The Deep 3 Podcast - We Picked The WORST Moments In NBA Team History | TD3 Clips

Episode Date: September 23, 2025

The worst things to ever happen to these NBA teams! #nba Check out the TD3 merch: https://the-deep-3-shop.fourthwall.com/ Listen on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/show/3elbbqVumwqz8wlIdknsLW Listen on Apple Podcasts!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-deep-3-podcast/id1657940794 Follow us on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedeepthree Follow us on Instagram!: https://www.instagram.com/thedeep3podcast/ Isaac's twitter: https://twitter.com/byisaacg Mo's twitter: https://twitter.com/Mojo99_ Donnavan's twitter: https://twitter.com/Dsmoot3D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Okay. So, at least in modern history, at least, we'll see how far we can reach back to remember things. But whatever moments define this team in the worst way, things that sting the fans to this day. Gotcha. Start off, Chicago Bulls. I mean, it's very easily. Damn. Derek Rose tearing his ACO.

Has to be. There's really no close second. The only other relevant piece of history you have is Michael Jordan. And everything that happened in that era was great. just prosperity yeah the only it's like I guess it's either Derek Rose retiring or Derek Rose getting hurt or Michael Jordan retiring for the first time

but then it's like we're coming off of a three Pete like life is still okay we stab Scottie Pippen yeah it was understandable now I think a runner up could be the day they signed Jim Boylan as their head coach I remember back in the day folks were over here making billboards buying do you know how expensive

a billboard is saying fire boiling fucking crazy bro That was a funny time. Trading Jimmy Butler also has to be up there. That was a huge mistake. You traded, you sold low, and he became one of the best players in the NBA that did not age well whatsoever. But yeah, nothing compares to the Derek Rose injury. Derek goes injuries.

They asked them to this day, they felt like they got robbed of what would have been a legend. Yeah. One of the greatest players of all time. We've never seen a single injury, like single-handedly kill a franchise like this. It really did murder the franchise. Like, they have had nothing but failure since then. I mean, they were kind of already dead because, like, it has. had been 10 years since, since the, since the Bulls had ended.

But it feels like they weren't, yeah, they weren't able to recover from this at all, like mentally. Like, they genuinely lost themselves. And if Derek Rose never tore his young stuff, he'd probably still be good to this day. Like, they'd still have, like, they would have the past 10 years of a superstar. Yeah. Damn. If he stays, but probably not. And if he stays, Jimmy Bullers are there, too, absolutely alongside, like, an aging luau day.

And I'm sure they would, like, find a ways to recoup as time goes on. We could have had Derek Rose and Patrick Williams. Together. All right. All right. Next up. The Clippers. The day Pobolotori was born.

Yeah, apparently it's the day they signed Kauai Litter. That's going to be the downfall of the team at this rate. Yeah. Yeah. The day they decided to pick up the phone and answer Sam Precii's call. Oh, right. They probably called Sam Precii actually when they decided to go ahead and call San Precii. Yeah, because Kauai said, go get Paul George.

He said, fuck. To get Paul George. Shit, man. When they answered Uncle Dennis's email, man. Yeah. Yeah. This is so hard. Because obviously, like, their entire franchise, and not even trying to be funny,

their entire franchise is defined by, like, just bad moments. Yeah. I remember the Donald Sterling scenario, too. Yeah, yeah, honestly, it's probably the day that Donald Sterling called his girlfriend about Magic Johnson. That's probably the worst day. No, no, no, that's the best day their franchise because I got him out of there and he was a dog shit owner. So they should be happy that he decided to talk about Magic Johnson that day. Fuck, man.

