Reserves

Charlie Bell wasn't thrilled to return to the Bucks this season -- and he's playing like it. Darrell Walker/UTHM/Icon SMI

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G: Charlie Bell, Bucks -- Bell all but pleaded with the Bucks to let him go last offseason, saying, "Inside my heart, I just won't be [in Milwaukee]." But bench players who can serve up almost 14 points a game aren't easily found, which led Milwaukee to match the five-year, $18 million offer that the restricted free agent received from Miami. Given that the 6-foot-3 guard's scoring average has been halved this season and he's shooting only 35.2 percent, Bell's heart seems to be speaking a lot louder than general manager Larry Harris' head.

G: Jason Williams, Heat -- The 10-year veteran made news when he likened himself, and all NBA players, to "high-paid prostitutes," while expressing his frustration over trade rumors (he's making $8.9 million in the last year of his contract). Williams, though, hasn't made much news with his play: He has become an afterthought on a Miami team starving for offense and has done little to successfully guide his teammates, handing out a career-low 4.8 assists per game.

F: Sasha Pavlovic, Cavaliers -- After failing to re-sign with Cleveland until Nov. 1, Pavlovic has given more than a few Cavs fans reason to wish he had remained a holdout. The 24-year-old's attack on shooting accuracy from the floor (35.1 percent) and from behind the arc (28.4 percent) was stopped by a foot injury sustained in late January. LeBron James and Co. can only hope his next return to the lineup is a happier one.

F: Bobby Simmons, Bucks -- In July 2005, one national publication expressed the opinion of many in stating that the free-agent signing of Simmons "should launch Milwaukee securely into the East's second tier, just behind Detroit, Miami and Indiana." Of course, we could all have been wrong. After missing all of last season with multiple foot surgeries, Simmons is putting up the kind of journeyman-type numbers (7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 41.9 FG%) he did early in his career, before a breakout season in 2004-05 with the Clippers persuaded Bucks GM Harris to give him a five-year, $47 million deal. Simmons isn't the only reason Milwaukee appears headed for a housecleaning this summer, but he sure is pushing a big broom.

C: Eddy Curry, Knicks -- It would almost be easier to list the Knicks who shouldn't be on this list than should be. But after making unexpected strides in becoming a reliable low-post offensive presence last season, Curry has played some of the least impactful minutes a 6-11, 285-pound center can in 2007-08. True, many of Curry's opportunities have been stolen by Zach Randolph, whom Thomas foolishly traded for last offseason, but Curry hasn't shown even the smallest sign of development. Rebounding? An afterthought at 4.8 a game. Blocking shots? How about .45 a game -- remember, he's 6-11. Maybe this was one trade the Bulls pulled off that they don't have to regret.

C: Darko Milicic, Grizzlies -- At what point is a player considered a bust? The No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft has received a fair share of minutes over the last 2½ seasons, and we're still waiting for the shooting range, fancy footwork and flashes of dominating play that some scouts believe still make the 23-year-old an intriguing talent. Given the keys to the Grizzlies' center position, Milicic has stalled this season, averaging 6.8 points on 43.4 percent shooting.

G: Matt Carroll, Bobcats -- It's hard to play the role of bench scorer when you don't really score, and this season, Carroll has regressed from his career-best 2006-07 campaign (his points, shooting and minutes have declined). For a Bobcats team that has made a habit of frugality, Carroll's response to being handed a six-year, $27 million deal last summer isn't likely to convince owner Bob Johnson that an open wallet is a winning wallet.