Ranking the Worst Starter from Every NBA Team in the League

It's a simple truth in the NBA: Each and every team has to start five players. There is simply no way around that rule. So which teams are helped or hurt the most by this rule?

If only three people were required to field a team, the Miami Heat would clearly have won the title last season. If there were four necessary, I bet you quite a few teams would have been thrilled. 

But five players are necessary for a full starting lineup

Read on for the rankings of the worst starter on each and every team. 

(Note: Starters were determined by ESPN's 2012 depth charts.)

30. Washington Wizards: Maurice Evans

Position: Small forward 

Age: 32

2010-2011 Stats: 6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.2 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

My mother always told me that if I didn't have anything to say that was kind, true and necessary, I was better off not saying anything.

Let's move on.

29. Miami Heat: Joel Anthony

Position: Center

Age: 28

2010-2011 Stats: 2.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.1 steals per game

Would the Miami Heat have been more successful with any center in the league other than Joel Anthony?

There's a distinct possibility that they would have.

28. Los Angeles Clippers: Jamario Moon

Position: Small forward

Age: 31

2010-2011 Stats: 4.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

Jamario Moon is aging quickly, and he was never very good to begin with.

Right now he's just awful.

27. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ryan Hollins

Position: Center

Age: 26

2010-2011 Stats: 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.3 steals per game

Ryan Hollins' numbers are absolutely awful. They're made worse by the fact that he's starting for one of the league's worst teams and should be able to make a bigger impact on the game.

Amazingly enough, his stats from last season are higher than his career averages across the board.

26. Golden State Warriors: Ekpe Udoh

Position: Power forward 

Age: 24

2010-2011 Stats: 4.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.4 steals per game

The most amazing thing about Ekpe Udoh is that he actually plays defense for the Golden State Warriors. Maybe the man just one season removed from the Baylor Bears hasn't learned which team he plays for yet.

Udoh didn't exactly have a stellar rookie season, but he still has loads of potential.

25. Chicago Bulls: Keith Bogans

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 31

2010-2011 Stats: 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

Keith Bogans was the forgotten guard in the Chicago Bulls backcourt, because Derrick Rose was simply able to do everything by himself and then some.

The former Kentucky Wildcats is still a pretty decent three-point shooter, but his contributions aren't that valuable anymore.

24. Atlanta Hawks: Zaza Pachulia

Position: Center

Age: 27

2010-2011 Stats: 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.3 blocks and 0.4 steals per game

Zaza Pachulia is now going to be a sort of placeholder for incoming rookie Keith Benson as the Oakland Golden Grizzly gets his game up to NBA standards.

Pachulia is good for a momentum-changing play or two every once in a while, but his best days are already behind him. The Russian caveman lookalike doesn't have very much potential anymore.

23. Dallas Mavericks: DeShawn Stevenson

Position: Shooting guard 

Age: 30

2010-2011 Stats: 5.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.3 steals per game

There are very few things that DeShawn Stevenson does well.

They are: annoy LeBron James, play good defense and show off a neck tattoo of Abraham Lincoln. That's really just about it.

22. New York Knicks: Ronny Turiaf

Position: Center  

Age: 28

2010-2011 Stats: 4.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

While Ronny Turiaf may have been the weakest link in New York's chain, he still wasn't too awful.

The counting stats aren't the least bit impressive, but Turiaf's defensive ability is what keeps him in the starting lineup. At least it keeps him in that lineup until the Knicks bring in a new center.

21. New Jersey Nets: Travis Outlaw

Position: Small forward 

Age: 26

2010-2011 Stats: 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 blocks and 0.4 steals per game

Travis Outlaw's PER was 8.8 last season. That is not very good at all.

Enough said.

20. Boston Celtics: Jermaine O'Neal

Position: Center

Age: 32

2010-2011 Stats: 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 0.1 steals per game

Even though Jermaine O'Neal once made six All-Star teams in a row, he's now just an extra body on the court, because the Boston Celtics can't just send out Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.

O'Neal's best days are long gone, but he's still good for a few defensive plays per game.

19. Oklahoma City Thunder: Thabo Sefolosha

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 27

2010-2011 Stats: 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game

Thabo Sefolosha may not be the best shooting guard on his own team, as that honor belongs to James Harden, but he's still listed as the starter.

On a team with Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Sefolosha's role really isn't to score the ball—and he doesn't. He just doesn't do too much else.

18. San Antonio Spurs: Antonio McDyess

Position: Power forward

Age: 36

2010-2011 Stats: 5.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

It's tough to be successful at basketball's highest level when you're 36 years old and have no knees left to speak of.

Antonio McDyess was once a great player, but injuries and age have officially caught up to him, and there's no turning back now.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wesley Johnson

Position: Small forward 

Age: 24

2010-2011 Stats: 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.7 steals per game

The rookie out of Syracuse didn't exactly light the NBA world on fire. Instead, he struggled throughout the season and now is faced with the unfortunate prospect of having to compete with Derrick Williams for a starting job.

He won't be citing last season as a reason that he should remain in the opening lineup.

16. Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher

Position: Point guard

Age: 36

2010-2011 Stats: 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.1 blocks and 1.2 steals per game

Derek Fisher is nearing the end of his reign as a starter. We've heard countless rumors by now about replacing him somehow, whether with either Andrew Goudelock or Darius Morris, the first two 2011 draft acquisitions, or someone via free agency or a trade.

It's time for the longtime point guard to start calling it a career in my opinion.

