By Amin Elhassan | ESPN Insider
"It seemed like a good idea at the time …"
Yes, those are the famous last words of many NBA general managers. That's because investing a considerable amount of money in any player, whether he has a track record of production or seems certain to deliver on clear promise, is always is a risk. And the reasons a GM goes big on a deal are many. Maybe the player perfectly fits your team and the system your coach runs. Maybe someone on your staff vouched for him. Maybe you feel you're just one player away. Maybe you're not a destination city and you feel you have to pay a premium to add talent.
So the GM massages the numbers and makes it work; a lower starting salary with maximum raises shifts the weight of the contract toward its end. The thinking is the player will eventually be worth the deal, or at the very least, he'll raise his value so you'll be able to move him far before those higher salary years arrive.
The problem is the plan is set around a best-case scenario. It doesn't adequately protect the team from unforeseen complications, of which there can be many.
Now you're stuck with a "toxic" deal: the type of contract you can never trade away without including heavy sweeteners (draft picks or promising young talent) or receiving an equally or more toxic deal in return. In the new CBA, financial planning is as important (if not more) as talent evaluation, as teams cannot afford to squander limited resources for marginal productivity.
Here are the most toxic deals in the NBA. These are the contracts that nobody wants to deal for without receiving heavy incentives.
Amar'e Stoudemire | New York Knicks
Contract: 5 years, $99.7 million | Remaining (including 2013-14): 2 yrs, $45.1 million
How'd he get paid? The Knicks had just completed a two-year roster purge to clear enough cap space to pursue a max-level free agent. After it became clear that the other marquee free agents had no desire to play in New York, the Knicks went after the next-biggest name on the market. Stoudemire was coming off an extremely productive 2009-10 season but Phoenix was reluctant to fully guarantee his contract because of concerns over the long-term health of his knees. The Knicks had no such reservations and decided to offer Stoudemire a fully guaranteed deal, which helped lift the team in the short run.
What went wrong? The subsequent Carmelo Anthony acquisition upset the on-court chemistry, and Stoudemire's knee issues resurfaced.
Why is the deal toxic? Other than his dramatically reduced productivity and high salary? Stoudemire's contract is one of a number of deals in the NBA that are uninsured by the league-wide policy because of his history of catastrophic injury. For insured players who get hurt, the policy pays 80 percent of their salary after a 41-game waiting period. In Stoudemire's case, his team must bear the brunt of paying the full $45 million remaining on his deal.
Joe Johnson | Brooklyn Nets
Contract: 6 years, $123.7 million | Remaining (including 2013-14): 3 yrs, $69.5 million
How'd he get paid? After completing his fourth All-Star campaign in Atlanta and leading the team to three consecutive playoff berths (including two second-round appearances), Johnson put the Hawks on the spot. He was the best player on a team that had been awful prior to his arrival in 2005-06, but it was clear Johnson was not the transcendent talent who could take the team to the next level. The team chose to retain Johnson anyway, fearing that allowing him to walk would send the message that the franchise was not committed to winning. Two years (and a new GM) later, Atlanta managed to pawn Johnson to Brooklyn, who needed their own show of a "commitment to winning" to convince Deron Williams to re-sign.
What went wrong? Johnson had peaked as a player on his prior deal, so he was immediately overpriced with no hope of ever meeting the value of his contract.
Why is his deal hard to move? While Atlanta was fortunate enough to find a taker in Brooklyn, there aren't many other teams the Nets can call on to perform a similar favor. Even if there's another deep-pocketed owner with limited regard to the bottom line, Johnson's average of $23 million per year eliminates almost any flexibility to perform any further roster improvements.
Eric Gordon | New Orleans Pelica
Contract: 4 years, $58.4 million | Remaining (including 2013-14): 3 years, $44.7 million
How'd he get paid? Gordon was considered to be the most valuable asset going to New Orleans in the Chris Paul trade as an up-and-coming combo guard with a tantalizing one-two punch of strength and quickness, able to score in a variety of fashions. However, he missed most of his first year in New Orleans to a knee injury that ultimately required microfracture surgery. That did not deter the Phoenix Suns, who were desperate for any kind of talent, from offering a maximum offer sheet to the restricted free agent, which New Orleans subsequently matched.
What went wrong? Gordon has struggled to regain his pre-injury form, and has lost a lot of the quickness that made him a special talent. He also has suffered a litany of other injuries, to his ankle, hip and wrist.
Why is his deal hard to move? The deadly combination of length of contract, guaranteed dollars owed and inability to stay healthy (he's appeared in just 195 out of a possible 341 games over the past five seasons) make Gordon an extremely risky trade target, as he'd potentially eat up a lot of payroll flexibility without being able to even produce at his reduced ability level.
Kendrick Perkins | Oklahoma City ThundER
Contract: 5 years, $40.3 million | Remaining (including 2013-14): 2 years, $18.1 million
How'd he get paid? After being an integral part of Boston's renaissance between 2007-10, it became clear that the Celtics would not be able to afford the contract demands of Perkins. They then dealt him to the Thunder, who were similarly unsure of their ability to retain their impending restricted free agent, Jeff Green, and were looking to add size, toughness and experience to their young, finesse roster. Perkins signed an extension in the days following his trade to Oklahoma City.
What went wrong? Perkins was never worth close to what he got, and Oklahoma City overestimated the value he could bring to his team. Over the past couple of years, he has become a real liability on the court on any night that doesn't feature a lumbering big for Perkins to bang against.
Why is his deal hard to move? He has outlived his shelf life as a rotation player, and is probably better suited as a situational big off the bench. While he's a strong voice in the locker room, Perkins' temperament suggests that he would not be accepting of such a reduced role, making him effectively a $9 million per year headache.
Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers
Original contract: 3 years, $79 million | Remaining (including 2013-14): 3 years, $79 million
How'd he get paid? Entering the final year of his old contract (due $30.5 million), Bryant signed a two year, $48.5 million extension ensuring that he will remain the highest-paid player in the NBA until its expiration. Prior to succumbing to a ruptured Achilles tendon, his efficiency did see a spike last season (highest true shooting percentage since 2007-08), while remaining among the league leaders in scoring, and Bryant continues to be one of the most popular name brands in sports, with a loyal following both locally and internationally.
What went wrong? Much like the case of Gordon, "what went wrong" occurred prior to the signing of the contract: in Bryant's case, the ruptured Achilles. Although he was showing signs of a speedier-than-normal recovery, he definitely looked to be a shell of himself, and later suffered an unrelated knee injury.
Why is his deal hard to move? Bryant's age and recent injury history are bad signs that all the years of service are finally catching up to his body. His contract was not a reflection of his future or even current value, but of a bonus "thank you" from the Lakers organization to which he has provided so much over the years. As such, there isn't a team in the league he can help either on or off the court for a fraction of the cost of his guaranteed contract. Plus, even if they tried to trade him, the Lakers must get Bryant's consent first.
@ boozer's contract tho.
his whole contract was a problem
and go play in china or somewhere in Europe. He could've gotten paid there just because of his name 