Him yapping about Magic is the best thing never happened to Clippers. Single hand, by far, actually. By far. They are the first benefactors A billionaire racist And now here they are With another billionaire About to lose everything

But not because he's racist That's true Because he really wanted Co-Wiler And what you say That's progress That is progress Their suffering has a different shape

A different shade to it And it's a better form of suffering Okay You can feel better about this one Yeah What else could it be What is the worst moments In their history

They were pretty bad for a long time so I'm not going to pull anything from like a long time ago when they were worthless. I would say as a fan on the court, basketball-wise, blowing a 3-1 lead to the rockets. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And specifically. To Josh Smith. Yeah, when James Hardin was on the bench, like you gave that up to Josh Smith.

Like, that's tough. It was very tough. Yeah. There was one year. I think it may have been 2015 or 2014 where they upset the spurs. and I remember this, like, key moment where, like, Tim Duncan's like, go ahead, adapt to Chris Ball, go ahead, do your big one, win it all, bro. And I think the very next series, like, Chris Ball, like, hurt his hamstring.

Surprise. That might have, they might have played the, the thunder that year. Low key, no, no, honestly, the worst scenario they ever happened to them is the COVID-19 epidemic because they might have won the finals in 2020 if they didn't have to go the bubble where all these guys proved to be mentally charming and couldn't deal with the pressure of the bubble. I mean, they still had to go and play the Lakers who were, you know, top at the top of the team. They were the favorites to people

and they were a substantially different team because they could not deal with the pressure in the bubble. Oh, boo-hoo. Yeah, it's all them. I'm not saying, you know, you deserve it, but maybe they'd have a championship right now in the first year with Kauai if it wasn't for COVID. Yeah.

Sucks to suck, stupid. Next up, the Portland Trailblazers. Oh, when they decided to go ahead and, um, actually. See, we could go, their first. MVP player losing his prime to injury their second all start their second superstar player in Brandon Roy losing his prime

to injury their third player in Greg Oden looting losing their prime to injury honestly that's what I was going to go be it's really the last 15 years of like taking Greg Oden and then watching Kevin Rent be one of the greatest players of all times dates back to further than that it's taken Sam Bowie

I believe oh yeah Jordan back in 84 that's easily the worst mistake anybody's made in NBA history you they have a lot of misery three superstars robbed because they're injuries your other superstar in dame had no help you took two players over two of the goats they're just mired in depression yeah

wow damn this team has nothing to point to they got the jailblazers they have cool jerseys kind of sure we can give it the cool title that's fair yeah yeah pick which one you want pick which injury or which terrible draft decision you want and that's the worst of the showblazers yeah dealer's choice next up

Cavs when LeBron left and decided to put the decision man I don't think it is though because they were able to get all these great players afterwards and he came back

so it's really not even that bad thing they got one great player afterwards that's Kyrie that's it and then Kevin loved because the picks

but if you get like the specific like in that moment what felt the worst that easily has to be but he was all though he came back and they became better for it

it was a strategic decision but we've also never seen no one leave on he said sorry after after It doesn't mean nothing. Like what happens, though, it happened.

And no other player in NBA history embarrassed their team to that, well, to that agree and fell through with it. The owner of the Cavs stood to this day is like one of the more embarrassing things for you to write this letter saying, yeah, LeBron quit on us and we're going to win it. He said, we're going to win a championship before LeBron does. I think time is all with that. And then you went and like had one of the worst seasons in NBA history. You got multiple first round, fourth overall picks.

Yeah. The real worst thing to me is Kyrie Irving decided to press trade because he was tired of being little bro because if that never happened they would start together LeBron might still be there. LeBron might have never had to leave. They kept Kyrie. I mean, maybe we're like they also, something was going to change because they just got beat 4-1 in the finals with KD like nobody was going to beat them. Yeah, but

the KD thing only lasted two more years. They could have weathered the storm. Kevin Love would definitely like been out on the way out and we would have seen some type of like revamp. But I definitely think it is the decision for sure. I'm going to decision. Okay. Yeah. The Celtics. This one's pretty. easy when you draft what should be

your generation's fucking Anthony Davis and he doesn't play a single game for you. Pretty tough. I'm on Lynn Bias. I am. That's got to be number one. I don't even know there's a close second for the Celtics. No, truly not.

