Who Have Been the LA Lakers' Most Disappointing Players so Far?

Given the Los Angeles Lakers' outlook prior to the start of the season, a 7-7 record through the year's first 14 games is a pleasant surprise. 

In fact, it eclipses the mark of last season's team—a team with much loftier goals—through the same number of games.

There have been a number of players who have played up to and even surpassed expectations thus far. Unfortunately, there are a few guys on the flip side of that as well.

Here are the five most disappointing Lakers in the early going.

Steve Nash

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No one has been more disappointing than Steve Nash.

Nash was primed for a bounce-back year after missing 32 games in 2013. The thinking was that without Kobe Bryant around to begin this season, Nash would go back to having the ball in his hands at the helm of the system that produced two MVP campaigns for the point guard.

Alas, that narrative has been completely turned on its head.

Nash is suffering from nerve root irritation—complications from a fracture in his leg last season—and hasn't been able to suit up for the Lakers since November 10.

In his brief time on the court, Nash has looked like the oldest player in the league, averaging fewer than seven points and five assists while shooting a very un-Nash-like 26 percent from the field.

Chris Kaman

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The Lakers' most expensive free-agent addition has been a non-factor so far.

Chris Kaman is on pace to record his worst PER in seven years and his fewest win shares per 48 minutes in 10.

He's still scoring, rebounding and blocking shots, but his efficiency is low.

Kaman is a jump-shooting big man, and while he's one of the better mid-range shooters among bigs in the league, it's the least efficient shot in basketball.

Unlike Dirk Nowitzki, Kaman does not supplement his mid-range game with three-pointers or frequent trips to the foul line.

Kaman has attempted just six free throws against 96 field goals so far this season.

To put that into perspective, consider that Kaman's 0.138 free-throw rate (free-throw attempts divided by field-goal attempts) was the second-lowest at his position among qualified centers in 2013, per HoopData. 

This season, his free-throw rate is half of what it was last year.

Yikes. 

Xavier Henry

Preseason darling Xavier Henry hasn't been able to sustain his performance now that the games matter.

He's had a couple of very nice showings—including his most recent outing, when he scored 21 points in 21 minutes—and produced what may end up as the dunk of the year (see video above).

However, his play overall has been spotty.

While he has made nearly as many three-pointers (11) as he had in his entire three-year career coming into the season (13), Henry has shot a dismal 39 percent from inside the arc. He's also shooting under 55 percent from the foul line.

His strength is attacking the rim off pick-and-rolls, but Henry limits his overall effectiveness out of those situations by not setting up his teammates.

According to NBA.com, Henry is tied for the second-lowest assist rate among guards who play at least 18 minutes per game, and he turns the ball over twice as often as he dishes out helpers. 

Wesley Johnson

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It hasn't been all bad for Wes Johnson, who's on pace to wind up with the highest PER of his career. 

Unfortunately, that mark sits at just 11.3—still far below league-average.

His sub-.500 true shooting percentage is atrocious for a wing player and he still can't find a way to get to the free-throw line.

Mike D'Antoni seems to prefer deploying Johnson as a stretch 4. The 26-year-old has made it work on offense, shooting at a career-best clip from three, but he's gotten abused by power forwards with any type of skill on the other end.

According to 82games.com, Johnson is posting a 12.3 PER when playing the 4, while giving up an 18.3 PER to opposing power forwards. 

Shawne Williams

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Not much is expected of Shawne Williams, and he hasn't done anything to change that perception.

Mike D'Antoni even started Williams in a handful of games early on, but stuck him back on the bench after Williams didn't prove to be a great option.

His value stems from being a power forward who can stretch the floor. So far, he's shot a reasonable 36 percent from three, but that's only a league-average mark and defenses are completely ignoring him when he's on the floor.

Williams isn't a threat to contribute any other way. He's making just one-third of his two-point shots and has attempted just two free throws all season.

Defensively, Williams has held his own, but he's not a lockdown defender nor a good rebounder for his position.

If the Lakers can find a better option at the backup power forward spot, Williams' minutes could dry up in a hurry.