It comes a time in every player’s career where he has to figure out what would be the best for his future; either win an NBA Championship for the first time ever, win another one to help their legacy, or just get paid a lot of money even if that means never being a Champion.
Most players tend to choose the money when they’re still young but try and look for a contending team to sign them as they head towards the sunset of their careers in order to finally win a Championship.
Nonetheless, that usually means getting paid a lot less (sometimes even the veteran minimum), instead of a 10+ million dollar deal. Today, we’re going to let you know about the top 10 players that may choose to take a major pay cut in order to play for a contending team next season.
10. Marco Belinelli
Marco Belinelli has always been one of the most reliable three-point shooters in the league, and even though he’s never been much of a defender or a switchable guy, he has the kind of tools to become a 6th Man of the Year candidate in this league.
Belinelli’s sharpshooting may come extremely handy for any team built around a run and gun kind of offense such as the Warriors or the Houston Rockets, and even the Cavs should James decide to stay.
9. Greg Monroe
It’s been a while since we’ve seen the best out of Greg Monroe, as he’s lost most of his sweet face-up offensive game and isn’t anywhere near the dominant rebounder he used to be when he was with the Pistons.
Having said that, he still has what it takes to lead the second unit in scoring, but he needs to find a lot of rhythm in order to succeed and considering he’s been majorly exposed with the Celtics, he’s likely to sign for another contending side.
8. Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez has earned over 100 million dollars throughout his career, so he should consider giving up on a lucrative deal this summer in order to finally have at least the chance to play in the NBA Finals.
He’s never been much or a rim protector or rebounder, but he’s one of the most offensively skilled big man in the league at both the PF and the C spot, and he’s built for small ball sets and all shooting lineups.
7. Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas is facing a major crossroad this offseason, as he’s lost the respect of most of his peers and colleagues for being such a sore loser following his trade away from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He’s unlikely to receive any high bids this season anyway, but even if he does get one, he should just try and play for the chance to prove his worth with a contending team and get his groove back.
6. Tony Parker
Tony Parker surprised all after announcing that he will consider leaving the San Antonio Spurs this season after being demoted to the backup point guard position in favor of Dejounte Murray by Gregg Popovich.
Even though he’s unlikely to be a starter elsewhere anyways, he’s still one of the smartest point guards ever and would be a major offensive spark off the bench taking the reins of any contending team’s second unit.
5. Avery Bradley
Avery Bradley had earned himself a lot of money during his last couple of years at Boston but raised a lot of questions over his head this prior campaign as he was unable to replicate his defensive success with the Pistons and Clippers.
Nevertheless, he’s a major pick up for any team willing to sign him, as he’s able to play and guard as much as 3 different spots on the court, and he could even start at the shooting guard spot for any contender.
4. Trevor Ariza
Trevor Ariza has made a name for himself for being one of the best 3 and D players in the world ever since winning the Chip with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he’s going to have to give up a lot of money in order to either stay with Houston or sign with another contender.
He’s shown no signs of slowing down whatsoever and is one of the most hardworking guys in the league. He takes charges, set picks, pulls up from three and is an underrated passer as well, and he should have plenty of offers this summer.
3. JJ Redick
JJ Redick provided the Philadelphia 76ers with a much needed offensive boost at the shooting guard spot this season but he’s going to have to settle for less more money this year, either to stay put with them or sign elsewhere.
Either way, he’s still on his prime and should draw a lot of interest as a free agent this season, being one of the most reliable scorers in the league, especially during crunch time when he tends to peak.
2. Dwyane Wade
Well, this may seem unlikely, as Dwyane Wade stated that he felt quite odd playing outside of the Miami Heat, but even though, that doesn’t mean he’s not going to get a lot of offers from contending sides this season.
Wade proved over and over that he can still be a major two-way factor even if it is coming off the bench, and he would really love to have the opportunity to win a 4th NBA Championship before calling it a career.
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1. Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo has already won an NBA Championship but his competitive nature and determination to get things done may motivate him to give up on the money and sign for a contending team this season.
He played very well throughout the entire campaign with the Pelicans in both ends of the hardwood, even locking down Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum on defense during the playoffs, and he hasn’t lost any of his vast playmaking skills.
