The amazing thing about the NBA is that because of the beauty of the game and sheer athleticism of the athletes, it can be enjoyable even if you’re not watching a competitive team. Or, at least, that’s what we keep telling ourselves when we find ourselves peeking between our fingers at the ugliness that is a game between two bottom-tier NBA teams. Keep repeating it, and maybe it will feel true!
Look, if you’re a fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors, you’re probably pretty fired up about this season. But if you’re a fan of one of the teams on this list, you’re bound to be a tad less excited. Let’s take a moment to honor the teams that will cause their fans the most pain this year.
5 Most Painful NBA Teams to Root for This Season
- Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is bad this year. Terrible, even. We’re only ranking them this high because they actually have some players that are fun to watch. It’s a shame that fans may have to secretly root against them: the best thing that could happen to this Trail Blazers team is getting the number one draft pick in 2016.
- Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant might retire this year. He also might not. We’re hoping he doesn’t, because this is no way to go out, man. Kobe is old, the rest of his team is young (and kind of bad), and the Lakers are going nowhere in a tough Western Conference. In fact, they may be the worst team in the West (though not if the Trailblazers have anything to say about it).
- New York Knicks
Are there worse teams than the New York Knicks this year? Sure! But are there many who are less watchable? The Knicks are in a horrible no-man’s land where they’re no good, but don’t have a bright future, either. Most of the teams on this list are short on exciting players, but at least some of them can look forward to rebuilding. The Knicks, meanwhile, seem content to duel with Brooklyn for the honor of being the most dysfunctional franchise in the five boroughs. It’s a tight race!
- Brooklyn Nets
Hey, it’s every Boston fan’s second-favorite team! The Nets were so determined to go into their new digs in the Barclays Center with a winning season that they sold the farm for a bunch of old guys a few years back (they were pretty good old guys, but still). Now, none of those old guys are around, but those picks they sent over to the Boston Celtics aren’t about to come back. No team has self-sabotaged worse than the Nets. It’s so bad that it almost looks like they were trying to set themselves back ten years. Of course, tanking doesn’t work if you trade draft picks for the privilege, so this is clearly not what they meant to do. The Nets have the distinction of having the darkest future of any of the teams on this woeful list.
- Philadelphia 76ers
The Brooklyn Nets are so bad that they almost look like they’re trying to be bad. The Sixers, on the other hand, leave no room for doubt. This team is tanking so obviously that it should offer refunds to season ticket holders. Analysts are pegging the 76ers as a team that could win four – FOUR – games this season. There are 82 games in an NBA season. Dear lord. The good news for 76ers fans is that this multi-year tank job is so impeccably orchestrated that the 76ers seem destined to eventually get all the picks they want and start to rebuild. It has to happen someday, right?
