"I get that the Nets was meant to rhyme with Mets and Jets" - NBA subreddit discusses which teams have worst names in league
Some NBA teams have had their name since the inception of the league, while others have been formed courtesy of expansion or relocation. Sometimes, fans are unsure of why a team has the name it does, and that can open a team up to ridicule.
During a recent subreddit discussion, fans discussed which team had the worst name. Here are some of the comments:
It's clear that fans around the league will have their biases, but it was also clear that the New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and LA Lakers saw fans disapprove of their names.
In fairness, the Lakers were named the Lakers when the franchise was still in Minnesota - a city with countless lakes, and kept the name after the franchise was relocated to Los Angeles. At least there's some history there.
D'Angelo Russell frustrated at lack of respect from NBA fans
One player who has played in both Minnesota and Los Angeles is D'Angelo Russell. The veteran guard was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and returned to the franchise around the February trade deadline as part of a roster revamp from Rob Pelinka.
However, D'Angelo Russell believes that he isn't respected by NBA fans, despite his impressively efficient season last year. When speaking on an episode of "The Pat Bev Podcast With Rone," Russell let rip:
"And they ain't talking about is bruh, damn. The f**k I gotta do, Pat? They want me to play point guard, I play point. Y'all want me to play shooting guard - what y'all want from me man?
"I shoot 40% from 3, what y'all want? Want me to win the game in the last two minutes too? What y'all want? I'm just going to stay humble."
D'Angelo Russell has recently signed a two-year $36 million deal to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, with the second year being a player option. Hopefully, Russell can continue to impress the Los Angeles Lakers in the coming years and finally begin to earn the recognition he believes he deserves from NBA fans around the globe.