The "All Disappointment" Team

[Roy H.]

The Athletic has an article about its NBA All Disappointment team.

The members:

Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Draymond Green

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)
Jared McCain
Guerschon Yabusele
Darius Garland
Herb Jones
Cam Johnson

Additions?  What's your team?

[perks-a-beast]

Thats a pretty good list. I would add Jaden Ivey from the Pistons as well - although, like Jared McCain, I think him underperforming has a lot to do with a lingering injury.

It hurts to see Paolo Banchero on there. It wasnt long ago I told a friend that I thought Paolo?s ceiling was higher than Jayson Tatums. As of right now, I regret that statement immensely.

[Who]

Why were they disappointed in Draymond Green?

[Who]

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)

I don't know why they are targetting Indiana's youth. Indiana as a team have been disappointing. Not due to their youth. Most of their struggles have been because of a huge number of injuries. They also have been extremely unlucky in a number of close games and could just as easily have had 12-15 wins instead of their 6 wins as a result.

Mathurin has been the same as the previous season. The disappointment is that he didn't have a breakout campaign? Harsh. Jarrace Walker has struggled which is disappointing. Ben Sheppard has continued to be who has been which is a limited end of rotation player. Why were they expecting more?

[smicker16]

Thats a pretty good list. I would add Jaden Ivey from the Pistons as well - although, like Jared McCain, I think him underperforming has a lot to do with a lingering injury.

It hurts to see Paolo Banchero on there. It wasnt long ago I told a friend that I thought Paolo?s ceiling was higher than Jayson Tatums. As of right now, I regret that statement immensely.

TP as I thought the same about Paolo and has not aged well.

Overall, I think this is a pretty solid list. Other one I thought of although this is mainly injury related is Lively from DAL. Felt he had such great potential and just has not been able to make any strides since the Luka trade. It?s almost as if they traded his potential away in that trade too. But again mainly injury related with him and overall I think that list makes sense.

[Who]

The Athletic has an article about its NBA All Disappointment team.

The members:

Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Draymond Green

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)
Jared McCain
Guerschon Yabusele
Darius Garland
Herb Jones
Cam Johnson

Additions?  What's your team?

I find this whole list strange.

Injuries seems to be the main factor - LaMelo, Morant, Trae, Garland, McCain. Why are they disappointing? Because they got hurt?

Paolo Banchero gets far too much criticism. He is an All-Star level player but gets blasted by certain sections for not being an MVP level or top 10 level player. If Banchero is deemed to be on this list, why isn't Evan Mobley on this list? Why isn't Chet Holmgren on this list? Why isn't Banchero's teammate Franz Wagner on this list? Why isn't Jaren Jackson on this list?

Yabusele was not a good fit in NYC. He needs to be alongside an athletic mobile defensive center. He is an average to below average backup PF in a place that doesn't suit him. He is doing as expected in that situation.

Cam Johnson has been disappointing but has been on an upturn recently. Some big games. Shooting lights out.

I don't understand the criticism of Herb Jones. Or Draymond.

[Redz]

The Athletic has an article about its NBA All Disappointment team.

The members:

Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Draymond Green

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)
Jared McCain
Guerschon Yabusele
Darius Garland
Herb Jones
Cam Johnson

Additions?  What's your team?

I find this whole list strange.

Injuries seems to be the main factor - LaMelo, Morant, Trae, Garland, McCain. Why are they disappointing? Because they got hurt?

Paolo Banchero gets far too much criticism. He is an All-Star level player but gets blasted by certain sections for not being an MVP level or top 10 level player. If Banchero is deemed to be on this list, why isn't Evan Mobley on this list? Why isn't Chet Holmgren on this list? Why isn't Banchero's teammate Franz Wagner on this list? Why isn't Jaren Jackson on this list?

Yabusele was not a good fit in NYC. He needs to be alongside an athletic mobile defensive center. He is an average to below average backup PF in a place that doesn't suit him. He is doing as expected in that situation.

Cam Johnson has been disappointing but has been on an upturn recently. Some big games. Shooting lights out.

I don't understand the criticism of Herb Jones. Or Draymond.

Yeh.  What are people expecting of Draymond at this stage?

[slamtheking]

The Athletic has an article about its NBA All Disappointment team.

The members:

Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Draymond Green

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)
Jared McCain
Guerschon Yabusele
Darius Garland
Herb Jones
Cam Johnson

Additions?  What's your team?

I find this whole list strange.

Injuries seems to be the main factor - LaMelo, Morant, Trae, Garland, McCain. Why are they disappointing? Because they got hurt?

Paolo Banchero gets far too much criticism. He is an All-Star level player but gets blasted by certain sections for not being an MVP level or top 10 level player. If Banchero is deemed to be on this list, why isn't Evan Mobley on this list? Why isn't Chet Holmgren on this list? Why isn't Banchero's teammate Franz Wagner on this list? Why isn't Jaren Jackson on this list?

Yabusele was not a good fit in NYC. He needs to be alongside an athletic mobile defensive center. He is an average to below average backup PF in a place that doesn't suit him. He is doing as expected in that situation.

Cam Johnson has been disappointing but has been on an upturn recently. Some big games. Shooting lights out.

I don't understand the criticism of Herb Jones. Or Draymond.

Yeh.  What are people expecting of Draymond at this stage?

probably just general disappointment that's he's still a horse's ass

[Roy H.]

Why were they disappointed in Draymond Green?

