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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CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Paul Silas of the Charlotte Bobcats gives pointers to Kemba Walker #1 of the Charlotte Bobcats during the game against the Orlando Magic at the Time Warner Cable Arena on December 30, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Paul Silas of the Charlotte Bobcats gives pointers to Kemba Walker #1 of the Charlotte Bobcats during the game against the Orlando Magic at the Time Warner Cable Arena on December 30, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats (2011-12, 7-59, -13.96 SRS)

If I restricted this list to just Hornets seasons the easy pick is the 1988-89 expansion Charlotte Hornets. The new franchise won only 20 games in their debut season and finished in the bottom half of my statistical categories. Their best player was Kelly Tripucka who scored just 7.5 points-per-game in the previous season and upped his scoring to 22.6 on the fledgeling Hornets.

But… since the New Orleans and Charlotte franchise realignment, I have to count the Charlotte Bobcats in the Charlotte Hornets franchise lineage so there is really only one choice here: 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats.

It doesn’t get much worse than setting the all-time NBA record for worst winning percentage in a season (.106) — surpassing the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (.110). This iteration of the Bobcats had the rare distinction of being dead-last in the league in both OffRtg and DefRtg while their -13.96 SRS is the second-worst in NBA history.

The Bobcats were just 4-28 at the All-Star Break (this was a lockout shortened season) and on March 28, they were officially eliminated from playoff contention. They won their 7th game of the season on March 17 and proceeded to lose their final 23 games. That streak of futility was the fifth-longest losing streak in NBA history tying the ‘95-96 Vancouver Grizzlies and 1997-98 Denver Nuggets.

Not a single player on the Bobcats had a positive Box Plus/Minus with their team leader—rookie Kemba Walker—finishing at -1.2. Only had three players on the Bobcats had a positive VORP: Walker, Derrick Brown and Eduardo Najera.

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