NBA Misery Index: Suns, Mavericks, 76ers fans have had it bad. But who’s had it worse?

The Misery Index: It’s not just for people reading my work. (Ha! You thought you were going to hit me with that in the comments, but I just “8 Mile’d” you.)

Let’s move on to the point of this story, and yes, there is one (“8 Mile’d” again). A lot of NBA fan bases are enjoying incredibly fun seasons for their favorite teams. Some squads have exceeded expectations and may have fans wondering if an NBA championship is on the way. Other teams have met expectations perfectly and are indeed contending for that Larry O’Brien trophy. And some teams have their fans looking forward to the future.

Then there are the teams featured in The Misery Index (or TMI for short). This is an incredibly scientific system developed for years deep inside the Capital One Arena research laboratory here at The Athletic. We can’t get into all of the factors that bring about the TMI score for certain teams because it would start to read like a research paper at MIT. Just know there’s a lot of science involved. But here are a few of the key components I can detail:

• How bad is this season? This is dependent on preseason expectations, things that were within their control, what was out of their control and various other potential misery from watching this 2024-25 campaign.
• How frustrating have recent seasons been? Were they headed toward something good and it fell apart, or were they pretty miserable in the one to three seasons prior?
• Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? Basically, are you the Dallas Mavericks?
• Are you still thinking about him? Not just the Mavs! This could be a trade or signing that didn’t happen but you thought would. Or maybe someone who recently left via trade or free agency?
• Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? Yes, the season is bad, but it can be mitigated by hope for the future currently employed by the team! Not just hoping for Cooper Flagg.
• Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? Are those young players on the verge of turning this into something exciting? Think of the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
• Could this be fixed with a coaching change? Think of the Detroit Pistons from last season to this season.
• How deep is this thorn? Is this a coaching problem, or is this about the front office? Maybe it’s ownership bringing misery to you.

Every category/question will be rated on a scale of 1-10. The higher the score, the greater the misery for the fan base. We’ve got seven teams that qualified. I did not include teams like the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets or Toronto Raptors, as they’re either early into their rebuilds or climbing out of what we expect from them. I’ve also tapped in with a fan of each team to see how they’re feeling.

Dallas Mavericks (33-34) | TMI Score: 69/80

How bad is this season? Exceptionally bad! The Mavericks were supposed to build on last season’s NBA Finals appearance by loading up with Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall to even out their supporting cast. Instead, they inexplicably traded Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis before the latter got hurt. Then they lost Kyrie Irving for the season with an ACL tear, and the entire fan base seems to hate management now. Score: 10/10

How frustrating have recent seasons been? Everything was going as well as possible without winning a title. There was nothing frustrating prior, only hope and positivity. Score: 1/10

Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? Yep! That’s pretty much the entire foundation of The Misery Index. The Mavs traded a then-25-year-old Dončić, sans trade request/demand, and the fan base turned on general manager Nico Harrison and ownership. Score: 10/10

Are you still thinking about him? I’m trying to figure out what it would take to get them to stop thinking about Dončić. It might take multiple titles from this Mavericks group. Multiple! Score: 10/10

Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? Fans held a funeral for the franchise in the streets the day after the trade! They’ve been protesting left and right. As much as they love Dereck Lively II, he’s not going to be able to distract them from the anger they feel. Oh, and he’s been hurt this entire time. Score: 10/10

Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? I’m not sure there is. Even if you buy that this squad can win a title (I don’t), you might have to throw out next season anyway. Irving’s ACL tear might mean he won’t return until maybe late December or January. I’m not sure you can count on him being his usual self again next season, so you might have to punt to down the road the season after. Anthony Davis will be 34 years old then. Score: 8/10

Could this be fixed with a coaching change? No. This isn’t a Jason Kidd issue. This is a Harrison issue. Score: 10/10

How deep is this thorn? In Harrison’s case, it goes pretty deep. But the fact that the new ownership approved the Dončić trade in the first place and then raised season-ticket prices shows a pretty rough understanding of what to do here. Score: 10/10

