Los Angeles Lakers: Luol Deng and the worst contracts in franchise history

4. Jordan Clarkson: Four years, $50 million (2016-20)

The forgotten stepchild of ugly 2016 contracts, Jordan Clarkson’s four-year, $50 million deal was nearly as crippling as those of other players signed that offseason. And yet, it’s often overlooked as one of Buss and Kupchak’s biggest blunders before their abrupt departure.

At that point in his career, Clarkson was a solid-yet-unspectacular backup combo guard. Sure, he had plenty of exciting, highlight-reel plays to his name. Overall, though, he was an exceptional scoring threat off the bench who could facilitate if needed — not much more.

In nearly all cases, that package isn’t worthy of $12.5 million annually. And yet, the Lakers made the decision to sign him to that contract, gaudy by backup guard standards.

Luckily for Magic Johnson, he managed to move Clarkson without too much trouble. Ahead of the 2018 trade deadline, the Lakers sent Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers in return for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and a 2018 first round pick. Not bad considering Thomas and Frye were both on expiring contracts and the Lakers had already traded away their own first round pick.

Still, in the grand scheme of things, the Clarkson deal was a bad one — the first of Buss and Kupchak’s tainted parting gifts for the Lakers on this list.