The Worst Current Player on Each NBA Team's Roster

We've been delighted to see some amazing performances in the NBA this season. Those, however, will not be found here

The NBA presents us with the cream of the world's basketball crop. These are incredible athletes with an abundance of skill and talent. Yet some of them are outmatched.

Whether they be too old, too young, or just not good enough to cut it, they have found themeselves on the ends of benches across the league. Some play for losing franchises and just fill jerseys for the rare television camera. Others are fighting to earn a long-term spot in this league, or fighting to prove they still belong.

These are the other guys, the worst of the worst. But, hey, there is nowhere to go but up, right? 

There is a lot of NBA basketball to be played, so let's find out who has the most room for improvement?

Atlanta Hawks: Anthony Tolliver

2012-13 Statistics: 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. 3.07 PER.

Anthony Tolliver's playing time dropped like a stone after the first seven games of the season. 

At the outset of 2012-13, Tolliver was a mainstay as a reserve power forward in the Atlanta Hawks' rotation. After a gruesome start, he has made appearances mostly only in mop-up duty. 

Tolliver, who is on his fifth team in as many seasons, was a fairly productive role player while in Golden State and Minnesota. However, after signing a one-year deal with the Hawks over the summer, he has been pretty awful.

In 12 games, he is averaging 11.2 minutes a night. He is currently shooting 25 percent from the field and has missed 15-of-18 threes. This is the next level of a continuing downward trend for his career, as he shot only 39 percent from the field a season ago.

The Hawks are playing very well thus far, but Tolliver has helped them least of all.

Boston Celtics: Jason Collins

2012-13 Statistics: 0.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. -2.02 PER.

On a team that struggles as mightily as the Boston Celtics have while rebounding the basketball, how is it that Jason Collins cannot earn playing time?

The newly acquired center has played in only four games this season, seeing just 11.3 minutes on average. He seems to be buried on the depth chart by a slew of undersized frontcourt players. Part of that is his offensively challenged game. He is shooting only 25 percent from the field, atrocious for anyone, especially a big man.

This is a team that still ranks last in the NBA in rebounding, grabbing only 38.6 per game. They give big minutes to combinations including Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green and Brandon Bass, when Kevin Garnett is on the bench.

How poorly does Collins have to look at practice in order for his not to get a shot backing up Garnett?

Brooklyn Nets: Josh Childress

2012-13 Statistics: 1.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. 7.74 PER.

It is unclear for me if Josh Childress should regret leaving the NBA at the peak of his game to play overseas, or if he should be happy that he maximized his prospects in doing so.

Either way, his return career in the NBA appears as if it will have a short shelf-life. After disappointing for a couple seasons in Phoenix, the former Atlanta Hawk is shooting for a new low in Brooklyn.

In 13 games this season he is averaging 7.5 minutes, but shooting only 30 percent from the field. He hasn't done a whole lot to warrant more playing time on a solid NBA team.

The downward spiral he is currently on could very well land him back playing outside the United States in a couple seasons.

Charlotte Bobcats: Hakim Warrick

2012-13 Statistics: 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. 8.00 PER.

The former Big East Player of the Year in 2005 and 2003 National Championship winner has not had much of a romantic NBA career.

What little Hakim Warrick had accomplished in seven years in the league looks to be unraveling in year No. 8. Where he stands right now, Warrick looks to be heading towards NBA oblivion. He has played in only nine games on the season and is seeing just 9.8 minutes in those games. 

With the time he has been granted, Warrick is shooting just 24 percent, far and away the worst mark of his career.

With Tyrus Thomas out now with an injury, there is the chance Warrick sees a sizable increase in his minutes. That can only be bad news for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Chicago Bulls: Nazr Mohammed

2012-13 Statistics: 0.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. 5.38 PER.

When Omer Asik signed with the Houston Rockets, the Chicago Bulls chose to look elsewhere to bolster their frontcourt reserves. They opted to to sign the veteran Nazr Mohammed, who was coming off an Asik-like statistical season in Oklahoma City.