How bad is it? I tapped in with Jason Gallagher, one of the best podcast and content producers on the internet and a staunch supporter of the Mavericks:

“As someone who comes from a big family of Mavs fans, it’s safe to say we’re all virtually done with this franchise. That is at least until they acknowledge the mistake they made from a basketball perspective and from a fan perspective. My father, who was purchasing tickets way back when Ross Perot owned the team, texted me that he bought his first piece of Lakers merchandise last week. My son, who had more Mavs memorabilia than any healthy child should, is completely done with the team. My brother … my mother. … I’m also done. The only way forward for fans is for the organization to fire Nico Harrison and acknowledge their mistakes. By not doing so, they continue to choose one man’s short-sighted vision over the interests of their own fanbase, so moving on from Nico is a necessary move. However, based on everything I’m seeing from this organization, they will likely never do that, and my hunch is that they’ll double and triple down on this disastrous move until there’s literally nothing left. I don’t know how the basketball part of this will shake out, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long time before we see any joy or winning in the AAC.

“PS: Just in case Patrick Dumont is reading this, the AAC stands for the American Airlines Center, which is where the Mavs play basketball. Cheers.”

Phoenix Suns (30-36) | TMI Score: 63.5/80

How bad is this season? It’s pretty bad! There’s a chance it’ll get saved, though. And by saved, I mean they might make the Play-In Tournament and grab the No. 8 seed before getting smacked by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. The good news with that would be avoiding the distinction as the most expensive non-playoff team in league history. The bad news is they’d be no closer to competing with this squad than when it was formed. If the Suns miss the Play-In altogether, which is possible, it’s a 10/10.  Score: 8.5/10

How frustrating have recent seasons been? Everything seemed pretty good until last season. They made the NBA Finals in 2021, blew a 3-2 semifinals lead in an embarrassing fashion in 2022, understandably lost to the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and then frustratingly got swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in last year’s first round. Overall, that’s success they and most teams would accept. Score: 5/10

Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? Maybe the Suns taking so long to get rid of Jusuf Nurkić would qualify here? Or maybe we reach back to the Bradley Beal trade from nearly two years ago? Grabbing him and his no-trade clause has certainly brought about some issues. Score: 5/10

Are you still thinking about him? This has to pertain to the lack of a Jimmy Butler trade and what the Beal no-trade clause blocked. Maybe acquiring Butler wouldn’t have fixed enough issues for them to compete, but it would be better than this. Score: 8/10

Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? How do you feel about Ryan Dunn? Oso Ighodaro? Could you pick Collin Gillespie out of a lineup? These are potentially nice role players, but they’re not making you forget the team’s collective misery. Score: 10/10

Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? Maybe this team could buy into what coach Mike Budenholzer is selling, get everybody on the same page, thrive with a full season of Nick Richards as the big man and turn it around. There is too much talent to be this mediocre. At the same time, a lot of people expect the trade deadline rumors to have poisoned the well with Durant and the organization. Score: 8/10

Could this be fixed with a coaching change? They just brought in Budenholzer. Maybe he’s not the answer, but this isn’t a coaching issue. You can’t keep swapping out sideline generals. Score: 10/10

How deep is this thorn? This does seem to go all the way to ownership with Mat Ishbia treating this like it’s a video game. Score: 9/10

How bad is it? I had to tap in with hilarious comedian Aaron Edwards, who also happens to be a Suns fan:

“So, it mostly sucks because you can tell we have an owner that cares for the team and want to be good, but they did it in a 2018 way that just (doesn’t) work anymore. It’s the ultimate monkey paw situation. We all wished for a new owner that cares and Kevin Durant, AND we got it 😂.

I expect to have first-round picks this summer and no Kevin Durant and a Play-In team. The Lakers and Spurs are about to be great again while my team sucks. I’m back in my 20s again.”