There might not be any team that has a single moment more painful in history than that. The fact they had the best team in NBA and they're going to add the next superstar that everyone thinks is going to be one of the best players in the world. Imagine that like the Whiplash.

If the Warriors had a chance to draft Anthony Edwards and then it just doesn't happen. just dies. Like, the whiplash is insane. Like, that's crazy whiplash to go from, we're thinking we're on top to this guy doesn't exist. Like, that's horrible. That's like crazy to imagine in modern day. That's easily the worst thing. Horrendous

luck. Like, I can't even really fathom it. Yeah, like dead? Yeah, I can't even like fathom him. A car crash and break his legs and be back in a year. Yeah, it's not like an injury or like somebody else got the pick or like the pick was taken. Like, the fact that guy's not alive, I can't even fathom that in modern fandom. Yeah. Wow.

That's the biggest tragedy. It's hard. the Sacramento Kings was their worst a moment okay so I mean they had a moment where like in the early 2000s

where they like could have made a run it got cheated yeah the 2000s you could say like got cheated Chris Weber got hurt and kind of derrote a playoff run

USM shit was rigged against them and they'll never recover from it that's pretty bad well it sucks to suck you did that and then second

you pick Marvin Bagley over Luca Donchich when your team employed Luca Dachshish's coach. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a tear. I was that the suns? Honestly, I feel like, honestly. Oh, no matter of mine. Yeah, but you pick Marvin Bagley over Luca Dantzich when he's there and available? I still honestly do think it's probably not that because they would have found a way to trade the way. Luca Dundj is just like how they did with Deere Fox, Tyrone, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, so I think for them, it's probably like the moment that everyone is like, we could have take we could have interrupted the the three p the last three p in NBA history and we got ripped like we got we got robbed it's probably it's probably that it has to be that like they feel like they're at the back end of literal corruption it doesn't get much worse than that yeah uh the new york nix worst moment in this first moment history the worst single the single number one where's moment it has to be the the charles smith layups in in 93 that's the that's the one any time that like that we're in new york and like conversations about the nix happen it always

ends up going back to that and people are still scarred by it where he's going up for layups and just gets blocked and blocked and blocked because those like midnighty teams everybody obviously the squares like they were they were there they were to beat mj yeah they were gonna be jordan and this dude just was missing layups people still can't Can't fath them. And is that considered their best year, their best chance of winning the finals? Yeah. It's either, like, people hate that more than Patrick Ewan missing a layup in game seven.

Okay. Yeah, I'm not sure which one of those years is, like, thought of as the year they could have won. Like, what's their version of 2018 Rockets? If it's 93th, then, yeah, that's the one. So heartbreaking. Tell me another than that. I mean, listen, is the Pacers being them going to be up there? What's the most, like, dog walk they got in their own?

Maybe, remember that one year? I think it was, was it 2018 when LeBron called him, like, he called himself like the king of New York or something like that? Every comes up to King of New York all the time. And what? And got blocked by Mario Hizonia? He did get blocked by Mara Zona. That was 19. Guess what?

He was on the way. That was the first year of the Lakers. Yeah. The Lakers. 18 was the one where he was beefing with, uh, with Mr. Freedom. Oh.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm like, what the fuck? It's freedom. Yeah. Okay. The Los Angeles Lakers. What is the lowest point for such a high point-ass franchise?

I mean, so I think, I feel like losing. any one of their losses to the Celtics of just losing to the Celtics over and over and over again So many times Yeah there has to be a point

where you're like Damn man Like what are we doing here I think Hmm I wonder is it losing Shaq Kobe and Shaq Tearing apart

Yeah maybe it's not figuring out Super heartbreaking I think it's just like Short-lived 10 years for sure Yeah maybe it's the fact that those two couldn't see eye and get another championship Like that era

Could have been extended even longer That Unfortunately we're trading for Russell Westbrook. Oh, yeah, duh, duh, ending LeBron James championship window. It's definitely trading Russell Westbrook. That's it never happened.

