How the mighty (or at least pretty good) have fallen around the NBA

In and out of Houston's lineup all season, Tracy McGrady is averaging only 15.4 points on 38.8 percent shooting. AP Steve Aschburner's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Steve. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

There was no bigger story for a month or so in 1999 than Steve Francis' refusal to play for the Vancouver Grizzlies, the team that drafted him, and the maneuvers required to send him to Houston. "Stevie Franchise,'' as he came to be known, had a stylish run of five seasons -- largely lacking in substance -- with the Rockets, before bouncing through Orlando, New York, Portland and back to Houston. Ultimately, Francis was the centerpiece in trades and personnel moves affecting nearly 30 players' lives, if you count the draft picks involved.

All for what? One playoff appearance and now an endless string of "inactives'' and DNP-CDs. When he got traded to Memphis last Christmas Eve, finally forced to join the Grizzlies he had wanted no part of 10 years ago, it came with zero fanfare. Francis took 10 days to report -- and no one minded at all.

Not to pick on Francis, mind you. He has plenty of miserable company in the NBA these days, highly touted players whose performances -- if they perform at all -- fall way short of expectations and past standards. It is, unfortunately, quite possible to assemble a whole team of "Didn't You Used To Be?'' All-Stars, guys who are making vast sums of money for meager or relatively modest contributions, and generating headlines only for the wrong reasons. They're often the players who sit behind the bench during games, upholding commissioner David Stern's dress code while inspiring fans to nudge each other with comments like, "He's still in the league?'' and "I thought he'd retired.''

Here's a starting five for the "Didn't You Used To Be?'' team, which is kind of ironic when you think about how little a few of these guys play:

G: Stephon Marbury, Knicks

He's being paid how much this season? Wait, wait -- to NOT play? What was he doing sitting in the VIP seats in L.A.? Why did he pop up on a telecast in Minnesota? You sure he hasn't already signed to play in Italy? At this point, there is only one satisfactory resolution to the Marbury mess: The Knicks need to refrain from any buyout until it's too late for the pointless guard to join a competitor's playoff roster.

G: Tracy McGrady, Rockets

Yao Ming just disputed a published report that claimed he was so hacked off at T-Mac that he no longer was speaking to him. I have to admit, I liked Yao better in the 24 hours or so that the story was out there, because it showed that he cared more about winning and the Rockets than his oft-injured shooting guard appeared to. It showed some starch, too, if Yao was going public with his unhappiness and wasn't feeling stymied by his team-derailing injuries.

McGrady might be one of those players whose body never will withstand the rigors of nine months and 110 or so games required to win a championship. But his day-by-day approach to good health -- will he? won't he? -- had gotten old, so the Rockets finally blocked out two weeks of unavailability for McGrady to work on his "conditioning.'' As a message-board denizen posted, nice work if you can get it: $21 million and unlimited sick days.

F: Larry Hughes, Bulls

OK, so Hughes is a little out of position here. But it's not like he's actually going to have to, you know, play. Hughes got on the court for only seven minutes of Chicago's game against Portland on Monday and had a DNP-CD on Wednesday against Toronto, a rarity in his long career. He is being squeezed out in the Bulls' crowded backcourt and both he and the team would like to move him by the Feb. 19 trading deadline.

Hughes will turn 30 this week, which suggests he ought to have more game left in him than he has shown this season (12.0 points, 2.0 assists, 26.4 minutes, 41.2 percent shooting.). But Hughes spent only one season in college before coming to the NBA in the 1999 post-lockout season, so his odometer is up there. His greatest asset at this point is a contract that expires after the 2009-10 season and opens $13.65 million in cap space.

F: Jermaine O'Neal, Raptors

Getting traded north of the border can cause even the most productive player to be forgotten, but O'Neal hasn't been that guy with Toronto. His numbers are below his standards (though he did average 25.0 points during a four-game stretch last month), he's having trouble staying healthy again and he and Chris Bosh haven't meshed quickly. The gap between what O'Neal is taking ($21.4 million) and what he's bringing grows by the day.

C: Eddy Curry, Knicks

What Curry got thrown at him this week -- sexual harassment allegations and other claims by a former driver of his, a fellow with credibility issues seeking money -- unfortunately adds a layer of empty fame to his portfolio. But his basketball underachievements are enough for this honor. Two years ago, the lumbering 24-year-old looked to be on his way, averaging 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds for New York. But the roster mess and turmoil created by Isiah Thomas last year only got worse for Curry when Mike D'Antoni brought his up-tempo game to Madison Square Garden. Curry has been limited by his bad fit and a bum knee to one cameo appearance so far for his $9.7 million. At 26, he's ready for his second comeback.

Sixth man: Jamaal Tinsley, Pacers

We would have gone with Washington's Gilbert Arenas here. But he was non-committal about joining this team, too.

Steve Aschburner covered the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA for 13 seasons for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He has served as president or vice president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association since 2005.