NBA History: 5 worst teams in the league over the last decade

So much has happened over the last decade. Big names have teamed up while others have built dynasties organically. While a lot of teams have risen and fallen, some teams have just stayed down for much of the decade. The Hornets, Hawks, Wizards, Suns, Pelicans—these are just some teams that have been bad the past years. But, are they also they also the worst teams this past decade?

As we start a new decade, let’s take a look at overall records of the league from 2009-10 through 2018-19.

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#5 New York Knicks

The Knicks ended the 2018-19 season tying their worst record in franchise history at 17-65

Win-Loss Record: 324-480 or 40.30%

Ah, yes. The New York Knicks. The Knicks have been quite the laughing stock of the NBA this past decade. Even fans know how painful it is to be a fan of this NY team. It is such a big market team capable of luring big names in free agency yet the owner and front office just seem to make bad decision after bad decision.

Let's start with the 2009 draft. The Knicks had the 8th pick in the draft and were so set on taking Stephen Curry that when the Warriors drafted him at 7th, the Knicks decided to take Jordan Hill. Hill wasn’t exactly horrible, but he was a lottery pick they chose ahead of DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Danny Green. Hill didn't contribute much his rookie year and the Knicks decided to trade him just 24 games into the season.

One of the Knicks' most embarrassing losses was to the Mavs in the 2009-2010 season where they were thrashed by 50 points. And just this season, they had a 44-point loss against the Bucks and a 37-point loss against the Nuggets before their coach was finally fired.

Currently, they have multiple power forwards despite drafting an SF/PF last year in Kevin Knox. They also traded away All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke for Dennis Smith Jr., two future firsts, and the expiring contracts of Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. Matthews has since left for Milwaukee while Jordan has signed with Brooklyn. Seems pretty lopsided, don't you think?

#4 Philadelphia 76ers

(L-R) Jarvis Varnado, James Nunnally, James Anderson, and Elliot Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers

Win-Loss Record: 315-489 (39.18%)

The Sixers may be contenders this season, but this was a recent development after years and years of being ridiculed for being the worst in the league.

To start the decade, the Sixers signed Allen Iverson in November 2009 to a non-guaranteed minimum salary for a second stint with the team. The legend had to leave the team though, as he had to attend to his sick daughter and prioritze family. The Sixers ended the season with a 27-55 record.

In the next season, they were able to qualify for the playoffs in the weak East with an exact .500 record but lost in the first round. Following that year, they once again qualified for the playoffs with a 35-31 record and upset the injured Chicago Bulls in the 2012 playoffs. For some reason, though, the Sixers weren't able to build any momentum and just started falling further and further down the hole as they started "The Process".

They started trading away their good players for picks in hopes of drafting a generational talent. From the 2013-14 to the 2015-16 seasons, the team lost 63, 64, and 72 games. After starting the season to an incredible 1-30 record, they had almost tied their season losses to the Warriors' 73 wins!

There was just so much going on in the ownership and management that took the Sixers for a ride. Jerry Colangelo was hired as special advisor and chairman of Basketball Operations. He then hired Mike D'Antoni and groomed him to become the next head coach. They forced the hand of Sam Hinkie and he eventually resigned as GM. He was then replaced by Jerry's son to the surprise of well...no one.

Okafor was held out for so long while they were trying to trade him. Brett Brown has continued to be the head coach after the FO's bet Mike D'Antoni was hired by the Rockets....Colangelo continued to publicly say that Fultz had no medical reason to be held out...Bryan Colangelo's burner accounts surfaced where he had been flaming Brett Brown, dissing Embiid, and leaking medical information. He thankfully stepped down, but not before his daddy threatened to ‘damage the Sixers’ NBA relationships.

Thankfully, that saga has come to an end. We’ll see if a team built around top center Embiid and a physically gifted yet non-shooting point guard Ben Simmons can finally give the Sixers another chip.

#3 Brooklyn Nets

The Nets traded away five players plus unprotected picks for the likes of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Win-Loss Record: 300-504 (37.31%)

The Brooklyn Nets may have gotten big names last off-season, but this turnaround just started about three years ago. Get ready, because this franchise had some long, long journey to get here.

To start the 2009-2010 season, the then-New Jersey Nets started 0-18, recording the worst ever start in NBA history. They went on to lose 40 of their first 43 games before falling 4-46 after 50 games. This tied for the worst 50-game record across three major American sports—the NBA, MLB, NHL. They ended the season with only 12 wins.

In 2010, Bill Prokhorov bought a majority stake of the Nets and promised to get them to the playoffs in a year and get them a ring in just five years. Guess what? They have yet to get past the second round this decade.

Moreover, despite getting the best lottery odds in the 2010 NBA Draft, they only got the #3 pick, which they used to draft Derrick Favors. They started the season with a 17-40 record all the while creating distraction by trying to get Carmelo Anthony. Billy King never struck a deal so he traded Favors and a 2013 first round pick in haste for Deron Williams. Much to everyone's disappointment, they went 7-18 after the trade. Before the season ended, they traded two of their players and a 2012 1st round pick (which turned out to be Damian Lillard) for Gerald Wallace.

Then, just before the 2012 season started, they traded five players in their roster, their 2013 1st round pick, and their 2017 2nd round pick in exchange for Joe Johnson. They started the season 14-14 and rightfully fired their coach. They actually ended up being the 4th seed but they lost in the first round to the 5th seed Bulls.

