While teams like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks are claiming most of the spotlight as the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the Portland Trail Blazers actually got some mention on national airwaves this week. Unfortunately, it was in the midst of a debate over who would earn the worst record in the league this year.

There appear to be four heated contenders for that honor in most people’s minds: the Blazers, the Detroit Pistons, the Washington Wizards, and the Brooklyn Nets. The Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz occasionally get honorable mentions.

For perspective, the Wizards traded away forward Deni Avdija to the Trail Blazers while signing forward Saddiq Bey as a free agent this summer. They’re coming off a 15-win season.

Detroit’s big pickups were Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Tim Hardaway, Jr. on the heels of a 14-win campaign.

The Nets grabbed a handful of players this summer: Zaire Williams, Trendon Watford, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Shake Milton among them. But they traded star forward Mikal Bridges to the Knicks in the process, signaling a start-over for the franchise. They won a comparatively hefty 32 games last year.

The Blazers won 21 games last season, but other than Avdija, they haven’t made any significant pick-ups this summer.

All four teams will benefit from their selections in the 2024 NBA Draft, of course, but will it be enough to alter their fate?

In one of two poll questions this weekend, we want to know what team you think will be the worst in the NBA this year. Will the Blazers slip backwards in a deep Western Conference or will someone else edge them out? Give the name of your team and the reason in the comment section below and let’s see who ends up right!