Ranking the NBA's 10 Biggest Disappointments Halfway Through 2021-22

Add in those who have played but since lost time to injuries or the health and safety protocols, and you'll basically have a group of the current greats.Nothing can be done about this, so it wouldn't feel right to rank it any higher, but given that it's a 12 out of 10 on the bummer scale, it needed an acknowledgment.No one entered the 2021-22 season with a buzz quite like the one draped around Michael Porter Jr.He scored a five-year max extension before the season tipped. Would you be absolutely floored by that?Maybe not, since Washington sat 28th and 23rd respectively in those categories last season.But then you'd start to think...Wait, didn't they give Davis Bertans a five-year, $80 million deal last summer just to efficiently shoot threes? The best thing to say about Kispert's 28.6 percent splash rate is there is (hopefully) nowhere it can go but up.When oddsmakers assessed the Boston Celtics before the season, they pegged them as a 46.5-win team. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who could sleuth the whereabouts of Carmen Sandiego if he had the time, learned that Williamson has taken his rehab from a fractured foot up to Portland.Two years back, the Pels waited until late January for the then-rookie to make his season debut. The Lakers could still make noise with a healthy Davis, so they won't rank any higher here, but so far, it's a sad way for James to spend his 19th season.When the Hawks forced their way into the Eastern Conference Finals last season, they followed the lead of the under-25 trio of Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter. "Being one of the best offensive teams in the league is a really good thing, but when you're letting teams score as much as you, it's not good for the team. But with a hobbled Lillard unable to summon his typical superpowers (24.0 points on 40.2/32.4/87.8 shooting), the offense has sagged from elite to average, while the defense remains disastrous.The Blazers, who, before the season, appeared through squinted eyes like a squad capable of being at least a plucky playoff opponent, could now be on the cusp of punting the campaign and starting over.A megadeal for Dame doesn't seem to be in the cards yet—if Portland is comfortable giving the 31-year-old a two-year, $107 million extension next summer, it can probably keep him happy—but everything else is on the table.The Blazers pushed for change, and they're getting it.