Sacramento Kings

This was supposed to be the season that the Kings finally returned to the NBA playoffs.

An exciting young core, led by road-runner De'Aaron Fox, complemented by shooters such as Buddy Hield and athletic bigs like Marvin Bagley, the Kings finished one spot outside the playoffs last season.

They brought in highly regarded you coach Luke Walton to replace the successful, but abrasive Dave Joeger, and hoped that Walton's up-tempo leanings would unlock a new level in this group.

An 0-5 start was not what the Kings hierarchy was anticipating.

As expected the Kings have been average on defence, but last seasons exciting run and gun offence has been replaced by a plodding attack. Injuries to Bagley in the season opener and Fox last week haven't helped matters, but Walton has inexplicably put the hand break on his team of greyhounds, the Kings currently a lowly 28th in pace.

Buddy Hield signed a big contract in the off-season, but he's having perhaps his worst season to date. Bogdan Bogdanovic is reportedly not happy with his place in the rotation. The Kings let Willie Cauley-Stein walk to keep Harry Giles, then declined Giles rookie extension option.

Walton needs to find a way to keep the Kings in touch until Fox and Bagley return, otherwise he could pay with his job.

Golden State Warriors

This might be a case of shooting Bambi, but no matter which way you slice it, Golden State's season has been incredibly disappointing.

Unlike the other teams on this list, most factors in the Warriors slide are out of their direct control: namely, injuries.

Last season's final game saw Klay Thompson go down with an ACL. Kevin Durant defected East. Despite that, the Dubs came into the season with legitimate playoff aspirations.

We all know what's transpired so far, though. Aussie Aron Baynes inadvertently broke Steph Curry's hand. Draymond Green has been out with a torn ligament in his finger. To top it all off, D'Angelo Russell had been balling before spraining his thumb this week, knocking him out for about a fortnight.

Coach Steve Kerr has been left with a team of untried youngsters and veteran retreads. It's gone about as well as you might expect: Golden State are a league worst 2-11.

All is not lost, though. 

The Warriors haven't had a lottery pick since Harrison Barnes in 2012 and a fresh injection of blue chip talent is more than welcome in the Bay.

Those sounds you hear coming from San Francisco are the tanks rolling in. 

New York Knicks

No, the Knicks didn't have hopes of a playoff birth this season. They really didn't have hopes of respectability this season, if we're being honest.

The Knicks being on this list isn't so much about failing to meet expectations realistic or otherwise, as much as it's about a franchise that just can't seem to stop smacking itself in the face. 

New York are coming off a 65 loss season and have somehow managed to get worse. Sitting at the bottom of the East with a 3-10 record (inflated by two revenge wins over Kristaps Porzingis' Mavs), the Knicks are absolutely rudderless.

The front office pair of Steve Mills and Scott Perry have constructed a lopsided, over priced and under talented group and asked coach David Fizdale to 'MacGyver' them into a 35+ win outfit.

After a horrendous start, Mills and Perry have reportedly been laying the groundwork with (the fans wish he were an absentee) owner James Dolan for Fizdale to take the blame if things don't improve.

Let's not mince words here, folks: the Knicks are the worst team in basketball.

From the owner, to an inept front office dating back to the Phil Jackson and Isiah Thomas eras, to some awful coaches (FYI - I don't put Fizdale in that group) and talent that has never – even in the good times – been elite, this franchise has been in the dumps for close to 20 years.

So this isn't a assessment based on some unrealistic expectation for this years group. It's a salute to the New York Knicks unparalleled ability plumb new depths, year after year after year.

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