4. Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves/Golden State Warriors ~ 21.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 44.7 FG%
I am sure we are all in agreement that the Andrew Wiggins experiment in Minnesota just did not work out. Marred by inefficient play and a lack of intensity, the former first overall pick has not lived up to the hype. Let’s keep in mind that the stage this season has been all his. While in Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns has missed nearly the entire season.
Wiggins did not step up in his absence. Upon being traded to Golden State, he had a chance to truly showcase his abilities without Steph Curry or Klay Thompson on the court. Again, he did not show up.
It is tough to say that a guy has been underwhelming when he is scoring nearly 22 points per game and a usage rating that puts him in the top 30 in the entire league this year. However, a 16.4 PER puts him 76th in the NBA and a VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) ranking at 130. The inefficiency should not have been the case this season with everything playing in his favor.
3. Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers ~ 12.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 43.2 FG%
When you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis on your roster, anyone else should be a role player. However, Kyle Kuzma has gone from a solid scoring threat for this team for two years to a moderate bench role. Despite having a top 60 usage rating throughout the NBA, he is averaging career lows in nearly every category.
His PER and boxed plus-minus keep him in a sea of mediocre role players among the likes of Taurean Prince and Carmelo Anthony. This was not supposed to be the case for the guy who was looked at as a clear third option for this Lakers team.