NBA Tank Rankings: The bizarre impotency of New Orleans

Throughout the 2014-2015 NBA season, we kept an eye on the bottom of the NBA so that the public was not forced to consume the worst of the worst. For the 2015-2016 campaign, we are back to provide the same service.

Each week, we will take a glance at the teams who are jockeying for position in the battle for ping-pong balls, even if they are not trying to do so. The Philadelphia 76ers have become the gold standard for NBA tanking with their “long con” plan to compile assets at the expense of on-court success, but Sam Hinkie is not the only general manager in the NBA who is focusing on the future instead of the present, leaving a lot to be desired for some teams on the floor.

These rankings are quite fluid on a weekly basis, as even Philadelphia can produce strong play in small doses. With all of that out of the way, let’s unveil the first edition of NBA Tank Rankings for the 2015-2016 season, and as always, we send our love to the fans of these franchises.

#5 – Sacramento Kings

The Kings haven’t been quite as bad as their 1-5 record indicates, and that should be stated up front. In addition, DeMarcus Cousins has missed three consecutive games with an Achilles ailment, and frankly, Sacramento shouldn’t be terribly competitive without their best player.

With all of that established, this is still the Sacramento Kings. Much was made about this organization taking a step forward this season, and that is possible, but a 1-5 start in the Western Conference might be a death sentence, and the George Karl era has not provided as much stability as the organization would be likely preferred. Cousins will return soon and we will find out what this team is, but until then, they are probably hanging out in the race for ping-pong balls.

Next: Pelicans and Lakers