LVP (Least Valuable Player)

The buzz at this time of year is all about MVP voting, and rightfully so. We all know that Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Chris Paul headline this year’s candidates for Most Valuable Player. But who are currently the Association’s Least Valuable Players? I define these players as ones that a team could definitely do without (attitude problems or otherwise), have a large cap-clogging contract but don’t produce much, or are just plain atrocious. Here’s my list of the current top 5:

1. Eddy Curry

Isiah Thomas’ future franchise player is at the top of this list without a doubt. His contributions in reality and fantasy are about as minimal as they can get. Coming off a career season last year, he was averaging just 12 points and 4.7 rebounds before he opted for surgery. The early season addition of Zach Randolph had seemingly robbed his game, if there ever was any to start with.

2. Kwame Brown

Kwame was perhaps the biggest mistake of Michael Jordan’s short executive career. Drafted number one overall by Jordan in 2001, Brown has become only valuable for one thing with the teams he’s been on, as a trading chip. He was used that way in Washington and was used again this year in Los Angeles with the heist that was called the Pau Gasol trade. While still a solid defender, he probably will never live up to his potential as a number one pick, cementing his legacy as a world class bust.

3. Big Snacks

Yay. Another Knicks player. At least they win at something. Jerome James is one of those players who is just bad. Thomas rewarded James with a $30 million free agent contract and what has he gotten in return? A lump of gravity defying lard who showed up to training camp out of shape and then subsequently but not surprisingly got injured. There’s a reason why his nickname is Big Snacks.

4. Patrick O’Bryant

Do you G-State fans out there still remember this guy? He couldn’t produce much with the big boys, so they decided to send him down to the D-League. So what did he do there? He didn’t do so well with them either. He supposedly still has the “p” word - potential. But when exactly that potential is going to translate into production is another question.

5. Darius Miles

Now it wouldn’t be fair to say Miles was a complete bust, but it certainly looks at this point that his career may be over. He was a monster dunker and an explosive scorer, but his injury has almost certainly robbed him of that athleticism which made him so attractive to the Blazers before. Should he retire, Miles’ contract won’t count against the team salary cap, but they still have to pay him. Another wasted talent collecting easy money.

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