The 2014 NBA Mock Draft

What an interesting last couple of weeks to lead into the 2014 NBA Draft. Contract opt outs, prospects injured, prospects retiring, prospects signing with European teams. All of these things have added interesting components to a draft that is honestly just as wide open as last year's, when a seemingly unknown Anthony Bennett was the top overall pick.

Biggest difference? This year is more talented and talented deep.

But those changes have made the draft different. Joel Embiid's injury changed the top 3 and quite possibly the first overall pick. Dario Saric's new European contract changed the top 10. Isaiah Austin's retirement changed the first round. The contract opt outs of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James will have effects on the league, and therefore the draft, that remain unknown. But what we do know is that they will have an impact on this draft.

So without further pause, after weeks of redrafts, here is the official In All Directions 2014 NBA Mock Draft:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jabari Parker - Duke
Why?: I think the exit of Embiid makes this one a no brainer. Parker fills far more of a need for Cleveland* (yes, that is an asterik) than Andrew Wiggins does. Should the Cavs keep this pick, Parker will slide nicely into the starting rotation. With Tristan Thompson in the middle and Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters at the guard sports, the implementation of Parker as a power forward allows Luol Deng to move down the the 3-spot and give Cleveland a dangerous starting five.

*And here is the asterik: Absolutely the best trade package I have seen rumored so far would be Cleveland sending this pick and Jarrett Jack to Utah for No. 5, Derrick Favors, Alec Burks and possibly the 23rd pick. If this trade is on the table, I absolutely see it being made. My choice for #1 overall stays, but I believe that this is Utah's pick or at least being made for Utah. Parker, a mormon, would be an amazing poster child with the Jazz where he and Trey Burke could be this era's answer to Stockton and Malone for the Jazz.

2. Milwaukee Bucks: Joel Embiid - Kansas
Why?: I do not think a team takes long to gamble. Wiggins is basically another OJ Mayo and Exum is not needed when you have Brandon Knight and Ramon Sessions at the point. In fact, while I have seen a lot of draft boards with Exum here, it would be a downright stupid choice unless they move one of the other two point guards, specifically Brandon Knight. They have talent inside, but it is still one of the areas with less talent overall, so they will take the gamble on Embiid and hope that he heals quickly and well. I think its a bad move for anyone to make this pick in the top 10 and potentially in the lottery. I, if I were a GM, wouldn't take him in the first round. Yes, he has talent. But we've seen this story end before (Greg Oden?) and I don't see it worth the pick. However, I think the Bucks will see it or at least try to.

3. Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Wiggins - Kansas
Why?: Philly has coveted Wiggins all along and I absolutely think he falls to them here no matter who goes #2 overall (unless there are trades in the top 2). Philadelphia needs all of the help they can get and plenty of draft picks to make that happen. Taking Wiggins is the best option, even if they weren't in love with him. He can be a dynamic scorer and will play well off of Michael Carter-Williams.

4. Orlando Magic: Dante Exum - Australia
Why?: When Embiid went down, Orlando cried. All of them. But I still think they also get their guy here in Exum. Jameer Nelson's time has ended and Exum completes a solid starting lineup and will create insane mismatches because of his length. It also frees Victor Oladipo up to stay strong at a natural 2-guard spot.

5. Utah Jazz: Julius Randle - Kentucky*
Why?: Whether this pick is for Utah (or as I suspect for Cleveland) they both covet a small forward. Unfortunately there is a bit of a drop off between the top guys who can play that spot (Parker and Wiggins) and the next highest rated one (probably Doug McDermott). So instead, you have to take the next best option, which is Randle, who is also a guy who can play a little swing forward or play natural power forward to free up Luol Deng (Cleveland) or Marvin Williams (Utah) to play their natural small forward position.

6: Boston Celtics: Aaron Gordon - Arizona
Why?: I'd love for Boston to get Randle, but even if he is available, they seem to have a love affair with Gordon. They see him as a Kevin Garnett-like big man who can move and scorer off the dribble. They better hope they are right.

7. Los Angeles Lakers: Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State
Why?: The Lakers need to pull the trigger on rumored trade to sent Steve Nash to the 76ers for draft picks. It gets them options and prospects and frees up the point guard position where change is needed. Smart can feed the ball to Kobe when he's healthy and be a score-first guy when Kobe isn't.

8. Sacramento Kings: Noah Vonleh - Indiana
Why?: About the only hole in the Kings lineup is at power forward. If they get Vonleh and he pans out, they should be a playoff team out west with a bevvy of young talent. If they aren't, this pick will be the one that everyone comes back and looks at. After all, Vonleh couldn't help his college team even make the NCAA Tournament, so why wouldn't he be the one to blame?

9. Charlotte Hornets: Adreian Payne - Michigan State
Why?: Especially if Josh McRoberts blots, Charlotte should covet another big man more than anything in this draft and that could help Payne jump a lot because of Dario Saric's new contract which will keep him away from the NBA for at least two years, even if drafted. That loss to the draft could be Payne's gain with the new look Charlotte organization.

