The worst players on the last 5 NBA championship teams

Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing and John Stockton are few of many greats of the game who have never won a championship.

A two time league MVP and a 14 time All-Star, Karl Malone never won a NBA title in his 19 year playing career.

When you look back at their career and compare it to the certain players on the championship teams, it gets you thinking and wondering that this guy has a ring and these Hall of Famers don’t. Well there is nothing that can be done about it as all 15 members of the championship roster get a ring.

Each team has its bench warmer, who comes into the game only during blowouts. But this list contains those players who played minutes both in the regular season and playoffs, and were bought into rotation on an injury to a player.

This is a list of the worst players on the roster of the last 5 teams who won a championship.

5. P. J. Brown (2008 Boston Celtics)

P. J. Brown

Named to three NBA All-Defensive second teams and scored over 9000 points prior to the 2007-08 season, P.G. Brown signed with the Celtics mid-season. He averaged 11.6 minutes, 2.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.in the regular season. Although his minutes on the floor were a great rest to the likes of Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce, his contribution for the time on the floor was disappointing.

In the Playoffs, he played ahead of Scott Pollard and Brian Scalabrine to average 13.6 minutes, 2.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 25 games. Post the championship, Brown retired after 16 year playing career.

4. D. J. Mbenga (2009 & 2010 Los Angeles Lakers)

D.J. Mbenga

He became a two time champion for the Lakers as a third backup center after Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. He was initially signed on a 10 day deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after the Golden State Warriors had waived him midway through the 2007-08 season. They later signed for the rest of the year and in the following two years he saw two one year extensions with the franchise.

In his two years with the Lakers, with an average of 7.5 minutes on the floor he averaged 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and .8 blocks. His post-season numbers weren’t too great either. In 3.2 minutes per game average he recorded averages of 1 point, 1.1 rebounds.

3. Brian Cardinal (2011 Dallas Mavericks)

Brian Cardinal

He played in all 56 games of the regular season averaging 11 minutes, 2.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 56 games. Coming off the bench, his role was to give either of the key players Dirk Nowitzki or Shawn Marion a rest. His minutes per game average clearly shows him roughly play two minutes a quarter, perfectly fitting the role described above.

In the Playoffs with an expected drop in playing time, his post-season averages too took a beating. He averaged 4.1 minutes, 1.1 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists.

Over a career spanning 12 years, he has played for 6 teams.

2. Juwan Howard (2012 Miami Heat)

Juwan Howard

Although in his final year of his four year buyout from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Howard came to terms with the Miami Heat on a one year contract in 2010 for the veterans minimum. Being a part of the same team as the “Big 3”, Howard certainly had his hopes high of receiving a ring. Something he could not achieve for the previous 16 years.

That was three years back, now he is a two time champion for averaging figures of 3 points, 1.1 rebounds and .9 assists in 7.3 minutes in the regular season of 2012 with the Heat. His post-season averages are a feat. Howard averaged above 1 only in the minute’s category with 2.7. 0.8 points and .1 rebounds were his post-season averages.

1. Joel Anthony (2013 Miami Heat)

Joel Anthony

He has been with the Miami Heat ever since he was signed by the franchise in July of 2007. Although he played a key role with his defensive presence in the first championship run, the team acquired Chris Anderson mid-season to make up for Anthony’s lack of offense. Never the less he was part of the starting line-up in 3 games and had season averages of 9.1 minutes, 1.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and .7 blocks.

Chris Andersen continued to take his place on the court and his post-season numbers saw a dip from last season. In 5.1 minutes, only his rebounding numbers averaged above 1 with 1.5. He is still an active member of the Heat roster.