The Misery Index: It’s not just for those consuming my content. (Ha! Bet you weren’t expecting that one in the comments, but I just pulled an “8 Mile” on you.)
Now, let’s get to the crux of this narrative—it does exist (“8 Mile’d” once more). Numerous NBA fan bases are reveling in tremendously enjoyable seasons with their preferred teams. Some franchises have surpassed expectations, leaving fans pondering the possibility of an NBA championship. Meanwhile, other teams have precisely met expectations and are genuinely vying for that Larry O’Brien trophy. There are even teams where fans have their sights set on the future.
Next, we turn to the teams included in The Misery Index (or TMI for short). This system has been meticulously developed over several years deep within the research lab at The Athletic, located in the Capital One Arena. While I can’t share all the details that contribute to a team’s TMI score, as that would make it resemble an MIT research paper, rest assured, there’s a lot of science behind it. Here are a few fundamental elements I can elaborate on:
- How poor is this season? Evaluated based on preseason expectations and numerous controllable and uncontrollable factors affecting the 2024-25 campaign.
- How frustrating have recent seasons been? Did the team appear to be headed for success only for it to collapse, or has it been uniformly disappointing over the past few years?
- Did they recently make a trade or decision that infuriated the fan base? For instance, are you the Dallas Mavericks?
- Are you still reflecting on him? This doesn’t exclusively apply to the Mavericks! It could pertain to a trade or signing that didn’t go through as expected, or a player who was recently traded or signed elsewhere.
- Do they have promising young players to distract you from the current state? Even if this season is grim, hope for the future can alleviate some of the disappointment—not just wishing for Cooper Flagg.
- Is there immediate hope for the next couple of seasons? Are the young players on the verge of making a significant impact? Consider the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
- Could a coaching change remedy the situation? Think about the transition for the Detroit Pistons from last season to this one.
- How deep does this issue run? Is it a coaching problem, or is it related to the front office? Quite possibly, it could be ownership causing the misery.
Each category will be rated on a scale from 1-10, where a higher score indicates greater fan misery. seven teams have been included in the index, excluding teams like the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets, or Toronto Raptors, as they are either early in their rebuilds or showing improvement. I’ve also consulted with fans from each team to gauge their feelings.
Dallas Mavericks (33-34) | TMI Score: 69/80
How bad is this season? It’s exceptionally poor! The Mavericks aimed to build on last year’s NBA Finals showing by adding Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, yet they unexpectedly traded Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis, who later got injured. With Kyrie Irving out for the season due to an ACL tear, fan discontent toward management has escalated. Score: 10/10
How frustrating have recent seasons been? Until now, everything was going well despite not securing a title. Fans had nothing to complain about until this operational chaos. Score: 1/10
Did they recently make an enraging trade or decision? Absolutely! The Mavs’ decision to trade a then-25-year-old Dončić without a trade request has lead the fan base to backlash against GM Nico Harrison and ownership. Score: 10/10
Are you still thinking about him? It appears that it would take multiple championships for fans to stop reflecting on Dončić, which seems highly unlikely! Score: 10/10
Do they have invigorating young players to divert attention? Fans held a mock funeral for the team in the streets after the trade! They’ve been protesting ceaselessly. Although they appreciate Dereck Lively II, he can’t diminish their collective fury. Moreover, he has faced injuries as well. Score: 10/10
Is there immediate hope for the next seasons? I’m uncertain. Even if this team could win a title, one must consider they might need to disregard next season too, as Irving might not make it back until late December, and Davis will be 34 by then. Score: 8/10
Could this be resolved with a coaching change? No, the issue lies with Harrison, not coach Jason Kidd. Score: 10/10
How deep does this problem run? The core issue rests with Harrison, particularly with new ownership endorsing the Dončić trade followed by higher season ticket prices, which reflects poorly on their decision-making. Score: 10/10
