10 NBA Players Who Should Be Sent Down to the D-League

This article will look at 10 current NBA players who should be sent down to the Developmental League (D-League).

And while the majority of the players on this list have been selected due to their talent level—or lack thereof—some players on this list are far from the “worst” players in the league but have been selected for other reasons. For instance, they are often injured, or they have seen a decline in overall production after posting All-Star numbers earlier in their careers.

So, sit back, relax and find out who I would send to the NBA’s “bush league.”

10. Tracy McGrady

Once considered one of the game’s youngest, most talented players, Tracy McGrady has become somewhat of a punch line as of late, playing for four different middle-of-the-road teams (Rockets, Knicks, Pistons and Hawks) teams the last three seasons.

And while McGrady apologists will attribute his overall decline to injuries and age, I think it’s quite telling that a contending team hasn’t bothered giving the seven-time All-Star a chance to come off their bench the last few seasons.

9. Josh Howard

Once an All-Star on a 67-win Dallas Mavericks team, Josh Howard was traded from the Mavericks to the Wizards in the middle of the 2009-10 season.

Since then, thanks in large part to a knee injury, Howard has been a different player, performing well below his career averages in only 22 games with the Wizards in the last season and a half.

Howard signed this past offseason with the Utah Jazz as a free agent.

A stint in the D-League could do wonders for Howard, if for nothing else to make sure his balky knee is in shape.

8. Marvin Williams

Marvin Williams, who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 2 pick in the 2005 Draft, ahead of both Chris Paul and Deron Williams, has been a decent role player for the Hawks the last few seasons.

But hasn’t come anywhere close to producing like a player worthy of a second overall pick.

7. Renaldo Balkman

Renaldo Balkman has spent his six year career playing for the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.

While he has a reputation for being a quality “hustle” player, Balkman has never averaged more than five points or 15 minutes in a given season.

6. Vladimir Radmanovic

Vladimir Radmanovic has enjoyed an 11-year NBA career, spending time with the Sonics, Clippers, Lakers, Bobcats, Warriors and Hawks.

Radmanovic, whose defense is porous at best, has only been able to provide one thing and one thing only throughout his career: streaky three-point shooting.

5. Luke Walton

Due to injuries and general lack of playing time, Luke Walton has only averaged two points and nine minutes over the last two seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers.

What makes his paltry numbers even more difficult to swallow is the fact the Lakers gave Walton a six-year, 30 million dollar extension following the 2006-07 season.

And anyone expecting Walton to start getting more minutes under Mike Brown shouldn’t hold their breath.

Walton has appeared in three of the team’s first six games this season, averaging only three minutes a contest.

4. Hasheem Thabeet

Originally drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 draft, Hasheem Thabeet has largely been a bust in his two seasons in the NBA, spending time in both the NBA and D-League. 

Thabeet is now playing for the Houston Rockets, a team who is perilously thin in the frontcourt. If not for Houston’s deficiencies in the paint, it’s a strong possibility Thabeet would be in the D-League as we speak.

On a more positive note, Hasheem now has Kevin McHale as his coach, one of the best post players in league history.

Maybe the former UConn Huskie can learn a thing or two and transform, what to this point, has been a disappointing start to his career.

3. Matt Carroll

Anytime I hear Matt Carroll’s name, I have to stop and try to put a face with the name, in addition to trying to remember what team he plays on. And all of this thinking is usually all for naught, considering I usually end up confusing Carroll with Steve Novak.

I guess that’s what spending the majority of your career with the Charlotte Bobcats will do.

Carroll averaged a career-high 12 points per game in 2006-07.

Since his career season, Carroll has failed to average over nine points a game, including less than five points a game the last three seasons.

Picture this: fringe rotation player, Matt Carroll, leaves NBA for D-League and wins MVP award.

2. Kyrylo Fesenko

I have never seen a player who sticks out more on the basketball court than Kyrylo Fesenko. And not in a good way. The seven-foot Ukranian has played parts of the last four seasons with the Utah Jazz, averaging two points and two rebounds.

But despite his overall underwhelming production, Fesenko’s size (seven foot, nearly 300 pounds) will likely keep him on the end of an NBA bench for years to come.

It was recently reported the Dallas Mavericks were interested in signing Fesenko, who is currently a free agent.

1. Kwame Brown

Besides being two of the most decorated superstars in league history, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have something else in common: they both have had the unfortunate pleasure of playing with Kwame Brown.

Brown, who is widely considered one of the biggest busts in draft history after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 Draft, has never averaged more than seven rebounds a game, despite being nearly seven foot tall.

A few months ago, it was reported that, while Brown was with the Lakers, he told Kobe not to throw him the ball in crucial moments of a game to prevent from having to possibly go to the free throw line (Brown is a career 57 percent free throw shooter).

To the dismay of many, the Golden State Warriors signed Brown to a one-year, seven million dollar contract this past offseason. I am sure they will look back one day and realize the contract was about six million too much.