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Position: Small forward 

Age: 24

2010-2011 Stats: 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 blocks and 0.9 steals per game

First of all, isn't Luc Richard Mbah a Moute one of the absolute most fun NBA names to say out loud? That has to count for something.

Mbah a Moute is still quite young, and he's not entirely done with his development. He's never going to be a star, but he's going to at the very least continue to be serviceable.

14. Detroit Pistons: Chris Wilcox

Position: Power forward 

Age: 28

2010-2011 Stats: 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.3 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

Although he's still only just 28 years old, Chris Wilcox has already seen his best days. With all of his numbers on the decline, there is no indication whatsoever that the former Maryland Terrapin is suddenly going to improve drastically.

13. Charlotte Bobcats: Kwame Brown

Position: Center 

Age: 29

2010-2011 Stats: 7.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.4 steals per game

It's a rarity nowadays that you hear the name Kwame Brown without some sort of punch line coming immediately afterwards. There isn't one here if you're curious. 

Brown is effective enough to earn a starting role on the inept Charlotte Bobcats, but that starting job could be in jeopardy on a young squad. 

12. Houston Rockets: Chase Budinger

Position: Small Forward

Age: 23

2010-2011 Stats: 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.2 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

Chase Budinger has just two seasons of NBA play under his belt, and he improved in between the first and second ones. There's no telling whether or not he will continue to grow, but I tend to think his athleticism will carry him to new heights.

Despite being listed as a starter, Budinger didn't play all too often last season, but he was pretty productive when he was in fact on the court.

11. Indiana Pacers: Paul George

Position: Small forward

Age: 21

2010-2011 Stats: 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game

Paul George played collegiate ball at Fresno State and then was drafted at No. 10 by the Indiana Pacers in the 2010 NBA draft.

He didn't disappoint in his first season. Although it took him a little while to adjust, the high-flying George soon made a significant impact for the Pacers during this past campaign.

10. New Orleans Hornets: Marco Belinelli

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 25

2010-2011 Stats: 10.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.5 steals per game

Many people expected to see Marcus Thornton break out for the New Orleans Hornets last season at this position, but they were wrong. I am included in that category of people. 

Marco Belinelli instead took the reins and never looked back, averaging double-digits in the points column over the course of the season. As a fifth option, that's not bad at all.

9. Toronto Raptors: James Johnson

Position: Small forward 

Age: 24

2010-2011 Stats: 7.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game

With just two years of experience at this level after his career at Wake Forest, James Johnson is still on the way up.

There's a pretty long way to climb though.

8. Utah Jazz: Raja Bell

Position: Shooting guard 

Age: 34

2010-2011 Stats: 8.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.2 blocks and 0.8 steals per game

Raja Bell has definitely seen better days. Gone is the player who once averaged 14.7 points per game for the Phoenix Suns in back-to-back seasons.

Still though, Bell is not a bad "worst starter" to have by any stretch of the imagination.

7. Sacramento Kings: Francisco Garcia

Position: Small forward 

Age: 30

2010-2011 Stats: 9.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.9 steals per game

Francisco Garcia isn't bad per se, but he isn't exactly a great player either.

The Dominican Republic-born guard who attended Louisville is a great free-throw shooter, but that's the best part of his game. He's not really bad at anything, but he doesn't have any standout talents either.

6. Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Allen

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 29

2010-2011 Stats: 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 blocks and 1.8 steals per game

The uber-athletic Tony Allen has a right to be offended by Travis Leslie's trash talking about him. After all, Allen is an established starter in the NBA.

With some decent offensive contributions and some fantastic plays on the other end of the play, Allen is actually pretty valuable.

5. Philadelphia 76ers: Jodie Meeks

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 23

2010-2011 Stats: 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per game

Given an opportunity in his second season, Jodie Meeks proved that he can still score the ball effectively at the NBA level.

It'll be interesting to see if the former Kentucky Wildcat can continue to improve in his third season. He's an incredible shooter with a nose for the basket, so I wouldn't bet against it.

4. Portland Trail Blazers: Marcus Camby

Position: Power forward 

Age: 37

2010-2011 Stats: 4.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 blocks and 0.7 steals per game

Marcus Camby's best days are way behind him. That should be an obvious statement since he is 37 years old now and has suffered quite a few injuries throughout his career.

Camby can still rebound and block shots proficiently, but that's really about all he's good for now.

3. Denver Nuggets: Kenyon Martin

Position: Power forward 

Age: 33

2010-2011 Stats: 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.9 steals per game

The former No. 1 overall pick is definitely on the tail end of his career. While Martin still plays with a lot of intensity, his body is wearing down, and his skills are simply on the decline.

2. Phoenix Suns: Jared Dudley

Position: Small forward

Age: 26

2010-2011 Stats: 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game

The fourth-year player out of Boston College is finally starting to find his sea legs at the NBA level. His PER of 15.67 last season was pretty good for a player who finds himself on a slideshow dedicated to each team's worst starter.

Dudley is an efficient scorer, both from the field in general and from behind the the arc, where he shot 42 percent during the 2010-2011 campaign.

1. Orlando Magic: Brandon Bass

Position: Power forward

Age: 26

2010-2011 Stats: 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.4 steals per game

It's hard to believe that Brandon Bass is actually the worst starter on the Orlando Magic, but it's not like Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu or Jason Richardson is going to claim that title instead of him.

Bass is a pretty good talent at the power forward position and experienced somewhat of a breakout year last season. He should only keep improving.

More on the NBA

Adam Fromal is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer. Follow him on Twitter.

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