Are the New Orleans Hornets the Worst NBA Franchise to Play For?

by NESN Staff on Wed, Dec 28, 2011 at 8:00AM

If you had no realistic chance of making it past the second round of the playoffs and your employer had made it known he won’t let you go unless another team offers an astronomical price, it’s safe to say you wouldn’t consider yourself to have a positive work environment.

That’s exactly what players for the New Orleans Hornets have to look forward to, and it may explain why Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman looked less than thrilled when they were introduced as the newest members of the team. Chris Paul made it his life’s goal to make it out of the Crescent City, and now that he’s gone, there’s very little that is alluring about playing in Mardi Gras gold and Creole blue.

Then again, it all depends on perspective. LeBron James seemed to believe there was no place worse than Cleveland, and for some reason few big-money free agents never target the Utah Jazz as their preferred destination.

Toronto is a gorgeous city with tons of culture and beautiful shopping areas, but the hockey-centric culture doesn’t leave much time for any other winter sport. Raptors fans often seem confused that the siren and lights don’t go off when their team scores a basket.

In Minnesota, the Timberwolves aren’t just traditionally bad, it’s also unbearably cold. It’s a double-whammy that inspired Kevin Garnett to bid adieu after 12 seasons.

The Hornets host the Celtics on Wednesday night. New Orleans is a great place to visit, but no NBA player wants to live there.

Which NBA Team Would You Least Like to Play For?