I will say also, like, having Kobe do egregious heavy lifting that year when they went ahead and signed Steve Nash got Dwight Howard, and they were barely 500, like, eeking into the playoffs. And for one of the last few games, Kobe tearing his ACO, so heartbreaking. Yeah, that was disappointing, but that's not like, injuries happen. Injuries happen. And so, like, that's definitely a shitty-ass moment. But I wouldn't consider it the lowest moment since it's unlucky.

I guess Magic Johnson's career being shortened. Oh, yeah, duh. Yeah, it's the biggest one. Never mind. Yeah, because it's like, he's an all-time. You're not that bad. Yeah. Never mind.

Disease is worse. My bad. Could you imagine like 17 years of Magic Johnson? Yeah, Rush, you're not worse at HIV. I'm sorry. It's not true. It's not true. My bad.

We did, we did forget about the HIV-Bittal. It's not Russ. It's not Russ at all. You win this time, Mr. Westbrook. You get away this time, Westbrook. Next up, the Brooklyn Nets. Ooh, this pays me to even think about right now.

Lowest, it's either trading for like the washed big three or just seeing the whole team implode. Off of what could have been the best team that we've seen in modern NBA. You see a super team implode because of a vaccine or you make the worst trade in NBA history to get Carlton. And then on top of that, the wordshade NBA history, you see the guys who were taken with your very own picks become absolute studs.

And win a chip, too. That's that one is that one. I mean, listen, the COVID pandemic fucked them over and a once in a lifetime top away from when it gets championship in 2021. That's unfortunate. The trade in 2013, that's your own volition. You decided to be stupid.

You didn't get unlucky. But even then that, I feel like I can live with my own decision more than like, oh, Kevin Durant's toe was on the line. You know, Kyrie doesn't like medicine. And James Hardin's hamstring falls off the bone. Like, everything just one after another falls into place that you don't really have control over. Yeah. And so, like, I would, if I was a fan, I would hate that much more because you clearly saw in the, in the 52 minutes that they play basketball together, you saw like, oh, this is one of the best things I've ever seen on the court.

Mm-hmm. If the injuries were turned off, they might have three-feited. That scene would have been unstoppable. Yeah. I think what happened in 2021 is more, would be more damage. me to me if I was a fan because you're telling me something that's never happened before or if it's happened not to this fucking scale last one where you seen it happens like 150 years ago what the fuck oh and you know what too they never thought the thing with kg was going to work

that was stupid everybody kind of knew it they thought they were going to win a chip when they got james hardin and that was gnatched away from him yeah yeah tough next up the indiana pacer's oh it's right here on the screen it's either the most recent thing of tyrie Taliborne, blowing out his Achilles in game seven when you have an opportunity to have one of the biggest upsets in NBA history or, or the right answer, or putting a stain on not only yourself, but the entire league by fighting the fans in the malice in the town. That's just in the league. A state on sports history.

This is one of the biggest embarrassments to any league. I don't know. If you ask me, that's one of the, like, proudest moments that you could have for your team because you're standing on respect. You're putting fans in their fucking place because they like to talk crazy then and now. That actually, listen, that's the one thing It was like, they threw a beer on on our test and he really

was trying to chill. He was trying to lay down and not be a part of anything and people start throwing stuff. I got to remember. But then a fan gets on the court and then he squares up and you're like, yo, what's happening right now? I wonder how how harsh the suspensions were after. It was the whole year. It was extremely harsh. Yeah.

