NBA: Jeremy Lin, Best Bargain Contracts For All 30 Teams

The Best Bargain Contract On All 30 NBA Teams

January 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7, right) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30, left) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 29, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward John Henson (31) reacts after a play in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets won 87-82. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson

2015-16 Salary: $2.9 million
2016-17 Salary: $12.3 million
2017-18 Salary: $11.4 million
2018-19 Salary: $10.6 million
2019-20 Salary: $9.7 million

Honorable Mention: N/A

Most of the promising young pieces on the Milwaukee Bucks are on rookie-scale deals, and those that aren’t (namely, Greg Monroe and Khris Middleton) are getting paid too much to qualify here. By default, we’re going to go with John Henson, who recently earned a major four-year, $44 million extension that kicks in next season.

That’s an awful lot of money for a guy with career averages of 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, but this long-armed, 6’11” power forward has potential. He’s already 25 years old and isn’t playing as much this season, but his contract won’t take up nearly as much cap room a year from now.

More importantly, however, is the fact that the Bucks don’t really have any players on non-rookie deals that qualify. Useful role players like Jerryd Bayless, O.J. Mayo and Greivis Vasquez all come off the books this summer, which means that Henson’s potential makes him the closest (non-rookie) thing this team has to a “bargain.”

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