Stephen A. Smith Lists His Top-5 NBA Players Worthy Of Max Deals
The NBA is full of elite players that demand top dollar on the open market.
That is why the NBA has max contracts.
Depending on what certain players achieve throughout the year, they can be eligible for a max contract.
Some players receive max contracts even when they are not worthy, while others are worth even more than the max contract allows.
Stephen A. Smith came out with a list of players that are deserving of a max contract.
The five names he came up with may surprise many people.
.@stephenasmith‘s top players worthy of max deals:
1. Steph Curry
2. LeBron James
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Luka Dončić
5. Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/kmE4ZD8MK4— First Take (@FirstTake) May 31, 2023
It is impossible to argue with the first three names on the list.
Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are worthy of any contract.
But, where some people are hesitant is with Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum.
Despite being one of the most unique players in the league, Doncic failed to take his team to the playoffs this past season.
Even so, it is impossible to doubt how great he is when on the floor.
Meanwhile, Tatum certainly turned some fans off with his performance in the playoffs.
Boston was a massive favorite to win the Eastern Conference once Milwaukee got eliminated.
Instead, they flopped in a Game 7 at home to the Miami Heat.
There is no question Tatum is a great regular-season player.
But, his performances in the Celtics’ last two playoff runs were not All-NBA caliber.
The one name that Smith did not put on his list is Nikola Jokic.
But, Jokic will continue to fly under the radar even as his team gets set for the NBA Finals.