Unfortunately, 2011-12 appears to have been the last stand for this 35-year-old center. Pretty much from the get-go, he has been a disappointment for the Bulls. Currently playing just six minutes per game in 15 contests, Mohammed is shooting just 20 percent (4-of-20) from the field.

Even for a low-usage player like Mohammed, .8 points per game is rendering him almost completely useless in the Bulls' frontcourt.

With Asik playing some excellent basketball in Houston, the Mohammed signing is looking to be a considerable loss for the Bulls.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Walton

2012-13 Statistics: 0.7 points and one rebound per game. 2.12 PER.

Remember not too long ago when Luke Walton was running alongside Kobe Bryant and threatening to win the NBA title year in and year out? 

Those days look to be long gone as the 32-year-old small forward has dropped to the end of the bench on a 5-20 Cleveland Cavaliers team.

His role on the Cavaliers appears to be that of a guide and veteran presence for the young players off the court. This is good, considering he is hitting 17 percent of his shots when playing. In seven games, Walton is 2-of-12 from the field and has bricked all seven three-point attempts.

After 2009, Walton's production really began dropping rapidly and he can't have more than a couple seasons left in this mentor role.

Dallas Mavericks: Rodrigue Beaubois

2012-13 Statistics: 3.1 points and 1.8 assists per game. 8.65 PER

This has been a year to forget for Rodrigue Beaubois. The Dallas Mavericks reserve point guard is submitting the worst season of his four-year NBA career. 

This is a shame, because after three seasons of playing significant roles off the bench, the backcourt change up of the offseason could have meant an opportunity to shine. With Jason Kidd, J.J. Barea and Jason Terry now out of the picture, Beaubois might've had a shot to really break through. 

Unfortunately, the career 44 percent shooter is connecting on just 31 percent from the floor so far and has justly seen his minutes drop from 21.7 to 11.6. This has affected the rest of his game as well. His three point shooting has fallen to 5-of-23 on the season and his assists, which stood at a respectable three per game a year ago, have dropped to a measly 1.8 per game.

This kind of plummet in production from a player so young isn't a death sentence, but if it isn't righted quickly, this will be a lost developmental season for the 24-year-old.

Denver Nuggets: Wilson Chandler

2012-13 Statistics: 6.5 points and five rebounds per game. 3.69 PER.

The Denver Nuggets are as deep a team as you'll find in the NBA, but Wilson Chandler is standing out with the questionable seasons he's had lately.

While it is unfair to judge a player based on injury and the lockout, with Chandler it is becoming an issue. The Nuggets' reserve shooting guard has played in only four games this season, after being active for just eight games in 2011-12. He suffered a tear in his left hip only a few games after returning from play in China during the lockout.

Currently he hasn't played since Nov. 6, due to another hip injury. Not that when he was playing he was playing well, of course.

In his four games, Chandler was completely unable to find his shot. He went 10-of-32 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arc. He struggled similarly after his return from China a year ago, shooting only 39 percent in those eight games.

If Chandler can't stay on the court, or worse, plays poorly when on the court, the Nuggets are going to start looking thinner and thinner in the backcourt.  

Detroit Pistons: Will Bynum

2012-13 Statistics: 5.2 points and 2.4 assists per game. 10.02 PER.

Will Bynum's usage in Detroit has been being whittled down now for a few seasons. In 18 games this season he is playing just 14 minutes average, down from 26.5 minutes a night in 2009-10.

Along with the lessening minutes has been worse and worse production. He is now shooting just 39 percent from the field and has hit only 2-of-10 threes. He has fallen on the depth chart to behind Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey and is rapidly being forced out of the rotation altogether.

Before Dec. 17's 15-minute showing, Bynum had seen just two minutes of action in the Pistons' previous 10 games.

Not long ago, Bynum seemed to be a rising young player about to break through. Now he is the third point guard on a 7-20 team.

Golden State Warriors: Andris Biedrins

2012-13 Statistics: 0.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. 6.11 PER.

