“This is the worst team I have ever seen”. A statement that has undoubtedly been uttered by countless NBA fans over the years. Of course, it is almost always an embellishment of the truth. We as fans are emotional and irrational creatures, so often prone to mark the here and now as the greatest or worst. However, is that the case with this year’s Bobcats squad? It got me thinking after Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweeted the question Wednesday night, fresh off the 44-point loss to Portland. So, I proceeded to do a little research – the results may or may not surprise you.
One of my favorite basketball websites is a basketball-reference.com. You can often find me perusing its offerings when I should instead be fulfilling my various adult obligations. One measurement of a team’s strength – or lack thereof – which they use is the Simple Rating System, or SRS. The rating takes into account average point differential and strength of schedule to arrive at a final point value above/below an average rating of zero. I like this rating because it factors in the difficulty of the schedule faced by a given team to date.
Twenty-three games into the season (3-20) the Bobcats have a SRS of -14.41. The second worst rating in the League belongs to the Pistons at -9.51. Quick math – yes, that’s nearly five points separating the two teams. Therefore, there’s really no argument that as currently constructed (injuries taken into consideration) the Bobcats are the worst team in the NBA. But that’s not the question this post set out to answer. We here at QCH aim higher. And by higher I mean lower – all-time lower.
Is this the worst team in NBA history? No. By season’s end could it be? Yes.
Upon completing my search for the League’s all-time worst team – according to SRS, anyway – the distinction fell on the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, who posted a rating of -14.68 and finished last in the NBA in both Offensive and Defensive Rating. Much like this year’s Bobcats team, the roster featured a host of inexperienced players. In the Mavericks’ case, the majority of these players also went on to have ineffective NBA careers.
So, who currently stands number two according to SRS? Yes, your 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats. With a Margin of Victory of -14.04 and a Strength of Schedule of -0.37, their rating of -14.41 currently ranks 2nd worst all-time. Do I think this team is as bad as that Mavericks team? No. The team’s struggles have certainly been exacerbated by the injury problems suffered due in large part to the compressed schedule. The severely truncated training camp did the Bobcats no favors either, as the team was not afforded the requisite practice time to incorporate new players and schemes. However, these are factors every team has had and continues to deal with this season.
Will the Bobcats finish the season as the NBA’s all-time worst team? We’ll see. As for me, I won’t be cheering for it. In a league where finishing with the worst record affords you nothing more than a one-in-four shot at the #1 pick and with the realization that they will more than likely finish in the bottom three no matter what, I’m hoping to see improvement out of the team – especially from the younger players.
Regardless of whom the Bobcats select in the upcoming NBA Draft, the team will need impact players to suit up alongside him. In a town which is simply not a destination for premier free agents, it will require the team to develop many of these players from the current roster. Therefore, those of you who might be inclined to root for record futility – please fight the urge. Not to keep the team out of the record books, but with the hope that the collective future of the younger players making up this 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats roster doesn’t mirror that of the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks.
Im a bobcat fan it sucks and it hurt to see i team thats not getting better but tring to worst for a nuber 1 draft pic good fo the owner and management but for a fan it hurts and the current players who wanna win they need a new name and a new owner to bring some joy to the nba fans in the queen city
I’m a tenured member of the “change Charlotte’s name” bandwagon. Charlotte Royals anyone??????
Charlotte Flight. Still is the best name out there. Flight for NC first in flight plus with Jordan as the owner. Jordan and his iconic flight symbol. This should be this teams name for sure.
UHH, please no! If the name was changed to Charlotte Flight or Charlotte Royals, I would officially never root for them again. Those may be good college names, but not NBA names. I agree that Bobcats isn’t a great one either. I used to like the whole idea of being able to call the court “Charlotte’s Webb,” but the best idea that anyone came up with was simply Spiders. Spiders? Not too creative there. Or intimidating.
Flight would be a good and1 league name or Harlem Globetrotters opponent name, or college team name. And Royals seems too out of this era. I also am not a fan of the Thunder either. I miss the Hornets. Maybe if New Orleans moves to Seattle, they can be called the Sonics again and the Bobcats can take back Hornets! YEAH!
Charlotte “Hornets”
But Charlotte/Carolina Flight is also great — nod to both our “first in flight” deal and also our owner, His “Airness”
Don’t know if I’m down with Royals since it once existed (Rochester/Cincinnati). However, I don’t really have anything better either…
I like the Monarchs…
Anything but Bobcats honestly.
It hurts all the more knowing that we could’ve had a contender with Wallace, Chandler, Jackson, and Richardson, whom we traded for peanuts. Add those guys with the current roster of Augustine, Henderson, Walker, and Biyombo and we’re a playoff team. But instead it hurts to watch.
