"People are paying big dollars. They deserve a show every night" - Moses Malone vowed to always play hard in 1982
Moses Malone was a hard-working player who gave his all each time he took the court. His work ethic was unlike any other, and that rewarded Moses with accolades and big paychecks.
For the 6-foot-10 big man, playing hard was a must. He owed it to the fans who shell out hard-earned money to watch quality games. Hence, Malone made sure that they got their money's worth.
"I just made up my mind I was going to play harder," said Malone in 1982 when he was still with the Houston Rockets. "Everybody is working harder. People are playing big dollars. They deserve a show every night."
In the 1981-82 season, Malone backed up those words. He averaged his career best in points at 31.1 points per game. Aside from that, Moses was also a monster off the boards, hauling down 14.7 rebounds per contest in the regular season.
With that performance, it was hardly surprising that he won his second Most Valuable Player award, having first won the award in 1979.
Moses strived to get better
Despite those huge numbers, Malone made it a point to get better. Although he admitted seeing improvements to his game, Big Mo felt he still had more to learn.
"'I feel I'm making more shots, getting stronger, getting older and getting wiser," the two-time MVP said. "There are lots of things you can learn from this game."
With Malone leading the way, the Rockets finished the regular season with a 46-36 record. This was enough for Houston to advance to the playoffs as the sixth seed. Unfortunately, the Seattle Supersonics eliminated them in the first round, 2-1.
Rockets' big mistake
Coming off a good performance in the 1981-82 season, Malone proved he deserved the big money he was getting from the Rockets. However, all that changed when the franchise was sold, and new owners felt his salary was not in their plans.
Moses signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia 76ers, a pact worth $13.2 million spread over six years. Houston matched it but traded Malone to the Sixers anyway.
The decision was costly for the Rockets, dealing away one of the dominant centers in that era. However, Houston's loss was Philadelphia's gain. Malone was joining a talented team that included Julius Erving, easily making the 76ers one of the top teams for the 1982-83 season.Malone and Erving meshed perfectly
Adding another superstar in Malone raised questions about whether he could co-exist with Erving. Moses made it clear that he joined Philly to win and not to steal the spotlight from Dr. J.
"I come here not declaring myself a superstar player," Malone said via the NYT. "I'm a hard-working player. Doc's a great player, and he wants to win like I do. That makes it easy for us to play together. I didn't come here to cause trouble and lose games."
With Malone hitting it off well with Erving, the Sixers finished the regular season with the best overall record (65-17) and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. With Philly rolling, Moses boldly predicted that they would sweep teams pitted against them in the playoffs.
Looking at the results of the 1983 playoffs, Malone's declaration almost came true. That was until the Milwaukee Bucks defeated them in Game 5 of the EC Finals, 100-94.
However, that loss hardly mattered. The Sixers got back on track and never lost again up to the finals. They swept the Los Angeles Lakers for the championship, the third title for the Sixers in franchise history.
The coming of Malone was undoubtedly the key to the 76ers winning the 1983 championship. Sixers coach Billy Cunningham and Erving admitted Big Mo provided that big lift, the missing piece for Philly after years of disappointment.