This has been an easy choice for some time now. Andris Biedrins has been a thorn in Warrior's fans collective side for years due to his historically bad free throw shooting and inconsistent rebounding and scoring.

In 2012-13, Biedrins has only aided in fans displeasure with him by dropping his field goal percentage like a stone. A career 59 percent shooter, Biedrins is just 3-of-9 in 18 games this season. Over the past year and a half he has been completely phased out of Golden State's offense.

The Warriors are inching closer to being able to unload Biedrins, but he does have a player option for next season. That will net him an additional $9 million, making his contract one of the worst in the NBA.

Oh, and Biedrins has been almost as bad from the line in 2012-13, hitting on just 3-of-8 freebies.

Houston Rockets: Daequan Cook

2012-13 Statistics: Five points and 1.5 rebounds per game. PER 11.66.

Those good years Daequan Cook had in Miami were never really all that good. It surprised me slightly to find out that Cook is indeed only a 37 percent shooter over his six-year career.

That time with the Heat now seems so long ago, with Cook being relegated to a career-low 12.7 minutes per game. He has seen action in just 10 games, but did receive a start when Chandler Parsons was injured. All-in-all his playing time has been incredibly sporadic, mixing in DNPs throughout the season.

Cook's first year in Houston has seen a drop to 37 percent shooting and career-low 4.5 points per game. 

Just six-years into his NBA career and it appears this former first-rounder is nothing more than a garbage-time volume scorer.

Indiana Pacers: D.J. Augustin

2012-13 Statistics: 3.2 points and 2.3 assists per game. 7.99 PER.

The once promising young guard, who started 128 of his previous 130 games before joining the Indiana Pacers, now looks to be playing himself out of the rotation.

D.J. Augustin was brought in by the Pacers to backup at point guard and even possibly challenge George Hill for the starting role. Now he is losing minutes to undrafted rookie, Ben Hansbrough.

Augustin has just entirely lost his confidence this season. He is shooting just 27 percent from the field, a considerable drop given his 40 percent career mark. He has been even worse from long-range, hitting on just 21 percent of his threes.

Augustin was a lottery pick not many years ago, but is now averaging just 13 minutes per game on a struggling Pacers team.

He is sitting on a string of three straight DNPs and is treading in dangerous waters.

Los Angeles Clippers: Lamar Odom

2012-13 Statistics: Three points and 4.3 rebounds per game. 9.37 PER.

It doesn't appear any amount of scenery changes is going to affect Lamar Odom's production at this point. 

The 33-year-old power forward is off to another atrocious start in Los Angeles after a laughable campaign in Dallas the year before. Odom has either lost all the skills he had during seven excellent seasons with the Lakers, or he simply doesn't want to play anymore. There can be little to no other explanation for this.

Odom is posting just three points per game for the Clippers, in 16 minutes a night. He is just 36 percent from the field and has missed 20-of-24 three pointers on the year. These awful numbers come with the sole reprieve of 4.3 rebounds per game, a decent number given his minutes.

The Clippers are clearly improving and becoming real contenders for an NBA title, but it is safe to say that has little to do with Odom's no-show thus far.

Los Angeles Lakers: Devin Ebanks

2012-13 Statistics: 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. 6.16 PER.

A harsh truth for a second-round pick in just his third NBA season, but the Los Angeles Lakers are placing a lot on Devin Ebanks' plate.

He is averaging 27 minutes per game over his past three, but still just 13.3 over his 13 appearances. Unfortunately, like the Lakers, Ebanks has struggled. He is shooting just 33 percent from the field.

He has also developed a strange confidence in his three-point shot. After attempting just 14 combined over his first two seasons, Ebanks has put up 16 already through just a quarter of the season. He has connected on just three of those in 2012-13.

He has gotten some looks as a starter this past week, but that can't be a long-term solution for either the team or Ebanks, who obviously still needs time to develop.

