Fansided

Every NBA team’s worst iteration ever

By Rich Kraetsch

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK – DECEMBER 21: Stephon Marbury #3 of the New York Knicks looks towards Jerome James #31 against the San Antonio Spurs December 21, 2005 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Spurs won 109-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK – DECEMBER 21: Stephon Marbury #3 of the New York Knicks looks towards Jerome James #31 against the San Antonio Spurs December 21, 2005 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Spurs won 109-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

New York Knicks (2005-06, 23-59, -6.30 SRS)

The 2014-15 Knicks are no doubt a great contender for worst Knicks ever — they finished a franchise-worst 17-65 with a horrid -9.50 SRS but there’s another Knicks team with far too much baggage not to be our “winner”: 2005-06.

By this point, the Knicks had missed two straight playoff series, something New York hadn’t done since 1987. Legendary head coach Larry Brown was brought in to change the culture in New York and bring his winning ways (just two years removed from leading Detroit to a championship) to The Big Apple. He would be replacing another legendary coach, Lenny Wilkens, after Wilkens resigned with a 17-22 record.

Brown was seen as a savior for the franchise, someone who could finally, thankfully bring New York back to the center of the basketball world.

Yeah, it didn’t happen. The Knicks finished 23-59 in Brown’s lone season with the franchise. Brown had the Knicks play a slow, methodical pace that didn’t do much for their offense (24th in offensive rating) and made their defense that much worse (26th in defensive rating).

At the conclusion of the season, New York had the NBA’s highest payroll with players such as Allan Houston, Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Antonio Davis all making in excess of $13+ million. Those four highest-paid Knicks played just 100 games during the season.

The 2004-05 offseason is also well known as the year New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas backed a truck full of money (or large burlap sack with the dollar sign on it) to Jerome James. That was not a wise move.

In perhaps a more dumb move, Thomas traded a collection of first-round picks (ones that would eventually turn into Joakim Noah and LaMarcus Aldridge) for Chicago Bulls big man Eddy Curry. The seven footer had put up gaudy numbers in Chicago but was dealing with an irregular heartbeat. After refusing to submit to a test that would determine if Curry had congenital heart condition, he was sent to, who else, the Knicks.

Curry’s game regressed under Brown and the Knicks two offseason acquisitions were a complete disaster. Brown was bought out after the season ending this horrid chapter of Knicks history.

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