Bad NBA teams hope for a high draft pick to select a prospect in order to turn things around on their franchise. Some turn out to be what they are expected to be, while others … not so much. While some of the players who became busts managed to recover and blossom, there are also some who were completely gone and were then forced out of the league. Here are five (5) former lottery picks that are most likely going to be out of the NBA after the 2023-2024 season.
5. James Wiseman
2020 2nd overall pick James Wiseman was basically a prospect that came out of high school. He dropped out of college after only playing three games due to a massive suspension. Eventually, he left the University of Memphis to focus on his training ahead of the 2020 NBA draft. However, despite having all of the physical tools, Wiseman wasn’t able to dominate.
Unfortunately for him, he did not fit in the Warriors’ system. He may be 7 feet tall, but the 22-year-old big man isn’t the most reliable center. With no established identity and no signs of improvement, plus getting fewer minutes, it’s unfortunate to see Wiseman slowly being rejected.
At this point, the Detroit Pistons are really collecting NBA busts in the past decade and some failed projects. From Marvin Bagley III to Kevin Knox, and now James Wiseman. Hopefully, Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Ausar Thompson turn this franchise around.
4. Josh Primo
It was surprising to see former San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo get another chance in the league after the recent controversy he had with the Spurs. It’s worth remembering that Primo engaged in inappropriate behavior by exposing himself to women, which led to a suspension by the NBA. However, the Los Angeles Clippers still signed him in a standard two-way deal after being waived by San Antonio.
But, it’s highly likely he won’t be seeing the light of day in another team next season. He’s absolutely not the player you would want on your team, considering his former lascivious acts. In addition, he’s not that much of a contributor. In his first two seasons in the league, Primo only posted 5.9 PPG, 1.8 APG, and 2.3 RPG, even though he’s playing 20 minutes a game.
3. James Bouknight
Former UConn standout, James Bouknight, will definitely be out of the league just like his teammate, Kai Jones. Well, in comparison to Jones, Bouknight is far more problematic and controversial. The 23-year-old guard was selected 11th overall in 2021 by the Charlotte Hornets (shocker). Although nothing huge was expected of him, he made sure to take the league by storm, literally.
From being arrested for a DWI, the Glock incident, and overall bad attitude, there’s no denying Bouknight would be playing elsewhere next season. That would also be pushed due to his injuries right now. The Hornets already had their plates full, and they didn’t need another guy like Bouknight to look after to.
2. Mo Bamba
The Philadelphia 76ers signed Mo Bamba back in July as the team is basically looking for a backup center for Joel Embiid. As it turns out, Mamba isn’t that guy. The 2018 6th overall pick is playing his worst year by only averaging 1.8 points a game. To be fair, he’s only playing 3 minutes a game.
Bamba was a prospect back in 2018 due to his physique. He’s 7-foot-1 and has extremely long arms, having a wingspan of about 7 feet and 10 inches. Just like James Wiseman, Mo Bamba also had the physical tools to become a good center. But, it was not meant to be, or at least they didn’t try.
1. Frank Ntilikina
The 2017 draft class may have introduced us to superstars like Jayson Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo. However, this class also holds some prospects who turned into busts like Jonathan Isaac, Josh Jackson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank “The Tank” Ntilikina.
Ntilikina was deemed to be a future star for the New York Knicks, an organization that had been the laughingstock of the NBA before Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, and Jalen Brunson saved them. Unfortunately, Ntilikina wasn’t that guy. As a top pick in 2017, expectations were high for the French guard. The 25-year-old PG is still in the league though, but as the last guy on the bench for Charlotte Hornets. Well, he hasn’t played a single minute this season and he’s likely going back to Europe at this rate.