Mostly his very bad turnover rate:

You knew Father Time was coming for the Golden State Warriors? stars at some point, and while Green?s off-the-charts IQ still gives him plus value on defense, the offensive side of the equation is tilting sharply negative.

Green is a starting center who doesn?t rim run or post up, shoots 47.6 percent on 2s and is left unattended to shoot as many 3s as he wants. He has a meager 9.4 PER, and he?s at the epicenter of Golden State?s turnover plague.

The Warriors have the league?s fourth-worst turnover rate, dragging down an offense that has Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler but still ranks only 19th in efficiency. While turnovers come with the territory in the Warriors? pass-heavy system, they were 11th-best in that category as recently as last season.

Green has far and away the league?s highest turnover rate, including an 11-game stretch where he had at least three miscues in each. This has happened despite most of his shots being uncontested catch-and-shoot 3s and his dribble rarely being pressured. He has always been a high-turnover player, operating as a fulcrum of the offense whirring around Curry; for years, he more than made up for the miscues with high-value assists.

That equation is changing before our eyes: The peak version of Green averaged three assists for every turnover, and even two years ago, he was at 2.5. This year, he?s at 1.7, and it?s not hard to see why on the tape, where he?s fearlessly firing balls into coverage like a late-model Brett Favre. Green already has 57 bad-pass turnovers this year in 734 minutes, or about 2.3 per 30 minutes.

Watch here as the Raptors totally disregard the threat of him posting up. Ja?Kobe Walter is just standing in the lane on a direct line to Green?s pass, but he throws it anyway:

[video]

At other times, especially in transition, it?s more fling-and-a-prayer:

The bigger-picture issue is the connection between his declining scoring ability and the turnovers. Because nobody is guarding him, he throws a lot more passes into tight or nonexistent windows, and the risk-reward equation is tipping badly negative.

[Roy H.]

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)

I don't know why they are targetting Indiana's youth. Indiana as a team have been disappointing. Not due to their youth. Most of their struggles have been because of a huge number of injuries. They also have been extremely unlucky in a number of close games and could just as easily have had 12-15 wins instead of their 6 wins as a result.

Mathurin has been the same as the previous season. The disappointment is that he didn't have a breakout campaign? Harsh. Jarrace Walker has struggled which is disappointing. Ben Sheppard has continued to be who has been which is a limited end of rotation player. Why were they expecting more?

Yes, the big-picture reason the Indiana Pacers are so bad is that Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles and Myles Turner left in free agency. But another low-key issue has been how underwhelming their recent first-round picks have been. Players such as Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard were supposed to give this team a floor, but instead, the bottom has dropped out.

Mathurin?s output in the Pacers? 2025 NBA Finals run conjured images of a breakout scoring year in his fourth season; instead, if anything, he?s slightly regressed. He can still draw fouls and has shot well from 3, but he misses too many open teammates and has too many wild forays to the cup when he can?t get a whistle. A 12.9 PER on 57.7 percent true shooting is fine, but it?s the profile of a backup, especially with Mathurin?s defensive issues. Entering a contract year on a team with luxury tax issues, this may be his last hurrah in Indy.

Mathurin, however, has been miles better than Walker and Sheppard. The Pacers? two first-rounders in 2023 looked set to take solid steps forward this year, but neither can find the basket. Sheppard is mired at 27.3 percent from 3, 35.4 percent overall and a 7.3 PER; Walker, meanwhile, has had arguably an even more staggering shooting regression, hitting 31.3 percent from 3, 38.5 percent on 2s and sporting a 7.4 PER. Among players with at least 500 minutes played, only two have a worse PER than Sheppard and Walker; Walker?s BPM is also the worst of any player with at least 600 minutes.

[moiso]

The Athletic has an article about its NBA All Disappointment team.

The members:

Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Trae Young
Paolo Banchero
Draymond Green

"Indiana's Youth" (Bennedict Maturin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard)
Jared McCain
Guerschon Yabusele
Darius Garland
Herb Jones
Cam Johnson

Additions?  What's your team?

I find this whole list strange.

Injuries seems to be the main factor - LaMelo, Morant, Trae, Garland, McCain. Why are they disappointing? Because they got hurt?

Paolo Banchero gets far too much criticism. He is an All-Star level player but gets blasted by certain sections for not being an MVP level or top 10 level player. If Banchero is deemed to be on this list, why isn't Evan Mobley on this list? Why isn't Chet Holmgren on this list? Why isn't Banchero's teammate Franz Wagner on this list? Why isn't Jaren Jackson on this list?

Yabusele was not a good fit in NYC. He needs to be alongside an athletic mobile defensive center. He is an average to below average backup PF in a place that doesn't suit him. He is doing as expected in that situation.

Cam Johnson has been disappointing but has been on an upturn recently. Some big games. Shooting lights out.

I don't understand the criticism of Herb Jones. Or Draymond.

Ja Morant has been pretty horrible, look at his shooting numbers.  Plus the team has a better record without him than with him.  Same deal with Young- the team is adequate without Young and they are horrible with him.  Plus to me it is very dissappointing to see Morant and Ball continue to miss games with minor injuries, even though that is consistent with their histories.

[perks-a-beast]

Another guy I have as a deep cut because of his high draft position is Khaman Maluach. I know that he is young, but not being able to crack the Suns less than stellar center rotation at 7?2 with a 7?7 wingspan is worrisome.

Phoenix must be kicking themselves for passing on Derik Queen and Cedric Coward. Both those dudes look like future stars.