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Worst individual season relative to salary in NBA history? (alien.top)

submitted 11 months ago by OkKindheartedness769@alien.top to c/nba@nba.space

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In 2015-16 Kobe had the highest salary in the league at $25 million.

He put up 17.5/4/3 with the 4th highest usage rate that year playing around 28 MPG. Shooting splits of 36/28/83 for the 7th lowest TS% in the league. Meanwhile, the lakers finished bottom of the West with a 17-65 record.

Looking at advanced metrics: 2nd worst plus minus per game, 4th worst defensive box plus minus, 7th lowest win shares and 2nd lowest WS/48 (both negative) and all of which are the worst among Lakers players that year.

I understand he was injured and it was a farewell tour but purely from a production relative to salary perspective is this the worst season by a player ever or would it still be better than e.g a star being injured all year or refusing to play but making the max.

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[–] lol125000@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Ye that is the one. Kobe was a clear net negative, but on a tanking team it doesnt matter that much. But his "farewell tour" made Lakers watchable and boosted ticket sales and merch sales.

Wall was tied #2 highest salary (Steph 1, Harden had same salary as JW) and he made Rockets not clearly worse, but did not boost sales whatsoever. so he was stuck cos he was one of most negative assets in the league (he still had PO year left at this point, which he obviously took) and was untradable and useless for tanking team so he sat.