Memphis Grizzlies: Wayne Ellington

2012-13 Statistics: 5.4 points and 1.1 assists per game. 10.25 PER.

When O.J. Mayo departed over the offseason, the Memphis Grizzlies knew they had a whole to fill. Tony Allen would clearly remain the starting shooting guard, but that meant scoring had to come from elsewhere.

Wayne Ellington is that offensive shooting guard the Grizzlies were hoping could make up for the scoring drop off.

Unfortunately Ellington had an awful start to the 2012-13 season, shooting just 37 percent in November. His December has improved, but there is along way to go before totally righting this ship. Ellington is still a tick under 40 percent at 39.8, but has lacked a certain aggression that Mayo brought to the table.

With Ellington scoring only 5.4 points per game, the Grizzlies are a mediocre offensive team. If he can up that somehow, they will become much more formidable as a whole.

Miami Heat: Norris Cole

2012-13 Statistics: 4.8 points and 2.2 assists per game. 5.35 PER.

Norris Cole is a classic case of sophomore regression both mentally and statistically.

Everyone thought Cole played better than he did last season because of what a surprise it was. This season, his stats are slightly lowered, but the expectation was higher to start than a year ago.

Cole's role as backup point guard is pretty solid with the Heat, with little to speak of in terms of real challengers. Still, Cole's season isn't something to take lightly. He is struggling in his second year in the NBA. 

He has dropped to 37 percent shooting from the field and his three-point percentage hasn't improved over last year's 27 percent. This has played a hand in dropping his scoring average a full two points from his rookie year, despite the slightly increased minutes. 

There aren't a whole lot of flaws on this Miami Heat team, and Cole may not be a real one either. His play does have flaws though, and if unaddressed long-term they could hurt the team.

Milwaukee Bucks: Drew Gooden

2012-13 Statistics: Four points and 5.3 rebounds per game. 14.81 PER.

This is a tough call, considering Drew Gooden's lack of playing time this season and Doron Lamb's struggles. For now we will give the rookie second-rounder the benefit of being left off this list.

Gooden's DNPs are racking up this season as he may be being dangled as trade-bait. Coach Scott Skiles has been keeping him on the bench in order to give more minutes to his two young prospects, Larry Sanders and John Henson.

Before Dec. 7, Gooden hadn't played this season and has now played in four of the last five games. Possibly this is just a brief showcase to other teams seeking a veteran big. So what would they be getting in Gooden.

Apparently, he can still rebound. More than five boards per game while averaging just 12.8 minutes is nothing to scoff at. However, Gooden's shooting percentages have been in steady decline over the past four to five years. They hit a career-low 33 percent in 2012-13. 

Gooden is finding it harder and harder to put the ball in the hoop, which should be a legitimate concern for any team willing to take another option off the floor for him.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Lou Amundson

2012-13 Statistics: 0.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. 3.86 PER.

Given that Malcolm Lee's recent injury will likely have him off the roster soon, this designation must fall to the seldom-used Lou Amundson.

The veteran big man was a late offseason addition to the Timberwolves roster and has seen action in just 10 games this season. He is currently on a five-game DNP streak.

When utilized, Amundson does provide some valuable rebounding, but his inabilities offensively are so vast it is tough to hide him. In those 10 games, he is shooting just 2-of-12 from the field and 3-of-12 from the free-throw line. 

New Orleans Hornets: Darius Miller

2012-13 Statistics: Two points and 1.7 rebounds per game. 6.47 PER.

Again, it is always tough to be hard on rookie second-rounders, but Darius Miller is the worst player on the New Orleans Hornets roster.

Miller is being granted significant minutes for the Hornets, an interesting development through 21 games. It is interesting because outside of scoring, Miller doesn't bring much to the table and currently that scoring is coming at a 37 percent shooting price. 

In 14.1 minutes a night, Miller brings just 1.7 rebounds and one assist to the Hornets. Combine that with cold shooting (23 percent in December), and you've got the worst player playing for the Hornets.