Philadelphia 76ers (22-43) | TMI Score: 61/80

How bad is this season? The Sixers were supposed to be contenders and a team that could make it past the second round of the playoffs. They brought in Paul George and a revamped supporting cast to boost the rotation around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Instead, they’re 21 games under .500 and trying to save their top-six protected first-round pick. Score: 10/10

How frustrating have recent seasons been? Extremely. Fans have been dying to see Embiid and the Sixers find their way toward competing for a title. You had the Ben Simmons debacle against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. Ever since then, it’s been Embiid being hurt or the Sixers coming up short — or both. Score: 10/10

Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? It feels like the fan base is getting pretty sick of the George experience. And he has three more years on his contract. Maybe I’m projecting what I think it’ll be like in the future, but his inability to consistently play well seems to really frustrate the fans. Score: 8/10

Paul George’s first season in Philly hasn’t gone according to plan. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

Are you still thinking about him? If we consider a healthy Embiid the “him” in this question, then absolutely. He was the MVP two years ago. Now, we’re reading reports about possibly breaking his hip to realign his body to alleviate pressure on his bad knee. Score: 10/10

Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? They do! Maxey is obviously very good and an All-Star. They traded for Quentin Grimes before the break, and he’s been one of their few watchable players. Jared McCain would help this tremendously right now, but his rookie season ended in December.  Score: 6/10

Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? I think you can talk yourself into it, but I think it’s foolish to try. I didn’t buy the Sixers even if they were healthy this season. They haven’t proven anything worthy of our trust. And I’m not sure how you trust Embiid’s situation will get fixed or better. Score: 8/10

Could this be fixed with a coaching change? I wonder how much Nick Nurse has that locker room when everybody is healthy. It’s hard to know if he’s the right guy for the team because he hasn’t had the chance to consistently coach a good, healthy roster. But I don’t think he’s irreplaceable either. Score: 4/10

How deep is this thorn? This is the tricky question. There are a lot of people who trust Daryl Morey as the shot-caller, and there are plenty of people who seem happy enough with ownership. I’ll leave the score in the middle for now. Score: 5/10

How bad is it? I checked in with John Jervay, a fantastic podcast producer, podcaster and Philadelphia sports fan who apparently will never stop trusting the process:

“Basically, it’s whatever and kind of laughable to me. This team is SUPER lucky the Eagles won. Because if not, we would be calling for Morey’s job more. Although I was brainwashed and thought we could compete, ESPECIALLY after beating Boston on Christmas, I also have accepted and still hope that this is a one-off season. I’m back to box-score checking and looking forward to the lottery. The few positives out of this season, however, are that the team does have three young guys (not named Maxey) that can hoop (McCain, Edwards, Grimes). I’m really hoping Embiid isn’t cooked, also. I can live with him not being a No. 1 option, but hearing rumors of hip surgery and also a forced retirement is scary and all leads to changes are needed. Starting with Morey!

As for the future … man, I’m still trusting the process! I am hoping they can get one of the top three picks in the draft. If not, run it back. EVERYONE should get whatever surgery they need and try to be better next season. If that’s not possible, then they need to take pennies on the dollar for PG. If the above cannot/does not happen, IT’S GOING TO BE QUIET in South Philly on game nights. I do not want any more old guys that are closer to done than good anymore.”

New Orleans Pelicans (17-48) | TMI Score: 57/80

How bad is this season? It sucks because the Pelicans had some really good momentum at the end of last season. Zion Williamson was playing the best basketball of his career before hurting his hamstring in the Play-In Tournament. This season has been an extension of that deflation and then some. They’ve had more injuries than most could even fathom. Score: 10/10

How frustrating have recent seasons been? Right up there with this season, except the wins haven’t come at all. Injuries to star players keep the Pelicans from building continuity. It’s just always something. Score: 9/10

Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? Not really. I think most of the moves during vice president of basketball operations David Griffin’s tenure are more than defensible. Moreover, the fan base seemed pretty fine with the departure of Davis once Williamson immediately entered the picture. Score: 2/10

Are you still thinking about him? Much like the Sixers section above, I think the “him” in this question pertains to a healthy, sustainable Williamson. He’s a historically great scorer when he’s on the court. We’ve seen him in great shape and also look really good despite being in bad shape. Pelicans fans just want to consistently see him out there. How could you not stop thinking about that? Score: 10/10

Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? Do you consider guys like Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and even Williamson exciting, young players to distract? Williamson’s been playing lately, which I think qualifies. Jones has been lost for the season for a bit, but Murphy continues to dazzle when he plays. I’m not sure it totally distracts, but the fans like watching Williamson. Score: 5/10

Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? If you believe Williamson can be in this kind of current shape and stay healthy, then yes. Also, they’re going to get a very high pick in the draft. Nailing that pick should help add to the hope of the immediate future … as long as they stay healthy. Score: 7/10

Could this be fixed with a coaching change? I say no, and that’s why it’s so frustrating. I think Green is a really good coach, as he showed a year ago. But he needs healthy players to coach. Score: 9/10

How deep is this thorn? I think Griffin is fine and still believe the talent he’s accumulated is justified. Maybe this is an ownership issue, but I’m not sure how you continue to point toward the injury luck and decide it’s anything more than misfortune. Score: 5/10

How bad is it? I went to the biggest Pelicans fan I know, Chris Branch. He also happens to write the best sports newsletter on the internet, The Pulse:

“Tortured is overused in sports fandom, but that’s the right word. This team has talent aplenty, yet limbs and ligaments keep tearing, breaking and straining. We are cursed. I’ll never fully give up as long as Zion is on the roster, but at the moment, I have been pummeled into a miserable silence by this team.”

Washington Wizards (13-51) | TMI Score: 50/80

How bad is this season? The saving grace is the expectations were super low for this season. Everybody knew what to expect from the Wizards. The bad part is they still might end up with the worst season in franchise history. Roughly 84 percent of their losses have been by double digits. Score: 9/10

How frustrating have recent seasons been? It feels like a lot of Wizards fans I interact with are fine with the team being bad because they understand the rebuild is underway. The thing they don’t appreciate is how much of a punchline they have been. Before the rebuild, they were just straight-up mediocre. Score: 7/10

Did they recently make a trade or move that infuriated the fan base beyond belief? Not really. You could still kick around if they got enough for Beal. I think they feel pretty good about what they got at the deadline. Score: 3/10

Are you still thinking about him? Maybe the Wizards fans are feeling some wistfulness about the John Wall-Bradley Beal days that didn’t end the way they’re supposed to. Gilbert Arenas’ show makes it impossible to forget those days. But I think Wizards fans are in a good place. Score: 3/10

Do they have exciting young players to distract you from the present? Washington is pretty well-positioned with young talent, but I don’t think anybody has shown the potential to be a franchise player at this point. Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington, however, are all fun young guys and solid distractions. Score: 5/10

Is there immediate, tangible hope in the next couple seasons? If the Wizards end up with Cooper Flagg, then absolutely. If they end up with Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey, you can talk yourself into it. However, this feels like a long rebuild even with those guys. Score: 5/10

Could this be fixed with a coaching change? No, and I think that’s part of the issue with any sense of dread. Brian Keefe has done a fine job with what he was given, but I’m not sure he’s proven to be the savior on the sidelines of the future. I’d like to see him with more talent, though. Score: 8/10

How deep is this thorn? This has been the core issue, and Wizards fans will be the first to complain about it. The Leonsis family wants to fix this, but I’m not sure they know how to do so. The results during Ted Leonsis’ tenure have been disheartening. Score: 10/10

How bad is it? I asked my friend Cristina, a Wizards fan who doesn’t love how I write about them, to take the temperature of the short and long term:

“Ugghhhhhhhh. I honestly expect us to fumble the bag. Our team is so poorly managed with no long-term strategy. I can see us getting so focused on drafting Cooper Flagg (poor guy), and if we get him, we throw f—— tons of money at him to keep him (Beal, Wall), and we don’t build the rest of the team around him, so he’s stuck carrying us. Or we don’t draft him and we don’t have a solid plan B, so we end up cobbling together random picks with no consideration to the long-term success plan. We’re decent at drafting good players, but we can’t develop them. Your ‘their defense is as good as saloon doors’ quote still shakes me to my core.”

(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; photos: Christian Petersen, Scott Taetsch, Kevin Sousa / Getty Images; Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)