The Worst NBA Players Right Now

If you’re in the NBA, you’re not a bad basketball player. In fact, you’re statistically elite by just about any tangible measurement. Out of the countless millions who have ever played the game, only 491 guys could say they were in the Association at the start of this season. You don’t have to be a math genius to figure out how tough it is to make it there.

That said, every year's group has a bell curve in talent, and somebody’s got to be at the bottom end of that curve. Even within the most elite groups, some are better than others. For example: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry are some of the richest guys in the world. But on the one-percent spectrum, they’re peasants compared to guys like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates. Does that mean they aren’t rich though? Of course not.

The same goes for bad NBA players: They’re the worst of the best.

Some of the guys on this list are guys you’ve probably never heard of. Others are guys who were once great but are now on the back end of their careers. And others were stupidly given big contracts by overpaying teams (usually the Lakers) and thus draw scorn from fans for not living up to the big bucks when they play.

Most lists only focus on the best: the best players, the best teams, the best sneakers, etc. This one is a little bit different, and probably offers some of the people on here the only chance they’ve had to be on any sort of list in quite some time. So without further ado, here are the 13 worst players in the NBA right now. As Stephen A. Smith might say, these guys are “bona-fide scrubs.”

Just remember, though: They’re still great basketball players. Like, the best in the world.

Team: Bucks

2017-18 Stats: 1.5 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.6 APG

The 40-year-old Terry is one of just three NBA players remaining who played in the ’90s; Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki are the other two.

Does that make you feel old?

Well, you probably don’t feel as old as the state of Terry’s game. He’s a far cry from the sharpshooter he was on the Hawks and Mavericks back in the day; he averages just 1.5 points per game for the Bucks. It’s reasonable to believe that this may be Terry’s last season — and perhaps the last year the NBA will have players from the ’90s suiting up.

Team: Knicks

2017-18 Stats: 2.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 APG

The notion of Joakim Noah being one of the NBA’s worst players was unfathomable just four seasons ago. That year, Noah won Defensive Player of the Year, made his second consecutive All-Star team and finished fourth in MVP voting.

Then he went to the Knicks.

“Then he went to the Knicks” is pretty much the kiss of death for NBA stars’ careers. Just ask Eddy Curry. Things have gone downhill fast for Noah since inking a four-year, $72 million deal with New York last season. For illustration, here’s a side-by-side comparison of his 2013-14 statline and his line from last season: 2013-14: 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 5.4 SPG, 1.5 BPG 2016-17: 5.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG Things have been even worse this season, as Noah has played in just two games following a drug suspension early in the season. The Knicks are still slated to pay Noah another $37.8 million beyond this year; you can thank Phil Jackson for that.

Team: Lakers

2017-18 stats: 2.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 1.0 APG

Much like Noah, Deng was a fixture with the Bulls for years, and earned two All-Star nods along the way. Much like Noah, Deng inked a lucrative four-year deal during the 2016 offseason. And much like Noah, Deng had a career-worst 2016-17 season across several stats, including scoring below double-figures for the first time in his 14-year career. And much like Noah, you guessed it: He’s been a healthy scratch for pretty much the entire 2017-2018 season.

He has played in just one game, as the Lakers prioritize playing their younger players. Deng is currently seeking a buyout to go somewhere where he can actually play. But if none is found, the Lakers still owe him $36.8 million over the next two seasons.

Team: Nets

2017-18 stats: 4.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.4 BPG

Another great signing by the Lakers.

Teams have been trying to unlock potential in the Russian bigman for years. The Knicks took him on as a project, then the Nuggets took him on in the Carmelo Anthony trade, then Cavs GM LeBron James David Griffin bought him on in Cleveland. And then the Lakers inexplicably signed him to a four-year, $64 million deal last offseason.

Looking at his career stats, it’s pretty clear that the 31-year-old might has probably already hit his ceiling. He still has another two years on his deal though, so that should give him ample opportunity for playing time and redemption.