New York Knicks: Rasheed Wallace

2012-13 Statistics: 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. 16.97 PER.

It is tough to find anyone playing poorly for the New York Knicks right now. Rasheed Wallace may be your best bet, given that a lot of his detriments don't show up in a boxscore.

Wallace is slow, I mean really slow defensively. He is getting some great looks from beyond the arc as a trailer because of the simple fact that he can't make it up and down the court fast enough. 

Even that three point shooting is starting to taper down though. He is currently at only 32 percent from deep, not a bad number, but not in line with the Knicks' 40.5 percent as a team.

Wallace has shot 139 field goals through 20 games and 68 of them have been three pointers. That somewhat explains his poor 39 percent overall shooting percentage.

Not a lot was expected of Wallace this season, and what he has done is still very impressive. I don't see this continuing much farther, though and he already may be the worst player on the best team in the East.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Eric Maynor

2012-13 Statistics: 3.6 points and 2.5 assists per game. 8.78 PER.

From the best team in the Eastern Conference, we go to the best of the Western Conference, where Eric Maynor is struggling in his return from an injury-plagued 2011-12 season.

Maynor was previously one of the best backup point guards in the league and a player many thought could start for numerous other teams without a locker designated for "R. Westbrook." However, in 21 games this season, his playing time has been minimized to 13.3 minutes a night. 

That shortening of time has been a result of his 31.5 percent field goal shooting. His assists at 2.5 per game are also a tick below his career three per game average, which isn't trending in the right direction.

Maynor may need a change of scenery more than most realize for the simple fact that he is overshadowed and the opportunities are too sporadic to develop.

Orlando Magic: Ish Smith

2012-13 Statistics: 0.8 points and 1.4 assists per game. 0.51 PER.

One of the best names in basketball simply cannot find the rim this season. Ish Smith has seen time in 13 games with the Orlando Magic, mostly towards the start of the season, and has struggled to put up offense.

Smith is shooting an astounding 17 percent from the field, or 5-of-30, and has missed all five three-point attempts. Those numbers have relegated him purely to garbage-time play and he has only played in two games in December.

This is a disaster season for Smith, who really needed to prove something. He has been on four teams in just his third NBA season and he won't be in the league much longer if this play keeps up.

Philadelphia 76ers: Maalik Wayns

2012 Statistics: 2.4 points and 0.7 assists per game. -0.39 PER.

Maalik Wayns is seeing inconsistent minutes in fairly consistent appearances for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. 

The undrafted rookie is obviously a great story, but his play has been a detriment to the team thus far. In 16 games, Wayns has hit on just 12-of-49 shots, good for just 24.5 percent. He has also missed 14-of-18 three pointers.

In three seasons at Villanova, Wayns never showed he was much more than a volume scorer. His senior season was one of just 41 percent shooting on 13.5 shots per game.

Wayns needs time if he is to develop into a legitimate backup point guard. I'm just not sure the NBA is the place for that development.

Phoenix Suns: Wesley Johnson

2012-13 Statistics: 2.1 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. 6.21 PER.

"Yikes" is the only word that comes to mind when considering Wesley Johnson's first three seasons in the NBA. The former No. 4 overall pick may be the last option on a 10-15 Phoenix Suns team.

That draft was only in 2010, making this plummet remarkable in both speed and depth. Michael Beasley is going to get all the negative headlines across the league for his poor play, but Johnson's story is remarkable.

He shot 50 percent from the floor at Syracuse, but hasn't breached 40 percent in the pros. He is down to 32 percent this season through 11 games. Johnson has been completely taken out of the rotation, averaging just 5.9 minutes per game.

It is hard to imagine how this player started 127 games the past two seasons in Minnesota.

Portland Trail Blazers: Jared Jeffries

2012-13 Statistics: 1.1 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. 0.46 PER.

Jared Jeffries was once a valuable role player for the New York Knicks. In fact, it was just last year that he earned 18.7 minutes per game for the playoff-bound Knicks. 