You had spent for the entire season. Oh, that fucking nuked them. And it's not like it's not like you were just a mid-team and you had this crazy fight. if the Pacers didn't have that fight they could have won a championship that year like Reggie Miller could have had his ring chasing whatever

but like he could have had his end of the road ring to go out on top the Pacers could have had their their title it ruined so many things for so many people dude Ronor Tess was was suspended for 86 games yeah yeah that's at the start of the year it was in like November yeah I knew the whole year

but why are you so mad 86 is hilarious so it was a whole year in like 10 games the following season yeah it's hilarious It's easily the malice in the palace Tarishians that will recover That might still end up being fine long term Maybe they can overcome that The malice in the palace is just what it is

The Pelicans Moving to New Orleans in the first place Yeah you were doomed from the jump This team sucks And like the franchise is awful Low key It's probably losing Anthony Davis They haven't really recovered at all

They've been dog shit since they lost AD And not to say they were the shiniest toy With AD They weren't great either way But they have been an embarrassment I think specifically specifically how AD left, too. Like, there was a super viral moment where it was one of his last time walking through

that tunnel or out of that tunnel. And he was wearing a, that's all folks shirt. Yeah. Like signifying, I'm so fucking happy to be out of this bitch. Left with bad blood. And they have not been relevant since. They were given a lifeline. Number one of all pick.

It didn't matter. This team should not exist. And like, I'm, I'm. I'm so serious. We didn't want you here. The Pelicans. they need to move they've they've never been to to the conference finals they have one season in their in their entire history where they have like won their their division damn was that

2018 or 2019 2007 uh when chris paul had like his MVP year and they were oh oh okay i thought okay i thought it was that one good pelicans year with ad and boogie no they that's that's the only one they have not been able to accomplish really anything this this franchise is cursed Damn It sucks to suck Yeah you're right They shouldn't exist The Oklahoma City Thunder

Another young franchise What's the worst thing to happen In their short time Blowing a 3-1 lead And then watching your star player Go to the team that beat you Yeah it's easily A month prior

Like if the Warriors didn't win And like some catastrophe happened It wouldn't feel assback It's like ha dummy Like you thought you know If they lost for Katie It would be hilarious It would be glee

It would be the best moment In Thunder history to watch them fail Exactly Exactly But sadly they were the goats And they won multiple championships in the most dominated fashion that we've ever seen. Yeah, they kind of just weren't fuck with the bull. Super sting.

Is trading James Harden up there? Like, is that that again, your own volition? It's up there. But like in the worst, the product afterwards was still so good. That you can't say that it was the like wrong move because you were still so successful. Yeah. But I mean, at the end of day, like, no, three MVP is thinking about Russ and how he's ascending naturally. like they probably would have demoted

Westbrook maybe don't know still rebeats in my mind but doesn't touch is 2016 nothing touches losing Kevin Durant in that type of way to that type of team don't want to blow in a 3-1 lead too in that fashion

nothing's more demoralizing than that tough the Timberwolves hmm I mean they did get caught in like in a scandal team yeah they're the original Like 2000s. For Capsirconvention.

Exactly. They're the original clippers in terms of Capsircumvention. And so, like, that is absolutely embarrassing. If you want to go a little bit more modern, you pick Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio right before St. That's the worst. You said, we need a point guard and pick the two, pick two point guards back to back. You lost five first round picks for Caps or convention. You finally get through that error and you get your first round picks back.

And then you don't pick Steph Curry. You have two bites of the apple and you pick two shady point guards. Yeah. Like simply selecting. Steph Curry changed the entire trajectory. What was Johnny Flynn's career? And that's after you lose Kevin on our neck because you couldn't do shit with him. That whole, the 2000 is just the worst moment of Timberwell's history.

It's all bad. Yeah. Nothing good happened. Everything bad happened. It had so many opportunities too. You're right. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Johnny Flynn played two and a half years with the Timberwolves.

Tough. Sick business, man. That's sick business. And that's the last one. Man, being Timberwell's families. Suck. I mean, you're kind of up right now, though. For now.

For now For now