunately for them, they got hit by the injury bug during preseason and the team went into full rebuild mode. He was traded to Toronto (seer) , who would immediately regret the move and traded him back to Sydney along with turned into a top 5 pick. He was still an above average regular, albeit a dramatically overpaid one.
6. Terry Dischinger – 67mil for 4 years by Pacers
After signing this deal, Terry would go on to average a whopping 8ppg for the duration of this deal. He was signed for his defense but teams liked his offensive versatility but that all went away once he lost all of his athleticism. Poor Terry would have had a nice finish to his career if he wasn’t being traded away with assets just so teams no longer had to see his terrible contract on their books.
7. Satch Sanders – 64mil for 4 years by Titans
He should probably be higher on the list but that just goes to show you how bad some of these contracts given out actually were. Satch was being paid max money to be a backup and provide 25+ minutes off the bench. He would never turn into anything other then an average big man but was paid like a superstar. This is only the second MC player on the list, good job Roark.
8. Victor Zubkov – 76mil for 4 years by Cairo
This guy always had tantalizing potential but was a terrible FT shooter. He was paid off what teams hoped he would become but unfortunately, he never made it out of the land of mediocrity. Blessed with good athleticism, he was able to stick around the league for a long time but a career averaged 12/3/4 should not net you a deal for 18+mil a season, which is what he ultimately got.
9. Greg Kite – 60mil for 4 years by REAL
While writing this, I was shocked that I didn’t have more players from REAL on the list but man there were some good candidates. I went with Kite because REAL would immediately regret this signing, which showed by Kite not even playing more than 15mpg. Kite was given this deal due to his age and potential but never panned out. He’s just wasting away his time in Cairo now.
10. Orlando Wooldridge – 40mil for 4years by Titans
The third and final player from MC, Wooldridge is going to go down as having the worst hands of all time and that has led him to be a major tweener between SF/PF. He has been unable to crack a starting lineup that lacks any punch at either spot and is practically untradeable. Roark has tried time and time again to give away Woolridge unsuccessfully, which is why he falls in at #10.
Feel free to chime in who else you would have put on this list!
