To be played on loop while you read this article
'Neath the guise of fun and games and all the distractions this fleeting concept called life has to offer lies a bleak starkness. If you tear away the shroud, you will find yourself gazing upon suffering, and beyond that, there lies nothing but darkness everlasting, stretching to the furthest reaches of the universe and yet further still.
Even among the wealthy, famous stars of PBSL, there are those who have rent the veil in twain, and unless those players are traded to another team or end up signing elsewhere in free agency, that veil cannot be sewn. In this article, we will take a look at these players nine, who cannot simply enjoy the sport that elevates them above the common man...these nine who have stared into the void and the void stared back and became intertwined with their pitiable souls...these nine, who are listed in the sacred nodes and scrawled as constellations across the midnight sky as 'unhappy.'
D.J. Augustin - Sacramento Kings
Why is he unhappy?
Augustin has spent his entire career with the Kings, and early on, he showed a lot of promise. However, he never truly lived up to his projections after signing a mid-level contract that probably wasn't worth it for Sacramento. After paying his dues as a backup, however, Augustin earned the starting role in 2014-205, his 7th season with the Kings, averaging 14.5 points in 34.1 minutes. However, last year's Kings were mere peasants, and Augustin found himself playing only 7 minutes this season...watching the Kings turn themselves around without helping them out.
Is his sadness justified?
Maybe a little bit, but not entirely. Augustin could have contributed to most other teams in a backup role, but his contract is oversized, so there weren't many (read: any) trade partners interested in taking on the rest of his contract. Luckily, it expires this year.
What does his future hold?
Augustin will enter free agency next year, and he will likely be able to find a team that is interested in him (at a much lower price). There are plenty of teams where he could make a great second unit PG.
Eric Bledsoe - Charlotte Bobcats
Why is he unhappy?
The question isn't exactly "why is he unhappy?" It's "why is he the ONLY one on the Charlotte Bobcats that is unhappy?" The expansion team put up a dismal, but expected, 7 wins this year, and Bledsoe played a large part in their season as their starting PG through all 82 games. It's frustrating as a player, but it's even more frustrating as a player who, through three different teams in 6 seasons, has never seen the playoffs. Like Augustin, his potentials were never met, possibly due to the notoriously unfavorable training camps in Vancouver (nee VanMemphis).
Is his sadness justified?
It is. It can't be fun to play on one of the worst teams of all time, but he could have seen it coming. There will be brighter days in Charlotte, but Bledsoe probably won't be a part of them.
What does his future hold?
Probably the same thing as Augustin's. His contract is up, so he'll go into UFA as another solid backup PG candidate, and I expect him to sign with a better team.
Matthew Dellavedova - Toronto Raptors
Why is he unhappy?
It's anyone's guess as to why Delly is unhappy. He's still in his rookie contract, and he gets decent role player minutes (almost 15 a game) for a guy who was taken late in the first round a few seasons back. He's on a team that is a consistent playoff contender. Perhaps their Finals visit last year set his expectations a little too high for this season. Or, perhaps he's sad because he just doesn't like Canada. Maybe it's like a cold version of Australia or something.
Is his sadness justified?
No. He's got a great team around him, and he's getting plenty of playing time for his age and skill level. He's got a pretty good situation in Toronto.
What does his future hold?
It's too early to tell, but he'll be on the Raptors next season. He probably won't be a vaunted piece in RFA once his rookie contract expires, so unless he's a salary piece in a deal next year, he'll probably have to tough it out. It's Bosh's last year under a Raptors contract, so they might be reloading for one last run with the current Bosh/Lowry build.
Enes Kanter - Milwaukee Bucks
Why is he unhappy?
There are plenty of reasons for Enes Kanter to be happy. He's starting for a contending team on a very expensive contract, and though their center spot is kind of jammed at the moment, he's getting the most playing time of the three big Eastern Europeans that the Bucks have on contract at 26.2 minutes per game. That's pretty low but starter standards, but it's really the only thing that stands out, unless it has something to do with teammates or Bucks staff discovering his name rhymes with "penis."
Is his sadness justified?
No. Unless it's about the penis thing.
What does his future hold?
Well, with Gortat and Pekovic both dropping off at the end of the season, it's likely that the Bucks will keep their sad, Swiss big man. Of course, it's the Bucks, where anyone could be traded at any time for a big headline, so I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't finish out his contract in Milwaukee. Either way, aren't the Swiss supposed to be neutral?
Brandon Knight - Washington Wizards
Why is he unhappy?
The Washington Wizards put out a solid offer on Brandon Knight to lock him up for 4 years in RFA, knowing the Heat were probably too swamped with tax problems to keep him. Knight knew that he'd be playing behind Tyreke Evans. However, when Evans went down, his chance to step up was squashed by the Carmelo Anthony trade, which replenished the Wizards' injured backcourt with Aaron Brooks and Danny Green. That, and he's in Washington, so if you think all the political garbage on Facebook is bad, imagine living where that happens.