The following season, they hired Jason Kidd, who had zero coaching experience and was just a great household name for the Nets. It was also in 2013 when the the infamous trade with the Boston Celtics happened. The Nets traded away five players plus unprotected picks that turned out to be studs Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brown and Collin Sexton for aged Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry.

In 2014, Pierce left for free agency, stating how awful the franchise was. The Nets then started the season 18-28 before trading Garnett for Thad Young in February, 2015. The debacle continues as they bench and try to trade Williams, who had suffered inijuries throughout his tenure. They ended up waiving Williams after the season.

The Nets started the 2015 season with a 7-20 record, and on January 2016, Lionel Hollins and Billy King were fired. They finish with a 21-61 record and handed Boston the 3rd pick.

Thankfully, they are doing better now with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joining the team. They also have a great young core in Dinwiddie, Allen, LeVert, and Harris. They are currently coached by Kenny Atkinson, someone who did great in changing the culture and bringing the Nets to the playoffs last year.

#2 Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves infamously drafted two point guards ahead of Stephen Curry in 2009.

Win-Loss Record: 288-516 (35.83%)

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the worst all-time record in the whole league, and this past decade wasn't much better.

To start off, in the 2009 NBA Draft, they infamously drafted two point guards ahead of Stephen Curry. Yes, Stephen Curry! They drafted Ricky Rubio with their 5th pick (understandable because he had proven himself in Europe) and Johnny Flynn at 6th. They also had two more picks in the first round and two picks in the second round that didn't turn out great for them. In a draft where they could’ve chosen among Curry, DeRozan, Jrue, Teague, Collison, Gibson, Carroll, Beverley and Mills to name some, they chose...poorly.

This, however wouldn't be the last time they drafted badly. In the following year, they drafted Wesley Johnson at 4th, ahead of players like Cousins, Hayward, PG, and Bledsoe. In 2011, they drafted Derrick Williams with the 2nd pick—ahead of Valančiūnas, Kemba, Klay, the Morris twins, Kawhi, Vučević, Tobias, and Butler. In 2013, they had the 9th pick and drafted Trey Burke. This was the year where they could've gotten McCollum, Steven Adams, Antetokounmpo, Schröder, and Gobert. In 2014, they traded away Love and got the first pick, which they used in drafting Andrew Wiggins, who has yet to prove that he deserves that atrocious contract of his. This was a draft class with Embiid, Aaron Gordon, Smart, Randle, Gary Harris, Bogdanović, and Jokić. They did pick Zach LaVine at 13th, which wasn't bad at all, so there's that.

In 2016, Minnesota drafted Kris Dunn with their 5th pick. Yes, he's been great defensively for the Bulls this season, but this was a year where they could've gottn Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, Sabonis, LeVert, Siakam, and Brogdon.

Their worst seasons this past 10 years were in 2009-10 where they only won 15 games, in 2010-11 with 17 games, and the 2014-15 seaosn where they only won 16 games. They may have squeaked into the playoffs in 2018 when they had Jimmy Butler, but that was the only season where they won over 40 games in the past decade. And by the looks of it, this season probably won’t be any better.

#1 Sacramento Kings

Cousins and teammate Omri Casspi were traded to the Pelicans in exchange for three players

Win-Loss Record: 287-517 (35.70%)

Kings fans are probably one of the most loyal yet most deprived fans this past decade.The Kings always looked promising before the season started until 82 games pass and they end up missing the playoffs again.

If the Minnesota Timberwolves have a history of drafting badly, the Sacramento Kings are probably worse at both drafting and developing players. To start off, in 2009, they had the 4th and 23rd picks which they used to draft Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi. The following year, they drafted Bismack Biyombo at 7th and traded down to 10th to get, guess who? Jimmer Fredette. We all know what happened there.

In 2012, they had the 5th pick and drafted Thomas Robinson. If you don’t know him, then it’s probably the reason why this was a bad move for the Kings. In 2013, they drafted Ben McLemore at 7th when they had a thin frontcourt and had a lot of talented bigs in that year to choose from. In 2014, they drafted Nik Stauskas with their 8th pick—another SG whose ceiling was clearly below Ben’s.

In 2015, they once again had a Top 10 pick and drafted Willie Cauley-Stein at 6th. This was the year where they could’ve gotten guys like Myles Turner, Devin Booker, Justice Winslow, and even Kelly Oubre Jr. The following season, they drafted Marquese Chriss at 8th and traded him to the Suns for Bogdan, which was a surprisingly great move. However, they had Georgios Papagiannis from Phoenix at 13th, a player who was projected by many to be a mid- to late second round pick. He only spent two and a half years in the league.

In 2017, they got Zach Collins at 10th and traded him for three young players when they could’ve gotten Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and Jarrett Allen.

It comes as no surprise then that over the past decade, they had only won more than 30 games three times. Yes, other than those seasons, they had 20+ wins out of 82 games.

The Kings recently fired Coach Dave Joerger despite taking the team to 39 wins—the most wins they had since the 2005-06 season. Vlade Divac seemed to have a liking for Luke Walton and hired him three days after he was fired by the Lakers for being... terrible. The coach wasn’t only terrible on the court. Off the court, he was also accused of sexually assaulting trusted reporter for multiple networks, Kelli Tenant.

Currently, the Kings have only won 12 of their first 44 games and are in an eight-game losing streak. Not sure if their 13-year playoff drought will be ending soon.

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