NBA free agency: Each team’s worst signing in franchise history

Worst free agent signing in Brooklyn Nets history — Todd MacCulloch

6 years, $34 million

Many of these contracts look bad in hindsight, but seemed reasonable, if not smart signings at the time. Factors such as unexpected injuries would play a part. Others were overpays from the start, giving too much money to a player who had not earned it or who would be hard-pressed to live up to it. Unfortunately for the Nets, in New Jersey at the time, they hit on a contract that was both.

In 2001, free agent center Todd MacCulloch was coming off the first two seasons of his career, when he averaged under 10 minutes per game for the Philadelphia 76ers. New Jersey felt that MacCulloch solved their problem at backup center and signed him to a shocking long-term deal for a player who seemed largely replaceable.

MacCulloch played well at first, increasing his workload to 24.2 minutes per game. His low usage game and tough defense were a help to the Nets, but perhaps not for the price tag that put on him. Then things got worst for team and especially player, as MacCulloch was diagnosed with a neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

The disease attacks the extremities and hindered the center’s ability to play basketball. After 96 games for the Nets, MacCulloch was forced to retire from basketball. A bad contract was made worse by this unfortunate sequence of events.