Not so long ago, Victor Oladipo was one of the most promising players in the NBA. He became an All-Star, was one of the league's leaders in steals, and looked poised to break out and fulfill his ceiling as a former 2nd overall pick.
And, even though injuries always seemed to get the best of him, Oladipo had clearly outgrown his small-market teams and was ready to take a step forward. That's why he continued to bet on himself over the years.
But, what happens when betting on yourself backfires mightily? (We're looking right at you, Dennis Schroder). In the following paragraphs, we're going to explain to you how Oladipo managed to become the biggest loser of free agency.
This Is How Victor Oladipo Lost Nearly $110 Million
Even after suffering multiple injuries and constant setbacks, the Indiana Pacers still saw Victor Oladipo as their franchise cornerstone. They wanted to keep him around for the long run and offered him a 4-year, $112 million contract.
Oladipo didn't think the Pacers were ready to make a championship push right away, so he gently declined their offer. Eventually, he was sent to the Houston Rockets as a part of the James Harden trade.
The Rockets were reluctant to enter rebuild mode at first and wanted to try and compete with the hand they were dealt. So, they offered Oladipo a 2-year, $45 million contract extension, which he also turned down.
Houston traded Oladipo to the Miami Heat for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, and a pick to avoid losing him for nothing. But once again, injuries caught up with him and he was only able to play 4 games at South Beach.
Fast-forward to free agency and Oladipo had to settle for a one-year, veteran minimum deal worth nearly $2.4 million to go back to the Heat next season. And that, my friends, is why you should never turn down $112 million.
