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![\"Mar](\"https:\/\/fadeawayworld.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Young-1024x683.avif\")
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images<\/p>\nNBA contracts are getting pretty crazy, and some teams might already be nervous about the money they just spent. We\u2019re talking about guys getting $100.0 million, $150.0 million, or even $200.0 million without being established superstars, and now they\u2019ve got to prove they\u2019re actually worth all that money.<\/p>\n
Trae Young just got $212.0 million after playing only 15 games last season, Walker Kessler landed $130.0 million with the Lakers, and the Warriors gave Brandin Podziemski $110.0 million even though he\u2019s never averaged 15 points per game. I mean, those are some pretty big contracts for players who still have a lot to prove.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s not like these guys are bad players, because most of them had good seasons before getting paid. But there\u2019s a difference between being a good starter and making $40.0 million or $50.0 million every year, especially when your team is expecting you to help win playoff games.<\/p>\n
I think these six players have the most to prove heading into the 2026-27 season, and if they don\u2019t take another step forward, their contracts could start looking pretty bad much sooner than expected.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
1. Trae Young, Wizards
\nMandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Contract: 4 years, $212.0 million<\/p>\n
I\u2019m still trying to understand how Trae Young<\/a> got $212.0 million after the season he just had<\/a>. I get that he\u2019s a four-time All-Star who used to average almost 30 points per game, but giving someone $53.0 million annually after he played only 15 games is a pretty crazy decision by the Wizards<\/a>.<\/p>\n Young averaged just 17.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists last season, shooting 45.8% from the field and 33.8% from three. He dealt with injuries for most of the year, played only 10 games with the Hawks before getting traded, and appeared in another five with the Wizards. That\u2019s basically an entire season lost, and Washington still decided to give him superstar money.<\/p>\n And remember, the Wizards acquired him for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in January. That\u2019s not exactly a huge trade package for someone who was supposed to be one of the best point guards in basketball, but Young\u2019s value had clearly dropped after all the injuries and his defensive problems.<\/p>\n To be fair, there\u2019s a reason the Wizards are willing to take this gamble. Young averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists in 2019-20, led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, and finished 2024-25 with 24.2 points and a league-leading 11.6 assists. He\u2019s already shown he can carry an NBA offense, and there aren\u2019t many players who can create that many shots for their teammates.<\/p>\n But that version of Young needs to come back pretty quickly. His scoring dropped by more than six points per game last season compared to 2024-25, his three-point shooting hasn\u2019t been great lately, and he\u2019s still one of the smaller guards in the league. If he\u2019s not scoring 25 or 30 points, his defensive limitations become a much bigger problem.<\/p>\n The Wizards also have Anthony Davis, AJ Dybantsa, Alex Sarr, and several young players<\/a> who could benefit from playing with an elite passer, so Young has a pretty good chance to put up huge assist numbers again. I\u2019d want something around 24 points and 10 assists, along with at least 65 or 70 games.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think Washington can feel good about paying him $53.0 million to average 18 points again, especially if the Wizards miss the playoffs. Young has been an All-NBA player before, but now he\u2019s getting paid like one of the best players in the league, and he has to actually play like it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2. Jalen Duren, Pistons Contract: 5 years, $200.0 million<\/p>\n The whole Jalen Duren<\/a> contract situation was a mess<\/a>, and I know he made his first All-Star team, earned All-NBA Third Team honors, and helped the Pistons<\/a> win 60 games. But you already know how I feel: so many players were injured<\/a> and couldn\u2019t reach the 65-game floor for the All-NBA, which basically cleared the way for Duren. And on top of that, he pushed for a massive contract all offseason, with negotiations getting so ugly that he almost ended up playing on the qualifying offer<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Shams Charania, the Pistons went from offering somewhere between $170.0 million and $190.0 million to finally agreeing on a five-year, $200.0 million extension. There was even that whole issue involving a proposed weight clause<\/a>, which was eventually dropped from negotiations.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a lot of trouble for a player the Pistons clearly wanted to keep, and now Duren has to show why he was worth all of that crisis. His regular-season numbers were excellent, with 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 65.0% from the field. He was one of the most efficient centers in the league, and the Pistons finished 60-22 with the best record in the East.<\/p>\n But then the playoffs happened, and that\u2019s where I started having some doubts about his game. Duren dropped to 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists across 14 postseason games, shooting only 51.4% from the field. That\u2019s almost half his regular-season scoring, and the Pistons ended up losing to the Cavaliers in the second round.<\/p>\n I know he\u2019s only 22, and I\u2019m not expecting him to become Nikola Jokic overnight, but $40.0 million per season is a huge amount of money for a center who still has to prove he can score consistently in the playoffs, especially when his offense depends so much on finishing around the rim and getting good passes from Cade and zero self-creation.