NBA Rumors: Highlighting one player on every team who has gotten off on the wrong foot to start the 2024-25 NBA season.
The 2024-25 NBA season may just be a few weeks old but it's pretty safe to assume that there's a strong sample size that has already been measured to begin the year. How much we can take away or conclude from it remains to be seen. However, there are certainly some interesting early-season storylines and trends that have begun to take shape. While there have been some positive or encouraging signs over the first few weeks of the season, there have also been some depressing ones.
As most teams have played roughly 10 regular season games, we're going to highlight one player on every team who has been an epic disaster so far this season. To qualify as an "epic disaster," it could mean that the player is off to a bad start, he can't remain healthy, or he's fallen into a place where he's playing out of position or the right role. In essence, an "epic disaster" has many different definitions in this context. With that understood, let's explore this likely flawed but also noteworthy list.
Atlanta Hawks
1 Player who has been a disaster: Bogdan Bogdanovic (health)
I wouldn't say that Bogdan Bogdanovic has been a disaster to start the season for the Atlanta Hawks but in many ways, this season has been a disaster for Bogdanovic. Hoping to build off the momentum that he had during the Olympics, you'd have to imagine that Bogdanovic was looking forward to this season. However, after just one game, it was announced that Bogdanovic was going to miss at least the next four weeks due to a hamstring injury. Still roughly three weeks from his re-evaluation, there's no timeline on when he's going to return.
As the Hawks continue to look for positive signs this season, having Bogdanovic sidelined for essentially the first month of the season is not ideal; it's not great for Bogdanovic individually or the team as a whole. The hope is that he will be able to return sooner rather than later from injury, but there's no question that this season has already gotten off on the wrong foot for Bogdanovic.
Boston Celtics
1 Player who has been a disaster: Xavier Tillman
With Kristaps Porzingis out with an injury for what will likely end up being the entire first half of the season, the Boston Celtics needed a big - any big - to step up in his absence. With the way he played during the pre-season, the hope was that Xavier Tillman could emerge as one of those supporting pieces to take a bigger role at the start of the season. At least until KP was healthy and made a return to the lineup. However, Tillman has been a disaster for the Celtics through the first few games of the regular season.
In eight games player, which includes one start, Tillman is averaging just two points and two rebounds on 26 percent shooting from the field. He's been so inconsistent for the Celtics so far this season that when he does play, he's only averaging 12 minutes per contest. Heading into the season, this is not the output that the Celtics expected from Tillman. Considering they needed him to step up with KP sidelined, it's difficult to argue that Tillman hasn't been a disappointment so far this season.