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The plus/minus rating is fairly new to the NBA, but it has been around forever in the NHL. For hockey, when a team is at even-strength or shorthanded and they score a goal, the players on the ice at the time see their plus/minus total go up by one; while those on the ice for the opposing team, their total goes down by one.
For the NBA, the plus/minus stat is a new phenomenon as the league started to use it around 2012 and now uses it as an official statistic. It works just like it does in hockey if you're on the court your team scoring, it's a +2 or +3; while the opposing team's players get a -2 or -3.
This article will take a look at five players in the NBA this season with a surprisingly bad plus/minus rating. For a statistical reference, the best plus/minus rating in the NBA currently is held by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors with a +11.7 average per game. Worst in the league (with playing a majority of the team's games this season) is Wesley Matthews of the Dallas Mavericks who is averaging a -11.0.
Continue on to see five surprising NBA players with terrible plus/minus ratings on the season so far (as of before Wednesday nights games).
#5 De'Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings (-7.5) - Ranked #444
Sacramento Kings rookie De'Aaron Fox is starting his NBA career with a terrible plus/minus rating. The fifth pick of the 2017 NBA Draft has a -7.5 plus/minus, and only seven players in the NBA who have played in at least 16 games this season have a worse plus/minus rating.
In what will be a common theme on this list, Fox comes from a team with one of the worst records in the NBA. The Kings are currently 6-15 on the year and only the Dallas Mavericks have a worse record.
#4 Rudy Gobert - Utah Jazz (-4.4) - Ranked #386
Rudy Gobert had a breakout year last season as he was on the second team All-NBA, and on the NBA All-Defensive First Team. He also led the league in blocks, but this season his plus/minus rating is surprisingly low at -4.4.
The only difference with Gobert compared to the rest of the players on this list is the fact that he's not on a terrible team. The Jazz are currently 10-11 sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference.
#3 Josh Jackson - Phoenix Suns (-6.5) - Ranked #432
Josh Jackson is the second rookie that was taken in the top five of the 2017 NBA Draft to make this list. Unfortunately, with Jackson on the floor, he's earning a -6.5 plus/minus rating on the young season.
When it comes to the plus/minus rating, maybe it is a statistic that takes some time for rookies to excel in as there are others with a bad rating such as Dennis Smith Jr. (-6.9) and second-year players Buddy Hield (-5.5) and Kris Dunn (-5.7).
Being on a poor team is a factor as the Phoenix Suns are only 8-14 on the season.
#2 Marc Gasol - Memphis Grizzlies (-4.3) - Ranked #383
Marc Gasol's disdain for former Memphis Grizzlies' head coach David Fizdale was very public, especially after being benched in the fourth quarter for their eighth straight loss last week. The loss led to the firing of Fizdale as they're in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
The eight-straight losses have dropped Memphis to a 7-12 record; while Gasol is surprisingly sporting a -4.3 plus/minus rating. The three-time NBA All-Star will hope the team rebounds under new leadership for the remaining three-quarters of the season.
#1 Dennis Schroder - Atlanta Hawks (-6.2) - Ranked #427
Usually, a starting point guard is supposed to give the team a spark from leading by example on defense and energizing the offense. Unfortunately for Dennis Schroder, the plus/minus is telling a different story.
On the season the Atlanta Hawks have a record of 4-16, and only the Chicago Bulls are worse in the league. The plus/minus might be terrible (-6.2) but his stats have been decent on the year averaging 19.7 PPG and 6.8 APG.