Now, he can't crack the regular rotation in Portland for a team struggling to stay around .500. 

The 10-year NBA veteran is watching his skills disintegrate before his eyes, as his shooting percentage has dropped to 31 percent, from 41 a season ago. 

In 20 games with the Trail Blazers he has been awarded just 8.4 minutes per game. Jeffries is still only 31, so maybe he will find more playing time elsewhere, or maybe this is just it.

Sacramento Kings: James Johnson

2012-13 Statistics: 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. 8.10 PER.

After two solid years with the Toronto Raptors, the Sacramento Kings expected a bit more out of James Johnson. 

What they got was an exceedingly mediocre power forward who has lost the ability to put the ball in the hoop. A career 44 percent shooter, Johnson is down below 38 percent this season. He has missed all nine of his deep balls as well.

Perhaps most perplexing is his free throw shooting. After connecting on better than 70 percent in 2011-12, Johnson is just 16-of-28 this year. 

The Kings have a lot of difficulties and granting Johnson 18 minutes per game is not helping.

San Antonio Spurs: Stephen Jackson

2012-13 Statistics: 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. 10.11 PER.

Before his injury, Stephen Jackson was having a forgettable November for the San Antonio Spurs. 

His first game back with the team on Dec. 17 was decent, but it will take more to make up for that horrid start. 

Jackson was shooting just 37.5 percent in November and has hit on just 11-of-37 three pointers this season. This will be an increasing concern for the 34-year-old forward. Once Jackson's shooting goes, there won't be much keeping him in the NBA. 

His rebounding was up slightly, which is nice, but may be a mirage over just an 11-game sample.

On a team as well-rounded as the Spurs there is little to complain about, it just so happens Jackson was in a slump early on. 

Toronto Raptors: John Lucas III

2012-13 Statistics: 3.8 points and 1.4 assists per game. 7.10 PER.

John Lucas III can thank Landry Fields' injury and still unknown return date (cleared for drills), for his placement on this list. Truly, it is rare for a player to play as poorly as Fields did over five starts.

Still, Lucas can shoulder some blame here as he has been nothing that was advertised by a solid stint in Chicago last season. 

Lucas has never been a high-percentage shooter and is a career 38 percent from the field. However, that doesn't explain his current mark at 29.6 percent.

His three-point range, which was evident in 2011-12 with the Bulls (39 percent) has disintegrated into thin air north of the border. Lucas has hit on just 12-of-43 attempts from long-range as a Raptor.

In 11.7 minutes per game, Lucas is providing little to the Raptors as a combo-guard, or even backup point. It is becoming more and more believable that 2011-12 Lucas was a fluke.

Utah Jazz: Alec Burks

2012-13 Statistics: 2.6 points and one rebound per game. 4.39 PER.

A lot of fans were excited for the Alec Burks breakout year in 2012-13. It looks like we'll be left waiting another year for that event. 

The Utah Jazz's young prospect had a solid rookie season, averaging 7.2 points in 16 minutes per game. His sophomore campaign has not gone as smoothly. The athleticism of the league has caught up with him and he has seen his shooting percentage drop from 43 to just 31 percent. 

Thanks to this "sophomore slump," Burks has been raking in a few DNPs for the Jazz. 

Because he came out of college after just two seasons, Burks is still just 21. There is plenty of time for development in the athletic guard.

Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely

2012-13 Statistics: 1.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. 4.48 PER.

The ship has not exactly sailed on Jan Vesely developing into something important yet, but year two's returns are rather unimpressive.

Vesely has been given numerous opportunities to improve and better himself as a player with the Washington Wizards, but has faltered at almost every step in 2012-13. He was recently granted four starts in order to see how he played with the first unit, and he couldn't get much done.

That promising 54 percent shooting as a rookie has dropped to 42 percent. His rebounding has lightened and his free-throw shooting, which was already bad, is atrocious at 3-of-15. 

Vesely has impressive size and athleticism, but it looks like it will take longer than hoped to learn how to use those attributes positively on a basketball court.