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not like Detroit can just wait forever for him to figure everything out. Cunningham is already an All-NBA player and MVP candidate, the Pistons have one of the best young teams in basketball, and they\u2019re trying to compete for a championship now. Duren needs to become someone they can trust against the best defenses, not just a center who puts up 20 and 10 during the regular season.<\/p>\n I\u2019d love to see him get close to 21 points and 12 rebounds while becoming a better rim protector. His offense is already pretty good with a floor general running things, but the defense and playoff scoring are what could make him worth that $200.0 million.<\/p>\n I still think he\u2019ll be fine because he\u2019s so young, but after everything that happened with his extension, another disappointing playoff run would definitely get people talking about that deal as a huge mistake.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Austin Reaves, Lakers Contract: 4 years, $180.0 million<\/p>\n Austin Reaves<\/a> getting $180 million is one of the coolest stories in the NBA, especially because he entered the league undrafted in 2021. But I also think there\u2019s a pretty good chance people start questioning that contract if the Lakers<\/a> don\u2019t win enough games this season.<\/p>\n Reaves had an awesome 2025-26 campaign, averaging career highs of 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from three. He even dropped 51 points against the Kings in October, and he was basically an All-Star-level player whenever he was healthy.<\/p>\n The problem is that he played only 51 games because of injuries, and the Lakers still got swept by the Thunder in the second round. Reaves averaged 20.0 points in the playoffs, which isn\u2019t bad, but now he\u2019s making the kind of money usually reserved for players who can consistently carry their teams deep into the postseason.<\/p>\n His new contract starts at $41.3 million this season and includes a $51.2 million player option for 2029-30. That\u2019s a massive jump from the $14.9 million player option he declined, and he\u2019s going to have much more responsibility now that LeBron is gone and Doncic pushed so hard to keep him off trade talks.<\/p>\n I actually think Reaves could put up even better numbers this season<\/a> because the Lakers don\u2019t have a third star taking so many shots anymore. Luka is still the main guy after averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists last season, but Reaves should have plenty of chances to score 25 points on a normal night.<\/p>\n Still, the Lakers have a problem with their backcourt defense. Doncic and Reaves are great offensively, but neither is an elite perimeter defender, and paying both huge money means the rest of the roster has to cover for them. That\u2019s also why the Lakers added Walker Kessler<\/a> and Quentin Grimes, because they needed better defensive players around their two stars.<\/p>\n For me, Reaves needs to average around 25 points and 6 assists while playing at least 70 games. I\u2019d also want to see him make an All-Star team, because if you\u2019re getting paid almost $50.0 million annually, you should probably be one of the best 25 or 30 players in the world.<\/p>\n I like Reaves a lot, and I think he\u2019ll have another great season. But if he drops back to 20 points per game while the Lakers struggle to win playoff games, that new deal won\u2019t look nearly as good as it does right now.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 4. Walker Kessler, Lakers Contract: 4 years, $130.0 million<\/p>\n I think the Lakers took an even bigger gamble with Kessler<\/a> than they did with Reaves, because they didn\u2019t just give him $130.0 million. They also traded two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, to get him from the Jazz.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a ridiculous amount of draft capital for someone who\u2019s never made an All-Star team, especially when he\u2019s coming off a season where he barely played. Kessler appeared in only five games last year because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and now the Lakers are paying him $32.5 million per season<\/a>.<\/p>\n Of course, I understand why they wanted him. Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 2024-25, shooting 66.3% from the field. He\u2019s one of the best rebounders and shot-blockers in basketball when healthy, and the Lakers have needed someone like that for a while.<\/p>\n Last season, the Lakers ranked 27th in rebounds and 19th in defensive rating, which is pretty bad for a team that finished 53-29. They were also getting destroyed on the glass against bigger teams, and that became an even bigger problem in the playoffs against the Thunder.<\/p>\n Kessler should fix some of that immediately, and playing with Doncic is going to make his life pretty easy offensively. He won\u2019t need to create his own shots, because Luka should be able to find him around the basket all game, and I\u2019d expect his scoring numbers to improve from the 11.1 points he averaged in his last healthy season.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s my problem with the contract: you can find centers who average 10 points and 10 rebounds without spending $130.0 million and four valuable draft assets. The Lakers aren\u2019t paying Kessler just to grab rebounds, they\u2019re paying him to become one of the best defensive centers in the NBA.<\/p>\n I\u2019d want at least 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game<\/a>, along with 65 or 70 appearances. And more importantly, the Lakers need to finish much higher than 19th in defensive rating, because if their defense doesn\u2019t improve, what was the point of spending all that money?<\/p>\n I think Kessler has a pretty good chance to make an All-Defensive Team if he stays healthy, and that would make the trade look much better. But another injury-filled season would be a disaster, especially considering what the Lakers gave up to bring him in.