Los Angeles Lakers: Luol Deng and the five worst NBA contracts

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

4. Ian Mahinmi — Four years, $64 million

Ian Mahinmi is set for the exact same payday as Timofey Mozgov. And in a similar fashion, Mahinmi continues to prove to the Washington Wizards why they overpaid for his services. This becomes especially apparent with John Wall‘s, Bradley Beal‘s and Otto Porter Jr’s contracts also on the books. Ultimately, a contract like Mahinmi’s prevented the Wizards from landing that last piece.

I’ll give the Wizards this though, Mahinmi was better than Mozgov at the time of signing him. Still, though, he was not worth anywhere near $64 million.

Mahinmi signed the four-year deal prior to the 2016-2017 season. The French-born center averaged 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with the Indiana Pacers the year prior. At just under seven-feet tall, Mahinmi was at least a decent defensive and shot blocking option.

So what did the Wizards do? They inked Mahinmi to a big deal just so they could slap him on the bench behind Marcin Gortat. Mahinmi has not started a single game for the Wizards in two seasons and missed 51 games in his first season as a Wizard.

In 86 games with the Wizards, which accounts for a full season’s worth of work, Mahinmi has averaged just 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Now, the Wizards look stuck with Mahinmi’s contract for two more seasons.

At least the Lakers were able to get rid of Timofey Mozgov.