Basketball fans are always willing to give their opinion on the best in the game but one thing that doesn’t seem to be talked about nearly as much is the number of NBA players that disappoint every season. The best in the game are rewarded with All-NBA nominations and every year there is a lot of talk about the breakout stars that have the potential to represent the next wave of elite talent but far too often those that struggle are completely overlooked. Here is a breakdown of the 2015 All-NBA Disappointment team so far this season based on the biggest underperformer at each position.
PG: Ty Lawson, Houston Rockets
Lawson was supposed to be the missing piece in Houston whose arrival signaled their ascension as a true NBA title contender this season but his numbers have regressed since he joined the Rockets and both his minutes and usage rate are down. Lawson has averaged just 6.4 points, 4.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game and his 37-percent field goal percentage isn’t pretty. That’s a hard fall for a guy that averaged 15.2 points, 9.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 44-percent from the field just one year ago with the Denver Nuggets and there hasn’t been any reason to expect him to turn things around any time soon for a Houston side that has been far too inconsistent so far this season.
SG: Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks’ sharpshooting guard was an All-Star just one year ago but he disappointed in last year’s playoffs and his struggles have carried over to this season. The biggest issue has been a 36.2-percent three-point shooting percentage that is a career worst and it appears it has a lot to do with his psychological approach since he is shooting under 33-percent on wide-open three-point attempts this season. Korver has averaged just 7.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 three-point shot per game this season and that is a steep decline after he averaged 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 three-point shots per game last season.
SF: Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
Johnson is getting up there at 34-years-old and there was reason to expect some regression based on age and the fact that the talent around him isn’t what it was even a year ago but the veteran wing has struggled even more than most expected for the Nets this season. Johnson has averaged 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 three-point shots per game and while those averages aren’t much worse than what he produced a year ago the fact that he hasn’t been able to step up and play at a higher level for a Brooklyn side that has really struggled this season has been a major disappointment for the team and its fans.
PF: Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are still searching for an identity as they no longer look like the dominant defensive team that they were in past years and Randolph in particular has struggled to fit in at both ends of the floor. Playing with Marc Gasol isn’t easy and Randolph’s averages have decreased across the board. His points per game are down from 16.1 to 13.7, his rebounds per game from 10.5 to 8.3 and he has struggled to consistently post double-doubles with only nine so far this season. Memphis is still trying to figure things out at both ends of the floor and it will really help them if Randolph can step up and play at the level he did last season the rest of the way.
C: Tyson Chandler, Phoenix Suns
Injuries have been a big part of the disappointment for Chandler as a hamstring injury cost him eight games and even when healthy he has struggled to adjust to life in Phoenix. It certainly doesn’t help that the Suns want to run the ball so much and remain a perimeter-oriented offense but the fact that Chandler is a net minus player at both ends of the floor hurts. Chandler has averaged just 5.3 points and 7.3 rebounds this season compared to 10.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game a year ago with the Dallas Mavericks and it won’t be a surprise at all if the struggling Suns decide to move him while they can still get something for him if they continue to slide down the Western Conference standings.