I AGREE WITH ROD, BUT LETS FACE IT, JORDAN WOULD OVER THE LUXURY TAX WITH A TEAM THAT COULD BARELY GET IN THE PLAYOFFS. A LONG LOCKOUT, A REBUILDING EFFORT, A ROSTER FULL OF OVERPAID WASHUP VETERANS. THIS IS WHAT YOUR GOING TO GET A BAD PRODUCT. JORDAN KNEW THAT FROM DAY ONE. I DONT SEE WHY WE DONT JUST START BIYIMBO, KEMBA AND ANY OTHER YOUNG PROSPECT. WE AINT GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS ANYWAY, IT MAKES SINCE TO LET OUR YOUNG PLAYERS GET OUT THIER AND LEARN ON THE JOB.
START
KEMBA WALKER
GERALD HENDERSON
DERRICK BROWN
TYRUS THOMAS
BISMACK BIYOMBO
LET ALL THE VETS CAME OFF THE BENCH IN SUPPORT ROLES
WHEN DJ GETS WELL WE SHOULD TRADE HIM AND MAGGATE TO ANY TEAM WILLING TO
TRADING DJ AUGUSTINE,AND MATT CARROL TO THE LAKERS FOR META WORLD PEACE
BEFORE TRADE DEADLINE
Just found the perfect trade for Charlotte
TRADE
TYRUS THOMAS
CORY MAGGETTE
DIOP
TO BOSTON FOR
KEVIN GARNETT
Greg Stiemsma
E’Twaun Moore
BOSTON
THIS DEAL IS STRICTLY BASED ON BUSINESS AND CLEARING UP CAPSPACE
KEVIN GARNETT IS GETTING OLD AND BOSTON IS GETTING OLD, AND COULD USE A GOOD BACK UP CENTER IN DIOP AND YOUNG PROSPECT LIKE TYRUS, THE ONLY DOWNSIDE IS GETTING MAGGETTE BUT HE SOULD HELP OUT THE BENCH
PLUS THIS TEAM HAS A LOT OF CAP SPACE TO WORK WITH, AND I KNOW KEVIN LOVES BOSTON, AND WILL BUY OUR CONTACT OUT TO RETURN TO PLAYOFF BOUND BOSTON
CHARLOTTE
21 MILLION IN CAPSPACE
WE LOSE TYRUS, BUT WE GET RID OF DIOP AND MAGGETTE CONTRACTS
WE GAIN YOUNG EFFORTABLE TALENT IN Greg Stiemsma C/F
E’Twaun Moore COMBO GUARD TO BLASTER OUR BENCH, THEN WE COULD START BIYOMBO AT CENTER
THE NEXT TRADE MAKES ALOT OF SENSE
TRADE
GERALD HENDERSON AND BORIS DIAW
FOR
MONTA ELLIS
Jeremy Tyler
GOLDEN STATE GETS A PROMISING SHOOTING GUARD TO COMPLEMENT STEPHEN CURRY
AND 9MILLION SPACE NEXT SEASON
CHARLOTTE
GETS A GO TO SCORER THAT CAN HELP STRUGGLING OFFENSE
WE MAY HAVE TO GAVE UP THE 2013 1ST ROUND PICK BUT I THINK ITS WORTH IT,
WE TRADE
DJ AUSTIGUSTINE AND MATT CARROLL
FOR META WORLD PEACE AND 2ND ROUND PICK 2012
THIS HELPS, BOTH OF US THE LAKERS WANNA GET RID OF MWP, AND WE WANNA GET RID OF MATT CARROLL, THE LAKERS NEED SPEED AT THE PG POSITION AND DJ CAN FORFILL THOSE NEEDS.
NEW STARTING FIVE
KEMBA WALKER
MONTA ELLIS
META WORLD PEACE
DJ WHITE
BISMACK BIYOMBO
BENCH
CORY HIGGINS
REGGIE WILLIAMS
DERRICK BROWN
ED NEJERA
BRYON MULLENS
C Greg Stiemsma
PG/G E’Twaun Moore
PF/C Jeremy Tyler
HOW ALL WE GOTTA DO NEXT SEASON IS DRAFT HARRISON BARNES AND WE GOT A GOOD SQUAD IN 2013
Two things: 1) Celtics aren’t getting rid of Garnet for a player like Thomas who’s not as good and won’t come off their salary book next year (plus they’re still capable of a run to the NBA Finals this year with Garnet).
2) No way should Charlotte give up Augustin for anything less than a promising young player OR a first round pick.
The Monta Ellis deal makes sense, but I don’t think the Bobcats should get rid of any of their future first round picks.
