The Most Disappointing NBA Teams Since 2000, Ranked

We ranked the NBA teams since 2000 that have underachieved whether it was due to performance, injuries, age or the business of basketball interfering.

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With the Brooklyn Nets trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in a one week span, many people have already deemed this era of Nets basketball as one of the biggest disappointments in recent history. A team that once featured three of the greatest scoring talents in league history with Durant, Harden, and Irving, has now closed its title window and is in a promising rebuild mode. The Nets are not the only team that came into an era with high expectations and ended it with minimal results. In fact, they’re not the only Nets team that disappointed. The 2013-14 Nets are infamously known for giving the Celtics Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in exchange for one playoff series win. 


The Nets are also not the only franchise with failed superteams. The Lakers have their share of disappointing teams but it often gets overshadowed by the history of their winning franchise. Their counterparts in LA, the Clippers, don’t have the history of success the Lakers but they certainly have similar failures. The aforementioned Celtics featuring Brown and Tatum jumped into the category as well after failing to reach the NBA Finals again with a favorable matchup in front of them. 


We put together a list of NBA teams since 2000 that have underachieved or disappointed whether it was due to performance, injuries, age or the business of basketball getting in the way of these teams not capitalizing on their championship windows.


12. 2022-23 Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo during 40 point loss to the Sixers

11. 7 Seconds or Less Suns (2004-2010)

Steven Nash Amare Stoudemire Shawn Marion 2005

10. 2003-04 Lakers

Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal and Rick Fox

9. 2018-19 Celtics

kyrie irving celtics getty 2017

8. 2012-16 OKC Thunder

Kevin Durant James Harden Russell Westbrook

7. 2021-22 Lakers

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony

6. 2013-14 Nets

The 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets starting lineup

5. 2022-23 Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown.

4. 2019-23 Kawhi-PG Clippers

This is a photo of Doc Rivers.

3. Lob City Clippers (2011-2017)

Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers celebrates with teammates Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan

2. 2012-13 Lakers

Dwight Howard #12 and Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers

1. "7-11" Nets (2019-2023)

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving

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