Team: Hawks

2017-18 Stats: 3.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.6 APG

Unlike his brother Mason, Miles has not established himself as a formidable NBA player after a standout career at Duke. The former first-rounder has averaged more than five points per game just once in his entire career, and is averaging only 3.7 this year.

But thanks to the fact he’s playing for the league-worst Hawks, he has become somewhat of a regular starter. So he has another chance to prove himself — although at 29 years of age, he’s probably done everything he could do.

Team: Nets

2017-18 Stats: 3.7 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.4 APG

Stauskas was just sent to Brooklyn in the Jahlil Okafor trade, and he actually dropped 22 points off the bench in his first game there. So maybe he’ll be off this list soon.

But he remains for now, as he has never lived up to the hype of his No. 8 draft selection in 2014. His Nets debut more than tripled his points per game average this season, from 0.7 to 3.7. He hardly came off the bench before being traded by the Sixers, and has been largely ineffective over his three NBA seasons. Maybe this changes with the Nets, though.

Team: Bulls

2017-18 Stats: 4.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.6 APG

Felicio has a -26.0 net rating, which is the differential of the estimated points scored and allowed by the player per 100 possessions. This is the worst mark of any NBA player with at least 20 games played this year, per NBA.com.

These aren’t Jordan’s Bulls.

Team: Bulls

2017-18 Stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.4 APG

Another exhibit in “these aren’t Jordan’s Bulls,” Pondexter is averaging career lows in just about every major category. He missed the last two seasons with knee injuries, which have robbed him of much of the skill that made the swingman a solid role player with the Grizzlies.

Team: Thunder

2017-18 Stats: 3.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG

Singler is basically an afterthought on a stacked Thunder team, and for good reason: He’s averaged just 3.3 points per game since being traded to OKC in 2015. He showed some promise early in his career with Detroit, but it’s looking very much like that promise will go unfulfilled.

Wonder how many Duke fans have been triggered by seeing Plumlee and Singler on this list.

Team: Lakers

2017-18 Stats: 2.6 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.7 APG

Remember that time Corey Brewer scored 51 points? He may go down as the most random 50-point scorer in NBA history. Brewer was a one-hit wonder, and that was his “Baby Got Back.” The rest of his career has been like the rest of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s discography.

Brewer had some solid seasons for the Timberwolves, but he never really lived up to the hype that surrounded his historic college career at Florida — or his seventh overall draft selection. At this point, he’s just washed up.

Team: Thunder

2017-18 Stats: 1.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.6 APG

Collison has been with the Thunder since 2003, dating back to the Ray Allen/Rashard Lewis Sonics days. The only players who have been with their respective teams longer than Collision has been with Seattle/OKC are Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. That’s a pretty impressive list to be on.

This list of worst NBA players, however, is one he’ll probably leave off his resume.

Team: Pacers

2017-18 Stats: 1.2 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.4 APG

Another former Sonic, Wilkins has spent more time with Seattle than he has for any of the other five NBA teams he’s been with.

That’s how old he is.

The 37-year-old was out of the NBA for four years prior to this season, bouncing around between the G-League and overseas. He actually found success in both of those stops: He was a G-League All-Star in 2015 and was the MVP of the FIBA Americas League Grand Finals. At the rate things are going, it’s looking like Wilkins will be playing outside of the NBA again next year.

Team: Raptors

2017-18 Stats: 0.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.5 APG

Half-point averages are never a good look. There’s not really much more that I can say here — these numbers say it all.

Team: Heat

2017-18 Stats: 0.7 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.7 APG

Yes, Haslem is still playing. Yes, Haslem is still playing for the Heat. At this point, the only value Haslem brings to the team is sentimental: He’s the only player the Heat still have from their 2006 championship team. Or their 2012 and 2013 championship teams, for that matter.

That bandwagon died fast.

The fact that Haslem isn’t averaging even single-figures in any major category this year tells you how far his game has fallen. He needs to play in just 23 more games to pass Dwyane Wade for the most in Heat franchise history, but that’s looking very much like an uphill battle — he’s played in only three all season.