NEW STARTING FIVE
KEMBA WALKER
MONTA ELLIS
META WORLD PEACE
DJ WHITE
BISMACK BIYOMBO
BENCH
CORY HIGGINS
REGGIE WILLIAMS
DERRICK BROWN
ED NEJERA (EXPIRING CONTRACT)
BRYON MULLENS
C Greg Stiemsma
PG/G E’Twaun Moore
PF/C Jeremy Tyler
NOW ALL WE GOTTA DO NEXT SEASON IS DRAFT HARRISON BARNES AND WE GOT A GOOD SQUAD IN 2013
I LOVE THIS SET UP, 22 MILLION IN CAP SPACE IN FREE AGENTS LIKE
PF Carl Landry* WE NEED PF DEPTH LANDRY MAKES SENSE
SG Jason Terry* WE NEED SCOREING OFF THE BENCH TERRY MAKES SENSE
C Chris Kaman* WE NEED A BIG MAN WHO CAN DEFEND AND POST UP MAKES SENSE
G Marco Belinelli*WE NEED A SCORING OFF THE BENCH MAKES SENSE
C Ian Mahinmi*WE NEED A DEFENSIVE CENTER MAKES SENSE
SF Matt Barnes*WE NEED A VET TO SCORE OFF THE BENCH MAKES GOOD SENSE
SF Mickael Pietrus*WE NEED TO SCORE OFF THE BENCH MAKES GOOD SENSE
SG Leandro Barbosa*WE NEED TO SCORE OFF MAKES GOOD SENSE
Rashon, again…..please stop. None of it makes sense.
Rod, we never could have had richardson AND jackson. And if we had kept that group together we wouldnt have gotten walker and biyombo. We did have augustin, henderson, jackson, wallace, thomas, diaw, chandler last year and gave away chandler for bad contracts……but that team would have been a tax paying 8 seed with the core on the wrong side of 30.
We actually have a really solid group, but between lack of experience and health issues, we have and will continue to struggle. We have a ton of money coming off the books this year and next and a top 5 pick gauranteed this year. We are going to be very good if we develop and retain our core and land that key piece this year or next.
I think a lineup of augustin, henderson, barnes, mullens, biyombo with walker, thomas, white, brown and an additional big and keeping matt carroll for a small fee……that team could be a contender for a long time. Not immediately but a 30 win team next year? absolutely. 45 The next year and there after? completely do’able.
Its hard being a bobcats fan, but finally for the first time ever, the personnel moves actually make sense and are working. Its hard to ask patience of fans who have experienced so much losing but its needed now. Getting augustin healthy will go a Long way.
No way this team is worse than the nets team from 2 years ago. No way. They were healthy and getting blown out regularly. What’d they win? 8 games in aa regular season in a weaker eastern conference that what it is now that guys like melo, amare, david west, boozer, chandler went east and lebron and bosh joined wade. Bobcats arent THAT bad. But they are horrible.
2013 STARTING LINE UP
1st
KEMBA WALKER
MONTA ELLIS
HARRISON BARNES
CARL LANDRY
BISMACK BIYOMBO
Cory Higgins
Marco Belinelli
META WORLD PEACE
DJ WHITE
C Byron Mullens
C Ian Mahinmi
PG/G E’Twaun Moore
PF/C Jeremy Tyler
SG/SF REGGIE WILLIAMS
SF/PF DERRICK BROWN
I LIKE MY THE WORK I’VE DONE HERE IN FACT I THINK THE BOBCATS SHOULD HIRE AS THIER GM
This is most pathetic, sorriest excuse of a franchise I’ve ever seen. They should just do themselves a favor and forfeit the rest of the season. These bums get paid millions of dollars to sit around and get slaughtered by every team in the NBA. This team is a disgrace to the city of Charlotte and the sport of basketball. Michael Jordan and the whole organization should be ashamed of this pathetic display. Every time I watch them it just makes me want to vomit they are so disgustingly awful. They don’t look like they are going to win another game for the rest of the season. Move over 1972-73 Sixers. The NBA’s got a new all-time worst! Your 2012 Charlotte Scrubcats!
[...] 17 and four of those defeats have been by 30 points or more. The fine folks at Queen City Hoops did this analysis of whether the Bobcats will eclipse the rate stats of miserableness. This was a weak lineup that [...]
Remember when the Hornets used to be competitive almost every year? And players actually wanted to be a Hornet? I agree that simply changing the name back to Hornets would attract more free agents.
OH, and PLEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEE get rid of those Nascar uniforms! This is the NBA, not too many basketball fans are Nascar fans. At least none of the guys I’ve ever played ball with. And I live in NC. And have played in many many many leagues.
[...] all the doom and gloom talk about “is this the worst team ever” or “I might throw this computer through a window if Charlotte doesn’t get the [...]