SG: Richard Jefferson, Jazz
There are plenty of euphemisms for tanking — “Developing young talent,” “rebuilding for the future” and “transitioning to a new era” are three popular ones — but my favorite, by far, is “starting Richard Jefferson.” The 33-year-old Jefferson is an honorary co-captain of this team, and his selection requires little explanation. Yes, I’m fudging things slightly by shifting Jefferson from small forward to shooting guard, but doing so helps me get the absolute most out of this group and puts Jefferson into even more difficult spots defensively. (While we’re on the subject of positions, Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin’s decision to start Jefferson has relegated 22-year-old shooting guard Alec Burks to a bench role, a move that makes little sense given Utah’s outlook.)
There’s nothing particularly funny about age-related decline, but it is downright impressive that Jefferson has started every game for the 4-19 Jazz even though this is the sixth straight year that his PER has decreased. Jefferson boasts a 111.9 defensive rating, one of the very worst marks on the league’s worst defense. His 9.4 PER ranks among the very worst starters at his position, and Utah has a minus-2.8 net rating when he’s off the court compared to a minus-18.4 rating when he’s on the court. That’s the type of seepage the All-Atrocious Team is desperately seeking.
