The NBA season has been going on for two months, and some teams have made their mark on it. The Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets are examples of teams that have been impressive to start the season. Likewise, there are teams like the Washington Wizards or the Utah Jazz that aren’t performing that well, and most fans aren’t surprised. There is a special tier of team, one who had expectations before the start of the season and are failing to meet them. There have been a couple of teams who have disappointed badly, and I’ll be here to discuss them.
Trouble in Philly
Philadelphia sports fans have been eating well as of late, as the Eagles are thriving in the NFL. Unfortunately, that success has not been able to translate to the NBA. The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the most disappointing teams of the season. This offseason, they signed Paul George to extend their championship window with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who both received extensions. This comes after a first round exit against the Knicks last year in the playoffs.
Before the season had begun, the 76ers were ranked 6th in ESPN’s power rankings. This was supposed to be a year where they bounced back and got the hang of things. As of 12/08/24, they are 6 – 15 and one of the worst teams in the league. This is due to injury, as Paul George and Joel Embiid have missed some time.
This all came crashing down two weeks ago; there were reports of a team meeting that took place in the 76ers locker room, where Maxey expressed his concerns with Embiid’s work ethic and tardiness to team activities.
ROTY Watch
It’s not always sunny in Philadelphia, but despite a horrendous start, there are bright spots if you’re a 76ers fan. Jared McCain was drafted 16th overall by the 76ers, and so far, he has looked phenomenal for them. He has received so many opportunities due to Paul George being out of the lineup, which led to him being empowered to take his shot. On the season, he is averaging 16 points, two assists and two rebounds.
However, when starting, he is averaging 23 points, four rebounds and two assists. It would be crazy to say to continue to start him over Paul George, but it’s not crazy to say that he has earned himself rotational minutes for the entire NBA season.
The Philadelphia 76ers have disappointed their fans and their city, and I don’t see a way out of it. They are lucky that they’re part of a weaker Eastern Conference because I think it would be much harder to make the playoffs in the wild Western Conference. They still have a path to redemption as it’s still early in the season, but if they don’t pick up steam soon, playoff contention should be the last thing on their minds.
New Orleans, We Have A Problem
If you want to find a disappointing team in the NBA, look no further than the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans have always been a mystery to me, as on paper, they look to be a good team. Maybe I’m just a really big fan of Zion Williamson, but with players like Herb Jones being one of the best defensive wings in the NBA and Brandon Ingram being a walking bucket, this team should be in the playoff hunt every year.
Unfortunately for them, they’ve yet to put it together as the last time they made it to the second round was 2018. Before the season had begun, they were ranked 14th.
They traded for Dejounte Murray in a move that makes their identity very clear. They’re a team with defensive pieces surrounding offensive maestros like Ingram and Williamson.
The Injury Bug
Similarly to the 76ers, the Pelicans have been ravaged by injuries to start the season. However, if the 76ers have been ravaged by injuries, the Pelicans have been decimated by injuries. Nearly their entire starting five is out with an injury, with Williamson’s injury being quite severe.
He has been out since Nov. 6th and has no timetable to return. They are 5 – 19, and I don’t see how they can make it back into playoff contention. This brings up an uncomfortable conversation for Pelican fans. Is Williamson the guy?
There’s no denying his physical gifts and dominant play style. His highlight reel is immense, and he has shown strides in leadership and improvement in his conditioning. However, he was the first overall pick in 2019, and up to this point, he hasn’t lived up to the hype.
A lot of that is due to injury, but if he can’t stay healthy, then is it advisable to continue to run it back each season? When on the team, he only has two winning seasons under his belt. It’s hard to convince yourself to let a talent like Williamson walk away or to trade him, but I don’t see a path forward for this team.
Then again, I’m not in charge of the New Orleans Pelicans, so I don’t have to worry about the future of this team. Yet, as a fan of Williamson, I want to see him succeed. It’s important to remember that he’s only 24 years old, and this isn’t the end of his career. This just looks like another lost season for the Pelicans. Hopefully, they can bounce back and not be one of the most disappointing teams next season.
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