NBA Players Who Turned Down Massive Deals and Instantly Regretted it
There are many NBA players who have been offered a life-changing fortune, only to say, “No, thanks,” and then watch it disappear forever. Some of them came to face immediate regret as circumstances took unexpected turns. In this article, we’ll discuss some NBA players who gambled on bigger paydays and wished they hadn’t.
Latrell Sprewell
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Latrell Sprewell turned down a three-year, $21 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He famously stated that he has a “family to feed.” This decision led to his departure from the NBA, as he never played professionally again. Although he earned nearly $100 million during his career, financial troubles soon followed.
Nerlens Noel
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Nerlens Noel was a restricted free agent in 2017 when he declined a four-year, $70 million contract from the Dallas Mavericks. He instead signed a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer. During that season, Noel suffered a thumb injury, missing 42 games, and his performance declined. Thus began a series of less lucrative contracts.
Dennis Schroder
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Dennis Schröder bet on himself in 2021, but the gamble didn’t pay off. The Lakers put $84 million on the table for a four-year extension, but Schröder was convinced he could get more in free agency. His options dried up, and he had to settle for a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Celtics.
Bonzi Wells
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Bonzi Wells had a hefty five-year, $38.5 million deal from the Sacramento Kings. He said no, thinking a bigger payday was coming. Spoiler: it never did. Wells signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Houston Rockets. Injuries and conditioning issues didn’t help and by 2008, he was out of the NBA.
Vladimir Radmanović
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Vladimir Radmanović turned down a six-year, $42 million offer from the Seattle SuperSonics. He expected bigger numbers in free agency but ended up settling for a one-year, $3 million deal with the Clippers instead. The following summer, he signed with the Lakers for $30 million over five years—still decent, but a far cry from what Seattle had offered.
Lance Stephenson
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Lance Stephenson had a solid deal on the table: five years, $44 million from the Indiana Pacers, but declined. What followed was a string of underwhelming performances and trades that sent his career into a tailspin. By 2018, he was bouncing around the league on minimum deals. Had he stayed in Indiana, he could have secured long-term stability.
George Hill
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George Hill was in line for a four-year, $88 million extension with the Utah Jazz in 2017. He passed, hoping for an even bigger deal in free agency. That offseason, he signed a three-year, $57 million contract with the Sacramento Kings: a whopping $31 million less. What’s worse is that Sacramento traded him after just half a season.
Victor Oladipo
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Victor Oladipo had a two-year, $45 million extension from the Houston Rockets in 2021. At the same time, he said no; injuries derailed his market value, and he settled for a one-year, $2.4 million deal with the Miami Heat. That’s a $42.6 million difference; painful, to say the least. His once-promising career became a fight to stay healthy.
AJ Griffin
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The 2022 first-round pick shocked the basketball world by retiring at just 21 to pursue a career in ministry. That decision meant walking away from a guaranteed $17.1 million rookie contract. While AJ’s talent was undeniable, his calling was stronger. Instead of chasing championships and max contracts, he chose faith over fortune.
Luka Dončić
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Luka Dončić’s trade from the Mavericks to the Lakers cost him big. In Dallas, he was eligible for a $345 million supermax deal, but in L.A., he could only sign a four-year, $229 million extension, losing $116 million. Moving from tax-free Texas to California’s 13.3% state tax also would have also taken another bite out of his earnings.
DeMarcus Cousins
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DeMarcus Cousins was dominating with the New Orleans Pelicans and had a two-year, $40 million extension on the table. He rejected it, confident he could secure a max deal in free agency. He signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Warriors. Injuries continued to derail his career, and the once-dominant center bounced between short-term contracts.
Luol Deng
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During the 2007–08 season, the Chicago Bulls offered Luol Deng a five-year, $57.5 million extension. He declined, waiting for a bigger deal that never came. Injuries slowed him down, and the following summer, he settled for a six-year, $71 million contract, only a slight increase over the original offer.
John Amaechi
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In 1999, John Amaechi had a life-changing offer: six years, $17 million from the Los Angeles Lakers. He turned it down to stay with the Orlando Magic for just $600K. Why? Loyalty. Amaechi believed in honoring his commitment to Orlando. He played three more NBA seasons and never secured a deal close to what the Lakers had offered.
Brandon Jennings
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Brandon Jennings had a four-year, $40 million extension waiting for him with the Milwaukee Bucks. He passed, believing he could land a bigger deal in free agency, but ended up with a three-year, $24 million contract from the Detroit Pistons. By 2017, he was out of the NBA.
Kent Bazemore
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Kent Bazemore had a massive four-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016, but shocked fans when he turned it down, staying with the Atlanta Hawks for a slightly smaller deal. Fast forward to 2021, and Bazemore ironically joined the Lakers, but on a veteran’s minimum deal worth just $2.4 million.