5 biggest 2016 NBA contract extension mistakes

3. Gorgui Dieng

Gorgui Dieng is the definition of an average player who took advantage of the salary cap increase. He signed a four-year, $64 million extension to stay in Minnesota. Dieng has had better numbers as a starter than off the bench but that doesn’t change the fact that $16 million a year for him is crazy.

Minnesota is in complete rebuild mode and they have a plethora of young, talented guys like Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and rookie Kris Dunn. They have two first overall picks who have proven that they can be franchise type players in Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns. With big men like Taj Gibson and Serge Ibaka set to be unrestricted free agents after the season, this move doesn’t make much sense.

Dieng was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Utah Jazz. He was then traded on draft night to the Timberwolves. The Louisville product was never much of a scoring threat, even in college, but has shown signs of becoming one in recent years. So far this season he is averaging just over 14 PPG.

Despite his progression, he isn’t a guy that a team should want being one of their highest-paid players. After losing Kevin Garnett to retirement, the Wolves should be eyeing a veteran player who can be a leader to all of these younger guys. Maybe a Zach Randolph type. But they think Dieng will turn out to be a stud and they better be right for the money they gave him.