For Moses, it was the first and only championship of his NBA career. He could have won more, but there were factors beyond his control. Regardless, Malone had already established himself as one of the best undersized big men at that point, which is why he earned his spot among the NBA greats.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
NFL Writer Floats Ex-Eagles QB as Option for NFC East Rival
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Contrary to popular belief around the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles haven't had many concerns at the quarterback position in quite some time. The Carson Wentz era seems like it was many moons ago. These days, Wentz is a free agent, while the guy who replaced him is the league's most recent Super Bowl MVP. Could the former Eagles first-rounder find another backup job in the NFC East division with the Dallas Cowboys? One NFL writer suggests Wentz as one of three potential backup candidates for Dak Prescott. Wouldn't that be ironic? "Carson Wentz was once seen as the savior for the Eagles," On SI's Randy Gurzi wrote. "Still, he would make sense considering he has 94 career starts in the regular season and one in the playoffs. He's also the only one on this list who is currently a free agent." Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs off of the field prior to an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys on December 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs off of the field prior to an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys on December 27, 2020 in Arlington, Wentz-Prescott rivalry was short-lived. Although Prescott is the clear winner, looking back, it was a close battle for a brief stint. Just as Wentz was beginning to hit his stride, having an MVP-caliber year in 2017, the quarterback went down with a torn ACL. At the time, Wentz had an 11-2 record with 2,396 yards and 33 touchdowns in 13 games. From that point on, he went from an MVP candidate to a guy who lost his job to a rookie within three years. Wentz attempted to get a fresh start as a starting quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Commanders, but he lost both of those jobs. Over the past two seasons, Wentz played backup for the Los Angeles Rams and then the Kansas City Chiefs. Read More: AJ Brown's Injury Woes Keep Him Off the Field at Eagles Practice The Cowboys' trade for the second-year passer Joe Milton was supposed to take them out of the market for a backup QB behind Prescott. With several weeks of training camp and two preseason games in the books, Milton just might be slipping as the surefire No. 2 behind Prescott. Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer hasn't named a backup just yet. The fact that the Cowboys still have to question it this late in the preseason is a sign that the QB room is not as strong as the team had hoped. The Cowboys aren't known to be scanning the backup market just yet, but Wentz could be a name to keep an eye on if Milton's struggles persist. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Worst NFL Contracts 2025: Identifying the Worst Contracts in the NFL Right Now
What is the worst NFL contract? Two of the worst moves in NFL history will be the Cleveland Browns' decision to trade for Deshaun Watson and then sign him to a fully-guaranteed contract extension. While all the other moves in recent years pale in comparison to that disaster class, there are still plenty of bad contracts in the NFL right now. Let's dive into our list of the worst NFL contracts right now. 1. Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns The Deshaun Watson contract is the worst in NFL history, of course. He won't play in 2025, recovering from a torn Achilles that he somehow re-ruptured in January. So, three years after signing him to a five-year contract worth $230 million, all of it guaranteed at signing, here's what the Browns got for their money: a 9-10 record with an 80.7 QB rating and a 61.2 percent completion rate in 19 games. Put another way, that's $12.105 million per game. Watson will never play for the Browns again, and reporting has already indicated that Watson's NFL career is effectively over. Deshaun Watson contract (): $35.971 million cap hit (2025), $80.716 million cap hit (2026), $25.723 million dead cap (2027), $16.739 million dead cap (2028) 2. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott is an MVP-caliber negotiator. The fact that he currently has one of the worst NFL contracts is an indictment of the Dallas Cowboys' front office. Prescott's willingness to get uncomfortable in contract negotiations has allowed him to take complete advantage of Jerry Jones and Co. What's so remarkable, beyond the no-trade clause and no tag clause in the contract, is the fact that Prescott's $60 million average annual salary isn't close to being touched right now. Josh Allen ($55 million AAV) didn't even come near it with his newest extension. Prescott is arguably a top-10 quarterback, but Dallas paid him like he's Patrick Mahomes. Dak Prescott contract (): $50.518 million cap hit (2025), $74.068 million cap hit (2026), $68.385 million cap hit (2027), $78.385 million cap hit (2028) Related: 3. Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons One year later, the Atlanta Falcons have essentially been given a bit of a pass for using a top-10 pick on Michael Penix Jr. and shocking the NFL world. However, Penix becoming the starter so quickly only makes the Kirk Cousins contract look worse. It became evident almost immediately in 2024 that Cousins wasn't the same coming off a ruptured Achilles and that was in the first season of his four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. The 37-year-old is simply not a starting-caliber player anymore. A lone positive for Atlanta regarding this deal is that it can designate Cousins as a post-June 1 release in 2026, freeing up $25 million in cap savings. Of course, that'll leave a $32.5 million cap hit that year with $12.5 million in 2027. Kirk Cousins contract (): $40 million cap hit (2025), $57.5 million cap hit (2026), $57.5 million cap hit (2027) Related: 4. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers The Brandon Aiyuk contract making it on this list is tied to the uncertainty surrounding his return from injury. On August 30, 2024, the San Francisco 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year deal worth $120 million, a $30 million average annual value with $76 million guaranteed. On September 20, 2024, Aiyuk tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee. It is not realistic to expect him to return to All-Pro form in his first season back. If he never reaches that caliber of player again, which is a possibility, the earliest San Francisco could get out of the deal is 2027. However, that would come with a $21.247 million dead-cap charge if released before June 1, or that charge would be spread over 2027 ($8.338 million) and 2028 ($12.909 million) if he is a post-June 1 release. Brandon Aiyuk contract (): $9.917 million cap hit (2025), $15.39 million cap hit (2026), $41.449 million cap hit (2027), $43.325 million cap hit (2028), $14.545 million dead money (2029) 5. L'Jarius Sneed, CB, Tennessee Titans The L'Jarius Sneed contract backfired immediately for the Tennessee Titans. After acquiring him from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a third-round pick (66th overall, Ashton Gillotte), Tennessee signed him to a four-year contract worth $76.4 million. This made Sneed one of the league's highest-paid cornerbacks at a $19.1 million average annual value. In his first season with the Titans, Sneed allowed a 91.8 quarterback rating when targeted and a career-worst 7.4 yards per target. In his fifth game of the season, he suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury. He was also sued in April over a shooting at a car dealer's lot. Maybe he turns things around in 2025, but it is very doubtful. If he doesn't, Tennessee can cut him in the 2026 offseason and save $11.942 million. L'Jarius Sneed contract (): $22.577 million cap hit (2025), $20.057 million cap hit (2026), $20.457 million cap hit (2027) 6. Bradley Chubb, EDGE, Miami Dolphins Similar to Brandon Aiyuk, Bradley Chubb's deal is listed among the worst NFL contracts right now due to injury. He recorded 11 sacks and led the NFL in forced fumbles during the 2023 season, earning his three-year deal worth $54.49 million. Unfortunately, he tore the ACL, patellar tendon, and meniscus in his right knee in Week 17 of that year and missed the entire 2024 season. Chubb is back on the field this year, but it is uncertain how he will perform after that knee injury. Miami also cannot realistically get out of the contract until 2027. Bradley Chubb contract (): $12.327 million cap hit (2025), $31.202 million cap hit (2026), $31.535 million cap hit (2027) 7. Dan Moore Jr, OT, Tennessee Titans Dan Moore is a quality offensive tackle who should have a long career ahead of him as a starter. What the 27-year-old left tackle is not, however, is someone who should be paid like one of the best blindside protectors in football. Tennessee's desperation and a thin pool of quality tackles in NFL free agency forced this outcome. Moore is being paid like a top-10 left tackle, but he simply isn't that caliber of player. He'll be a solid starter, but his rising cap hits in the years to come are a bit of an issue. Dan Moore contract (): $10.875 million cap hit (2025), $26.7375 million cap hit (2026), $22.125 million cap hit (2027), $22.625 million cap hit (2028) 8. Aaron Banks, OG, Green Bay Packers Two of the worst NFL contracts in 2025 were signed this offseason. However, it's worth noting that the deal for these two offensive linemen isn't in the same weight class as some of the other albatross contracts on this list. The Green Bay Packers are making a big bet on guard Aaron Banks both staying healthy and turning the flashes of being a great starter on a few occasions with the 49ers into sustained excellence. Green Bay's track record with offensive linemen suggests it's at least possible, but they are putting Banks ($19.25 million AAV) in the same company as All-Pro guards Quenton Nelson ($20 million AAV) and Joe Thuney ($17.5 million AAV). Aaron Banks contract (): $9.032 million cap hit (2025), $24.85 million cap hit (2026), $22.25 million cap hit (2027), $20.75 million cap hit (2028) Related: 9. