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10 Athletes Who Mailed It in After Signing a Big Contract

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10 Athletes Who Mailed It in After Signing a Big Contract

10 Athletes Who Mailed It In After Signing a Big Contract
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With every big contract in sports, there is a huge risk taken by the organization offering it. Will the player live up to the money being paid out to them? Time always tells, and the following are 10 athletes who did not live up to their deals with their play.

10. Steve Nash, L.A. Lakers

10. Steve Nash
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

10. Steve Nash, L.A. Lakers

10. Steve Nash
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Steve Nash, after a stellar career with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, came to the L.A. Lakers with hopes of adding experience and talent to a "stacked" team that had Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant. All he has added is his name to the injury report, and has collected millions. That includes the $ 10 million the Lakers will pay him to watch court side for the entire 2014-15 season.

9. Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies

9. Mike Hampton
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9. Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies

9. Mike Hampton

Mike Hampton was signed in 2000 by the Colorado Rockies and was supposed to be part of a huge overhaul by the Rockies to slow down opponents bats in the run-happy Coors Field they calls home. It turned out to be a giant waste of money, as Hampton was given an eight-year, $ 121 million contract to go 21-28 over two years. That, along with his ERA over those two years of 5.41 and 6.15, forced the Rockies to trade him in Year 3.

8. Scott Gomez, N.Y.Rangers

8. Scott Gomez
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8. Scott Gomez, N.Y. Rangers

8. New York Rangers Scott Gomez
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Scott Gomez was signed by the New York Rangers for $ 51.5 million in 2007. The Rangers began to think it was a mistake when he only produced around 30 goals over his first two seasons -- not exactly All-Star numbers for the All-Star contract he signed. Sadly, that was the best he would play for them, or arguably any other team. He was traded in 2009 to Montreal and never played up to the big money he signed for.

7. Javon Walker, Oakland Raiders

7. Javon Walker, Oakland Raiders
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7. Javon Walker, Oakland Raiders

7. Javon Walker, Oakland Raiders
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Javon Walker was signed by the Raiders in 2008 to a six-year, $ 55 million contract. The Raiders liked what they saw in Walker while he was in Green Bay, where he had put up good numbers alongside Brett Favre. Unfortunately for Oakland, it didn't continue for the Raiders, as his totals for the two years he played there were 15 catches for 195 yards and only one touchdown. He was released before the 2010 season.

6. Carl Pavano, N.Y. Yankees

6. Carl Pavano, N.Y. Yankees
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6. Carl Pavano, N.Y. Yankees

6. Carl Pavano, N.Y. Yankees
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Signed in 2004 by the Yankees for four years and $ 39.95 million, Pavano was an immediate letdown. Coming in hot off an All-Star year with the Florida Marlins, Pavano was expected to be a huge difference-maker. In the four years he played for New York, he was on the DL for some period of time every year, which earned him the dubious nickname "American Idle." When he did show up, he played bad, with ERA's of 4.77, 4.76 and 5.77.

5. Sean Avery, Dallas Stars

5. Sean Avery, Dallas Stars
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5. Sean Avery, Dallas Stars

5. Sean Avery, Dallas Stars
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Sean Avery was one of those free-agent busts who didn't necessarily break the bank, signing "only" for $ 15.5 million for four years. But when you consider he was more known during his time in Dallas for commenting negatively about NHL player Dion Phaneuf's girlfriend than his play, then it becomes clear that Avery was a huge waste of money. He was waived not too long after the comments.

4. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers

4. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
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4. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers

4. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
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Jermaine O' Neal signed a huge seven-year, $ 126 million deal with the Pacers after he gave them a glimpse of his talent in 2003, averaging a double-double while playing a huge role in the Pacers' Conference Finals appearance that year. Once he signed on the dotted line, however, he regressed badly. Injury prone and appearing to have lost a step, after four years, he was shipped off to Toronto, and then Miami.

3. Andruw Jones, L.A.Dodgers

3. Andruw Jones, L.A.Dodgers
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3. Andruw Jones, L.A.Dodgers

3. Andruw Jones, L.A.Dodgers
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Somehow seeing something in Andruw Jones that the Atlanta Braves didn't, and having money to throw away apparently, the Dodgers brought him in at the end of 2007 for $ 36.2 million over two years. To no one's real surprise, Jones continued where he had let off in Atlanta, batting .158 with three homers in 2008. It was so bad that the Dodgers were forced to look again for a CF, finding Matt Kemp and erasing the memory of Jones.

2. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins

2. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins
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2. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins

2. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins
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Arguably the best known free-agent flop in sports, the Redskins brought in Haynesworth in 2009 after his stellar career start in Tennessee. Possibly overreacting to the rumors that Haynesworth would be scooped up quickly by another NFL team, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder overpaid Haynesworth with a seven-year, $ 100 million contract, $ 41 million guaranteed. Haynesworth was a cancer in the locker room, and underperformed badly on the field.

1. Jamarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders

1. Jamarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders
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1. Jamarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders

1. Jamarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders
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Jamarcus Russell, the only NFL player who could make fans forget about Ryan Leaf. Russell signed as the No. 1 draft pick of the Raiders for a $ 61 million contract with $ 32 million guaranteed. After a bad rookie season, he never got any better. The Raiders' return for the $ 32 million they paid was 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and 4,000 yards, which equaled a career passer rating of 65.2. Definitely one of the biggest snow jobs in pro sports.

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