Charlotte Hornets
Bargain contract: Brandon Miller
Not a lot is going right for the Hornets, but second overall pick Brandon Miller has at least been as good as he was expected to be. He's currently averaging nearly 17 points while shooting 37% on a high volume of threes.
That is a promising start for a player who will hopefully turn into a star. He is also owed just $38 million over the next three seasons, making it easy for him to exceed his rookie deal.
Nightmare contract: Dāvis Bertāns
Journeyman sharpshooter Davis Bertans was acquired by the Hornets from the Thunder and has played surprisingly well. Through his first 11 games, he's shooting 43% from three and averaging nearly 10 points per game. That is encouraging but he is owed $17 million this season and $16 million next season, making him overpaid.
Atlanta Hawks
Bargain contract: Jalen Johnson
The Hawks look like they will soon hit the reset button on their team, but they still have plans for third-year player Jalen Johnson. Johnson is averaging an impressive 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, suggesting that he can be a jack of all trades type player. That's encouraging, and so is his being on a rookie-scale deal for another year.
Nightmare contract: Dejounte Murray
To be clear, Murray isn't a bad player; in fact, his shooting improvement has made him more valuable but teams such as the Lakers balked at the asking price for Murray. That might have more to do with the Hawks than Murray's contract but there are plenty of very good point guards who will make less than $30 million a season and more coming into the league every year. Bad teams don't need him, and good teams will look for cheaper options, making Murray harder to trade than first thought.
Orlando Magic
Nightmare contract: Paolo Banchero
2022 Number one overall pick Paolo Banchero has emerged as a star in short order, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 rebounds this season while also showing off some improved defense. After years of mediocrity for Orlando, having a rising superstar on their team is certainly exciting and so is the fact that he is set to make just $27.4 million over the next two seasons, making him a bargain.
Bargain contract: Jonathan Isaac
After missing consecutive seasons with ACL injuries and only 11 games last season, it's nice to see Jonathan Isaac play consistently and continue to be a defensive menace. Nevertheless, he is a low-minute backup who is averaging just 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds and is set to make $17.4 million next season. That is definitely Orlando's worst contract.