Top 'Black Friday' Contracts In Professional Sports
The day after Thanksgiving, better known as Black Friday, is a time which shoppers stand in long lines and fight huge crowds to get the best deals of the year.
In the spirit of big deals and spending more money than expected because, heck, how can you pass up on the 60 percent off 40 inch tv, here are the best money saving deals in professional sports:
MLB: Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays, $4.3 million
For Oakland Athletics fans, this one may sting a bit. The 2015 American League MVP is hands-down the biggest bargain in MLB.
Donaldson was not only the best player on the Blue Jays, but he was the best player in the entire American League. His .297 average, 41 homers, and 123 RBI helped lead his team to a division title and into the ALCS.
Logically, you would think the best player in the league would be one of the highest, right? Not in this case. Donaldson isn't even close to the highest paid player on his team. His $4.3 million salary was good for the ninth highest on his team.
Just to drill it home, the last two A.L. MVPs, Miguel Cabrera (2013) and Mike Trout (2014), earned $22 million and $5.25 million respectively in 2015.
NBA: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, $11.37 million
Again, the current MVP of the league just so happens to have the best contract as well.
Curry has been the hottest player in the NBA for the last season and a half. His crafty dribbling, lights out shooting, and his on-court swagger has made him the talk of all sports conversations.
The MVP isn't in the top 10 of salaries, he's not in the top 25, he isn't even in the top 50. He is the 65th ranked player when it comes to the top paid players in 2015-16.
Amir Johnson, JaVale McGee, and Josh Smith are all among the 64 players who are getting paid more than Curry.
Who's getting paid the most in the NBA, you ask? Well, your answer is Kobe Bryant at $25 million. He's getting paid $14 million more than Curry and averaging 17 points per game less than the MVP.
Makes a lot of sense, huh?
NFL: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals, $7.38 million
The veteran quarterback is playing at an MVP level this season and is in the discussion for the award with Cam Newton and Tom Brady.
Palmer will actually make about $11.5 million this season, however, only $7.38 million of that will count towards the team's salary cap.
He is having one of the best years of his career with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions in just 10 games played this season.
The Cardinals currently sit atop the NFC West with a record of 8-2.
Palmer is tied for 107th in the league for the highest salary cap hits this season. The other two MVP candidates, Brady and Newton, are ranked 24th and 27th respectively.
All three quarterbacks have incredibly discounted deals for the numbers and wins they produce on the field.
Quarterbacks with more of a cap hit in 2015 include Joe Flacco, Jay Cutler, Phillip Rivers.
NHL: Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars, $5.75 million
The Stars's left winger is currently first in the NHL in goals with 16 and second in overall points with 32. The only player ahead of him in points is Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks who has 34 points this season.
Patrick Kane is also tied for the biggest contract in the NHL making $10.5 million this season. Benn is putting up very similar numbers and making almost half the amount of Kane.
Benn ranks is tied for the 107th highest contract in the NHL and is the fifth highest paid player on the Stars.
All of the contract numbers were provided by Sportrac and Hoops hype.
