10 most valuable contracts in the NBA
By Bryce Olin
1. Kawhi “Kingslayer” Leonard (4 years, $8.1 million)
Who else could it be but the man who shut down King James in the NBA Finals?
Leonard’s not flashy. He just does his job better than anyone else in the NBA. On the biggest stage in the sport, he proved he belonged with his grit, energy, defense, and then an offensive explosion that only happens in the movies. Leonard put together a perfect series against the world’s best player and came out victorious.
This season, James will make $21 million while Leonard makes $2 million. Of course, Leonard is still on his rookie contract and in the final year, so the pay day is coming. For now, Leonard’s contract is the most valuable contract in all of the NBA. It’s opened up all the room necessary for the Spurs to sign the role players, like Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Danny Green, and Tiago Splitter, that make these deep playoff runs and finals appearances possible every season.
Leonard hasn’t been bad himself, either.
| Season | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 29.1 | .522 | .379 | .802 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 12.8 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/22/2014.
He shoots a great percentage from the field and from 3, which has steadily improved throughout his career. Obviously, everyone would like to see him throwing up bigger PPG numbers, but that’s not who Leonard is.
He’s guy who makes $2 million per season, just stopped the best player in the game almost singlehandedly, and was the NBA Finals MVP. That is the most valuable contract in the NBA.