Is his sadness justified?
It makes sense that Knight would be disappointed, but it's all part of the game. He can't be traded until after RFA next year anyway, so asking for one this season was a moot point.
What does his future hold?
It really depends what happens with the Wizards. Even though they made the playoffs, it wasn't as strong of a season as they were expecting. Knight is surely not untouchable, and we could see him traded, especially since the Wizards don't have the flexibility to really make any offseason moves outside of the trade block.
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Why is he unhappy?
The second year player for the Bulls needs to learn some patience. He isn't getting much playing time despite being a top 10 pick in the 2014 draft, and after being traded from a rebuilding 76ers to a contending Chicago team, he must be feeling like he's been missing out on a valuable chance to get some serious minutes like Gary Harris, who earned ROY honors. The Bulls spent significant time and resources training him this season, but that didn't translate to more court time, at least not yet.
Is his sadness justified?
No. At this point, it's just impatience. While he's shown significant scoring acumen, he still hasn't developed his skills enough to justify playing time over other more polished members of the Bulls backcourt.
What does his future hold?
Well, he's still got a couple more years on his rookie contract, and Chicago's coaching staff seems to be grooming him into an important role, even if it's still a year or two off. The Bulls are invested in LaVine, but if his work ethic is lacking in Chicago due to his doldrums, he could fetch high value on the trade market.
Patty Mills - Indiana Pacers
Why is he unhappy?
Backing up Deron Williams, Mills probably doesn't see as much playing time as he could elsewhere, but he's still averaging almost 15 minutes a game, so to get more than that, he'd almost certainly have to play for a team that's not the best team in the league. Hell, he was only getting 16 minutes a game last season when he played for the Magic. Surely, by comparison, this must be way better? Those are common backup PG problems so far on this list, but like Matthew Dellavedova, he's also Australian. Maybe there's just something about Australians that defies the stereotypes of a rugged, constantly stoked people that TV propagates. Or maybe since Australia is the land down under, sad is happy and rugby is popular. In any case, surely, you're done listening to "Sounds of Silence" by now.
Is his sadness justified?
No. He's on the best team in the league on an expiring contract. Do your part to win a championship and then don't resign if you don't want to.
What does his future hold?
See the answer above.
Nerlens Noel - Sacramento Kings
Why is he unhappy?
Third year player Nerlens Noel is the second unhappy player on an extremely well balanced Sacramento Kings team. Even with Nikola Vucevic and Spencer Hawes getting more frontcourt minutes, Noel has seen consistent minutes (and put up extremely consistent stats) from a year prior, when the Kings were bad. Perhaps he feels like he should be the starting power forward as Hawes and Vucevic are both much better suited to playing center. Noel still has one year left on his rookie contract, and he'll probably get his wish next year, as Hawes, a one year rental, will almost certainly be cashing in after settling for a measly 4 million dollars.
Of course, the Kings do have the cap space to make Hawes a much more tempting offer, but with more pressing needs elsewhere and Harrison Barnes approaching a payday, I'd be surprised to see Nerlens coming off the bench in 2016-2017.
Is his sadness justified?
Not really. He might have a point...his athleticism makes him a much more natural choice at PF than Nikola Vucevic, but the Kings are having a great season, and Noel's been given plenty of opportunity to contribute. Of course, with Augustin sad as well, there may be issues with the Kings behind the scenes that we're just not privy to.
What does his future hold?
A lot of teams would love to have a player like Nerlens Noel, but the Kings probably won't be shipping him off while he's still on his rookie contract.
Tony Parker - Vancouver Grizzlies
Why is he unhappy?
Tony Parker has had a very storied career, from winning Rookie of the Year in his inaugural season to being on the championship Bucks team in 2008. Watching him fizzle out in Vancouver is not a happy ending to that story. There's only been one other year (his sophomore year) where he didn't start every game he played, and this year, he hasn't started any (in his 2nd season, he started 43 out of 82 games). He's also playing less than half the minutes he's played in any particular season in his career and, as it would follow, scoring half as many points. The real kick to the nuts is that the Grizzlies were slotted to be a competitive team but turned out to be a huge bust. And as far as I can tell, they still picked up his option next year.
Is his sadness justified?
Yes. Vancouver is not the happiest place to be for a PBSL star, especially one with Tony Parker's resume. Reports of a fallout between Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard only make it a more toxic environment to play out the waning days of a career.
What does his future hold?
At best, Tony Parker can hope to be a balancing salary on a trade that sends him somewhere with a decent shot at an enjoyable season.