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5. Ayo Dosunmu, Timberwolves Contract: 5 years, $112.0 million<\/p>\n Ayo Dosunmu<\/a> getting $112.0 million was pretty surprising to me, because I never really saw him as someone who\u2019d make more than $20.0 million per year. He\u2019s a good player, and I like what he did with the Timberwolves<\/a> last season, but five years is a long time to commit that much money to a guy who\u2019s never averaged 15 points per game.<\/p>\n Dosunmu finished 2025-26 with career highs of 14.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 69 games, shooting an impressive 51.7% from the field and 43.9% from three. Those are excellent percentages for a guard, and it\u2019s pretty obvious why Minnesota wanted to keep him.<\/p>\n After getting traded from the Bulls in February, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 24 games with the Timberwolves. He also had that crazy 43-point game against the Nuggets<\/a> in the first round, helping Minnesota win the series in six games.<\/p>\n But I wouldn\u2019t pay someone $112.0 million because of one incredible playoff performance, and the second round showed why. Against the Spurs, Dosunmu dropped to 9.4 points per game while shooting just 36.0% from the field and 27.8% from three, and the Timberwolves got eliminated in six games.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a pretty big difference, and I don\u2019t think anyone should expect him to shoot 43.9% from three every season. His career average is closer to 38.0%, which is still good, but there\u2019s a big difference between being an elite shooter and just being a solid one.<\/p>\n Minnesota also has a pretty crowded rotation now<\/a>. LaMelo Ball arrived during the offseason, Anthony Edwards is still the franchise player, and the team added Jonathan Kuminga while keeping Donte DiVincenzo after his Achilles injury. They\u2019ve got a lot of guards and wings who need minutes, and Dosunmu probably won\u2019t start for them.<\/p>\n For $22.4 million per season, I\u2019d want him to average at least 15 points while keeping his shooting around 40.0% from three. He also needs to be more consistent in the playoffs, because Minnesota isn\u2019t paying him to disappear when Edwards needs help scoring.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t hate this contract, but I think the Timberwolves paid him based on his best stretch, and now he has to prove that wasn\u2019t just a career year he won\u2019t repeat. If his scoring drops to 12 or 13 points, it\u2019s going to be pretty hard to justify spending $112.0 million on him.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 6. Brandin Podziemski, Warriors Contract: 5 years, $110.0 million<\/p>\n The Warriors<\/a> giving Brandin Podziemski<\/a> $110.0 million might be one of the biggest gambles of the offseason<\/a>, and I don\u2019t think I would\u2019ve done it. He\u2019s a good young player, but we\u2019re talking about someone who averaged 13.8 points last season and hasn\u2019t really shown he can become a consistent 20-point scorer.<\/p>\n Podziemski played all 82 games in 2025-26, starting 43, and finished with career highs of 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He shot 45.5% from the field and 37.1% from three, making 153 triples, which was the second-most on the Warriors behind Stephen Curry.<\/p>\n Those are pretty good numbers for a 23-year-old who was drafted 19th overall in 2023, and I understand why the Warriors like him. He\u2019s been healthy, he\u2019s improved every season, and he\u2019s already shown he can contribute with his big IQ and Steve Kerr\u2019s system understanding.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s also why I\u2019m not completely sold on the contract. Podziemski has been a good rotation player, not someone who\u2019s proven he can help carry the team, and the Warriors just finished 37-45 while missing the playoffs. I don\u2019t think averaging 14 points on a losing team automatically makes someone worth $110 million.<\/p>\n His extension doesn\u2019t even start until 2027-28, when he\u2019ll make around $19.0 million, and the salary eventually climbs above $25.0 million in the final year. So Golden State still has time before the deal becomes expensive, but that also means this season is probably the best chance for Podziemski to show what kind of player he\u2019s going to be.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Jan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-01-22T040656Z_1856084415_MT1USATODAY28057737_RTRMADP_3_NBA-DETROIT-PISTONS-AT-NEW-ORLEANS-PELIC.jpeg\")
Jan 21, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts to a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
\n![\"May](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-05-08T030143Z_1782320028_MT1USATODAY28902489_RTRMADP_3_NBA-LOS-ANGELES-LAKERS-AT-OKLAHOMA-CITY-.jpeg\")
Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
\n![\"Oct](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-10-14T032223Z_437929719_MT1USATODAY30078317_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-GOLDEN-STATE-WARRIORS-AT-LO.jpeg\")
Oct 13, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Golden State Warriors center Charles Bassey (28) and Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler (14) chase after the ball in the second quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
\n![\"MINNEAPOLIS,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ayo-dosunmu-wolves-1024x653.jpg\")
Mandatory Credit: David Berding\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Apr](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2026-04-10T025130Z_961669821_MT1USATODAY28696640_RTRMADP_3_NBA-LOS-ANGELES-LAKERS-AT-GOLDEN-STATE-WA.jpeg\")
Apr 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) gestures to a teammate during a timeout against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images<\/p>\n