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers If Jalen Ramsey could still play like an All-Pro cornerback or if the Pittsburgh Steelers moved him to safety, this contract would be perfectly fine. Otherwise, this is not a great contract. While the cap hit this season is low, Pittsburgh will be paying Ramsey into his mid-30s, and his production over the last year-plus suggests that this is a poor long-term investment. At the earliest, the Steelers could likely get out of the deal in 2027. Jalen Ramsey contract (): $4.904 million cap hit (2025), $17.229 million cap hit (2026), $19.149 million cap hit (2027), $31.049 million cap hit (2028) Related: 10. Chase Young, EDGE, New Orleans Saints If a team other than the New Orleans Saints signed Chase Young to this contract, it probably would not make the list. However, New Orleans is a team that is at least two years away from playoff contention, and it could be three. While Young is only 26 years old, the Saints gave $33 million guaranteed to a player who multiple teams had concerns about regarding his motor and effort. New Orleans is likely to be a bottom-five NFL team through 2026, and now that Young secured a big payday, it would not be a major surprise if consistent effort became an issue again. Chase Young contract (): $6.842 million cap hit (2025), $20.502 million cap hit (2026), $23.672 million cap hit (2027), $9.072 million dead cap (2028) Related Headlines Cleveland Guardians Game Today: 2025 TV Schedule, Game Info, And Roster Raiders Daily: Ashton Jeanty Built for the NFL, Major Clarity at Key Position Battle Seattle Mariners Player Launches Bat at Opposing Pitcher in Wild Triple-A Scene
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
These 5 Longshot NFL MVP Candidates Offer Good Betting Value
These 5 Longshot NFL MVP Candidates Offer Good Betting Value originally appeared on The Spun. (Editor's note: This article is from The Spun by Athlon Sports' 2025 Football Betting Guide — the perfect preseason reference companion for new bettors or sharps alike. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.) An important thing to understand when betting in an awards market: It doesn't matter who you think will win; it only matter who voters are most likely to support. And in the case of the NFL MVP, history indicates those voters most likely will back a quarterback. Not only have quarterbacks won 70% of NFL MVP awards, but they've taken home the hardware 17 times in the last 18 seasons — including 12 years in a row. So when considering an MVP wager on a quarterback, ask yourself two questions: Can his team win its conference, and can he lead the league in touchdowns? You should be able to answer 'yes' to at least one of those questions before making any MVP bet. When it comes to MVP longshots for 2025, your best bets are NFC quarterbacks. For an AFC longshot to win, he and his team would have to outperform Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow. That's a daunting task. Therefore, it's far easier to emerge as the top quarterback on the best team in the NFC. With that said, here are five dark-horse candidates to win the NFL's MVP this season: Brock Purdy +2500 The 49ers seriously regressed in 2024. The year prior, though, Brock Purdy was neck and neck with Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in the MVP race heading into their Week 16 head-to-head tilt. Purdy imploded that night, throwing four interceptions in a 33-19 home loss. However, he's shown that he can play at an MVP level — a reason the 49ers gave him a $256 million extension in the offseason. San Francisco will enjoy the league's easiest schedule this season, which means it conceivably could contend for the top spot in the NFC. Which makes Purdy an intriguing MVP longshot bet. Jared Goff +3100 Detroit Jared Goff has joined the ranks of elite NFL passers. The problem with his 2025 MVP candidacy? His team's schedule, especially in the first half of the season. Seven of Detroit's first 10 opponents made the playoffs in 2024. The Lions also face the (seemingly improved) Bears and Bengals during that stretch, giving them nine contests against playoff-caliber teams through Week 11. Now you know why Goff's MVP price is higher than Purdy's: The latter has a much easier path to MVP contention. Baker Mayfield +3400 Baker Mayfield has posted numbers similar to Goff the last two seasons. However, the Tampa Bay quarterback has a much easier 2025 schedule — in large part because the NFC South is arguably the NFL's weakest division, while the NFC North is the toughest. Matthew Stafford +4000 The Rams' Matthew Stafford is getting up there in age, but it's not inconceivable that he could lead the league in touchdown passes this year — especially with a wide receiver corps headlined by a healthy Puka Nacua and veteran Davante Adams, who is an upgrade over Cooper Kupp. J.J. McCarthy +7500 The Vikings' J.J. McCarthy is a Hail Mary MVP longshot. Remember, though, head coach Kevin O'Connell's not only resurrected Sam Darnold in 2024, he got 14 wins and an MVP-quality season out of the former No. 1 pick. McCarthy, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, takes over a loaded offense. Also, his coach is one of the league's best play-callers. In other words, McCarthy has the potential to put up huge numbers for a legit playoff contender. These 5 Longshot NFL MVP Candidates Offer Good Betting Value first appeared on The Spun on Aug 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
