Worst record in NBA history under threat

The contenders: Grizzlies, Cavaliers, Wizards, and Hornets

BY DAVID THORPE

The 76ers hold the all-time worst record, with a grim nine wins out of 82 games. That record will be threatened this year. The candidates to break it are the Wizards, Grizzlies, Cavaliers, and Hornets. For those teams, it’s appropriate that the season will begin in the same month as Halloween. By the end of October, the nightmare of what lies ahead will be all too real. 

Which team will be the worst? It’s hard to know. Of course, injuries play a role. But also, these teams are clinging to quality players like Bradley Beal and Kevin Love. If they get traded early in the year … watch out. In some ways, it’s a case of which team tries hardest to lose.  Franchises often “decide” to lose only after spending some time losing the good old fashioned way: trying to win and failing. But if a team is all in on the losing plan early, in the name of positioning for next year’s draft, they could set a record.

This model is especially possible this year because, in a delightful developm…