The most expensive contracts in NBA history

Heading to the latest NBA off-season, we knew this year’s free agency would be interesting. Not only did many talented players hit the market, but the salary cap increase for this season has ballooned to a whopping $94.1 million thanks to increased revenue from various TV deals. So, even the unworthy ones who just hit the market at the right time could be swimming in the dough. 

Image source: cheatsheet.com

With that in mind, here’s the top 10 most expensive contracts in NBA history. 

10. Anthony Davis 

Contract: Five years, $127.2 million 

Team: New Orleans Pelicans 

Years: 2016–20 

9. Bradley Beal 

Contract: Five years, $127.2 million 

Team: Washington Wizards 

Years: 2016–20 

8. Gordon Hayward 

Contract: Four years, $128 million 

Team: Boston Celtics 

Years: 2017–20 

7. Kobe Bryant

Contract: Seven years, $136.4 million 

Team: Los Angeles Lakers 

Years: 2004–10

6. DeMar DeRozan 

 Contract: Five years, $139 million 

Team: Toronto Raptors 

Years: 2016–20 

  5. Damian Lillard 

Contract: Five years, $139.9 million 

Team: Portland Trail Blazers 

Years: 2016–20 

4. Mike Conley 

Contract: Five years, $153 million 

Team: Memphis Grizzlies 

Years: 2016–20 

3. Blake Griffin

Contract: Five years, $173 million 

Team: Los Angeles Clippers 

Years: 2017–21 

2. Stephen Curry 

Contract: Five years, $201 million 

Team: Golden State Warriors 

Years: 2017–21

1. James Harden 

Contract: Six years, $228 million (technically, a four-year, $170 million extension on top of existing contract) 

Team: Houston Rockets 

Years: 2019–22 

Image source : cheatsheet.com

Hi, I’m Michael T. Eckhardt. A sports guy from Miami, Florida. Visit my blog to know more.

Weekend Marathon: The Best Movies About Sports

One of the biggest draws of sports is their unpredictability. Sure, you can make predictions, but the decision will still depend on how the game plays out. Sports upsets are one of my favorites; the Warriors blowing the 3-1 lead is still fresh from memory. It’s one of those fairytale games you can only see in Hollywood movies. Which brings me to films that highlight sports. Yes, we know it’s scripted, but we still get thrills whenever the clock winds down, and it’s up to the hands of our hero to make the last shot.

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Here are the best movies about sports that you ought to watch.

1. Creed (2016)

Creed is the best movie in the “Rocky” franchise. It’s a story about Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), who never knew his famous father, boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Though he wasn’t aware of his father’s legend, boxing is in his blood, so he looks for Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and asks him to be his trainer.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a veteran boxing trainer out of Los Angeles who keeps almost everyone at arm’s length, except Eddie “Scrap Iron” Dupris (Morgan Freeman), an old friend and associate. When Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) arrived at Frankie’s gym seeking mentorship, he was reluctant at first, but eventually trained her. They formed a close bond that will ultimately transform them both.

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Moneyball (2012)

The movie, based on a true story, is the best of them all. It’s about Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), general manager of Oakland A’s. Facing with a tight budget, he must reinvent his team by outsmarting the richer ball clubs.

Hi, I’m Michael T. Eckhardt, a sportsman from Miami, Florida. Visit my blog to know more about sports.

Looking Back: What Really Happened During Michael Jordan’s Flu Game

Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” was one of the most impressive basketball performance by an individual player. It emphasizes Jordan’s drive for greatness. He was so competitive he didn’t want to back down even while ill. That game was crucial. It was the 1995 Finals where the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz had 2 wins a piece. Jordan recorded 38 points as the Bulls won, 90-88, sending the series back to Chicago where they won the championship behind yet another excellent performance by Jordan.

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But recent information suggests that the flu virus didn't even cause the “Flu Game.” Tim Grover, Jordan’s trainer, explained in an April 18, 2013 Chicago Sun-Times interview.

“So we order a pizza, they come to deliver it, five guys come to deliver this pizza. And I’m just … I take the pizza, and I tell them, I said, ‘I got a bad feeling about this.’ I said, ‘I just got a bad feeling about this.’ Out of everybody in the room, he was the only one that ate. Nobody else … then 2 o’clock in the morning, I get a call to my room. I come to the room, he’s curled up, he’s curled up in the fetal position. We’re looking at him. We’re finding the team physician at that time. And immediately I said, ‘It’s food poisoning.’ Guaranteed. Not the flu.”

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Poisoned or sick, Jordan played one of the most impressive performances in sports history.

Hi, I’m Michael T. Eckhardt. Follow me on Google+ where I regular share sports updates and insights.

Tim Hardaway And His Killer Cross-Over

The 90s of the NBA had a surplus of some of the most talented players, who didn’t seem to belong to their time. Some of them had uncanny strength. Others had a pair of hawk eyes sharp enough to shoot from way beyond the arc and even make the ball swish through the basket. Some of them had signature moves which were simple and effective, just like the Miami Heat’s Tim Hardaway.

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The Miami Heat point guard had the all-around skills of a complete basketball player who could bring down the ball and set up his teammates. But when it mattered, he could create for himself by taking opponents one-on-one with the deadliest crossover in NBA history.

He had with him a number of advantages that made this possible. He was relatively short and stocky, like a football player, and this was rare to come along with a lightning first step that he had. There were many contemporaries who were fairly competent with the crossover, but it was only Tim Hardaway who could do this without carrying the ball.

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He nonchalantly dribbled his way, letting his feet do the work as his shifty neck kept his man’s defense guessing down to the last split second. And then, that’s how he would break ankles.

This killer crossover is something out of this world, a move that even Michael Jordan couldn’t do as well as Tim Hardaway did repeatedly.

I am Michael T. Eckhardt and I love sports. I live in Miami and I cheer for the Miami Heat. To get more updates on Miami’s hottest teams in sports, please read this blog.