The regular season still has a few more games to go, but it is not too early to talk about which are the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year. No, we are not looking at terrible teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, we are looking at those teams that really should have been better – perhaps even playoff worthy – yet didn’t take that step, and in lots of cases fell flat on their face. These are the teams that will have a lot of decision to make in the offseason about who stays and who goes.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls, led by new coach , were supposed to be a different team this season. They were supposed to push the pace and move away from being that grind-it-out type of defensive team. And they also wanted to get away from being overly reliant on the health of guard Derrick Rose. They succeeded in being different, but the winning has faded to the point that with only a couple of games left, they are on the outside of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. And they are still getting decimated by injuries to Rose and others. The hope was that firing Tom Thibodeau would unchain this team and open them up offensively. Instead, they have regressed in a noticeable way and likely won’t even be in the playoffs this year.
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles knew they were not going to be very good as Kobe Bryant rode off into the sunset. What they didn’t know is that he would be terrible and they would dealing with Bro Code violations in the locker room. Early on, this team was just awful and now they are a mess. Ignoring the record, it’s hard to like the way this team is put together and now they’re supposed cornerstone piece, second overall pick D’Angelo Russell, is turning out to be a total goofball. These are the Lakers. Things are not supposed to get this dark in the City of Angels.
Phoenix Suns
What are the Phoenix Suns? If you can answer that question, you should probably be running that group because I don’t think they even know. This team seems completely without an identity right now. They might have a couple of nice pieces on the perimeter but it’s hard to find anyone on their roster over 6’6” who is an impact player in the NBA. Small ball may be the rage, but you have to have more than that. If you watch the Warriors, they are effective in the post on offense and defense. They just do it without a traditional hulk.
Houston Rockets
Most probably don’t remember, but the Rockets made it to the conference finals last season. Almost nobody expected that kind of run again this year, but right now they might not even qualify to even participate despite having one of the best players in the league in James Harden. Harden is a unique talent, but even he has not been able to get this group to be more than a .500 team. Heck, one of their players just interviewed for a college coaching gig. How is that for focus? This team is on the fringe and nobody cares.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks surprised last year, making the playoffs and looking like a team on the rise in the East. This year, a healthier, deeper team should have been right in the mix in the middle of the conference, not out of the race the last few months of the season. This is a young group and they seem to finally be grasping that they play best when the “Greek Freak” is running the show. Having a 6’11” point guard is not the norm, but it gives them the best chance to win. The addition of Greg Monroe and others was supposed to make this team significantly better. Instead, they’re again a franchise searching for an identity.
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