So, you think these Knicks and Nets — and their combined 2-21 records are bad? Let’s take a stumble down memory lane for the worst of the worst. Here’s a dream — or nightmare — starting five from each franchise — and, no, Frederic Weis, who never made it to this side of the Atlantic is not on the list.
NETS
POINT GUARD: Chris Childs (1994-96; 2002-03)
We’re talking Chris Childs, The Sequel. He was pretty good the first time. Grossly overweight and out of shape the second time. Nets signed him to a free-agent deal, obviously not seeing he was on the Deep Fried Oreo Diet. Hurt, played 12 games, stunk, waived.
SHOOTING GUARD: Brandon Armstrong (2001-04)
Has to be chosen because he could have been Gilbert Arenas. He was part of the 2001 draft night deal that fetched Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins for Eddie Griffin. With third first-round pick, Nets weighed Arenas and Armstrong, who was considered the better shooter. Oops.
FORWARD: Soumaila Samake (2000-01)
Really a center, but was so bad he gets shifted to power forward. Was the second-round pick in 2000 after Nets took Kenyon Martin first overall. The son of goat herders in Mali, Nets would have been better off drafting a goat. Part of the trade that got Nets Jason Kidd.
FORWARD: Ed O’Bannon (1995-97)
Drafted ninth overall in 1995. He really stunk. Was college player of the year at UCLA, was Bust of the Decade in New Jersey. Could not shoot a lick. Drafted ahead of Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Theo Ratliff. Traded to Dallas in the Sam Cassell nine-player swap.
CENTER: Yinka Dare (1994-98)
Drafted 14th overall in 1994. The face of franchise failure. Could have been Wesley Person, whose shooting Nets needed. Instead, he is best remembered for stinking and for starting his career with more than 747 minutes without an assist, the longest such streak ever. Died in 2004.
KNICKS
POINT GUARD: Howard Eisley: (2001-2004)
Obtained from Dallas in three-team deal for Glen Rice. He was representative of awful talent level of Scott Layden Era. Once a solid Utah backup, lost all his skill in New York.
SHOOTING GUARD: Luther “Tickey” Burden: (1976-1978).
Selected 26th overall in 1975 draft. Great college scorer, the sharpshooter was one of worst defenders in Knicks history, banished to the disabled list for rest of season by coach Willis Reed for lazy defense after two games in 1977-78 season.
FORWARD: Harthorne Wingo: (1973-1976)
Acquired (Signed as free agent in 1973). Fans went crazy whenever his awkward jumper popped in because it was so rare. Averaged 4.8 points in four seasons.
FORWARD: Jerrod Mustaf: (1990-1991)
Selected 17th in 1990 draft out of Maryland when St. John’s Jayson Williams, also a power forward, was still available. A colossal bust, traded after one season when he averaged 4.3 points per game. Out of the league by 1994.
CENTER Jerome James (2005-2009)
Signed as a $30 million free agent in 2005. Poster boy of Isiah Thomas Era. The plus-sized center was paid $107,623 per point in four injury-wracked seasons and missed a New Year’s Day practice because of a hangover.