10. Philadelphia 76ers: Zach LaVine - UCLA

11. Denver Nuggets: Dario Saric - Croatia
Why?: This is the first team that probably can gamble on Saric. He fills a need when (and if) he comes, but they have a lot of talent still without him. They may not make the gamble, but honestly they are the first team to come up with a pick that could have that option.

12. Orlando Magic: Tyler Ennis - Syracuse

13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rodney Hood - Duke
Why?: With the likelihood of Love's loss, you really need to fill his shoes as best possible with this pick, even if you get a good return for him. Hood can't fill Love's shoes, but he can put on his socks. He is a long swing forward who can rebound well and shoot the ball with good consistency.

14: Phoenix Suns: Doug McDermott - Creighton

15. Atlanta Hawks: Gary Harris - Michigan State

16. Chicago Bulls: Jusuf Nurkic - Bosnia

17. Boston Celtics: James Young - Kentucky

18. Phoenix Suns: Nik Stauskas - Michigan

19. Chicago Bulls: Glenn Robinson III - Michigan

20. Toronto Raptors: Shabazz Napier - UCONN

21. Oklahoma City Thunder: TJ Warren - North Carolina State

22. Memphis Grizzlies: Kyle Anderson - UCLA

23. Utah Jazz: Bogdan Bogdanovic - Serbia

24. Charlotte Hornets: Elfrid Payton - UL-Lafayette

25. Houston Rockets: KJ McDaniels - Clemson

26. Miami Heat: PJ Hairston - Texas Legends (D-League)

27. Phoenix Suns: Jordan Adams - UCLA

28. Los Angeles Clippers: Jerami Grant - Syracuse

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Cleanthony Early - Witchita State

30. San Antonio Spurs: Mitch McGary - Michigan

Redrafting the 2010 NBA Draft

Bleeding blue. That is what the 2010 NBA Draft was all about. Five players from the University of Kentucky set a record by all being drafted in the first round, including top pick John Wall. What made it so important, other than that fact, is that four of the five all came out after just one year of college. If the one-and-done trend had hit two years earlier with Derrick Rose leading the way, it had officially arrived as THE THING during this draft. Never before had essentially an entire team departed together. It has happened a couple of times since, with UK doing it once again since 2010 and the school likely would have seen it happen again in 2014 had they not lost the National Title game.

Outside of that, there are a lot of great prospects who are in line for big paydays in the league soon, including little Indiana boy Gordon Hayward, the once darling of the NCAA Tournament, who should be one of the most sought after free agents this summer.

Pick 1: Washington Wizards

Who they took: John Wall

Who they should have took: John Wall

Why: Wall was the perfect choice for a team without a star that was just going through the rotation of over hyped players. He has been the model for consistency while being a very mature player immediately in the NBA. 0.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.5 spg and 3 ppg are the only fluctuations in his career season highs and lows. He may not be the best point guard in the league, but for sure one I would want on my team.

Pick 2: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Evan Turner

Who they should have took: Paul George (10th pick)

Why: I really wanted to put George at number one, but I guess I just am not sold on him yet. He has the potential to be a top 10 player in the NBA, but I don't know that he has the heart and enthusiasm to do so. Never the less, he is a super talented get to the basket scorer who can slash through practically any defense, if not all of them. Philly thought they were getting that in Turner (see pick #5). To see his scoring average go up 14 ppg in three years shows just what George is capable of on the offensive end.

Pick 3: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Derrick Favors

Who they should have took: Demarcus Cousins (5th pick)

Why: New Jersey needed their new Kenyon Martin, a raw and vicious post who would help them to the promised land by just being a wrecking ball. Favors was surprisingly soft and Cousins has just never cared about who he runs over. He has always been a huge presence inside and just had career best numbers in EVERY statistical category as a fourth year player last year. Imagine adding him to today's Brooklyn Nets lineup with Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and a healthy Brook Lopez.

Pick 4: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Wesley Johnson

Who they should have took: Gordon Hayward (9th pick)

Why: I didn't know if Hayward could make it as a pro. Yes, he was great in high school. Yes, he was great on a team like Butler (coming literally an inch of a roll in the other direction from a national title for the relatively small school). But, did he have the size or the versatility? Was he JJ Redick or was he Adam Morrison? Reality shows he was probably neither, but better than both. With such recent draft picks, we can afford to play the what if game (as you have seen and will continue to see), so what if you put Hayward with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love? Think the Timberwolves would still be looking at another down slide?

Pick 5: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Demarcus Cousins

Who they should have took: Evan Turner (2nd pick)

Why: While Turner did well early in his career in Philly, he never was the player he was in college before his back injury. He still is a pretty strong offensive player, but has shown he can't succeed as a role player at this point, as seen by his production dropping significantly in his move to Indiana last season. At least with the Kings, he would have been able to be THE significant contributor.

Pick 6: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Ekpe Udoh

Who they should have took: Greg Monroe (7th pick)

Why: Monroe has quietly been an old-school beast of a center in Detroit. He is quiet, unassuming and still physical without being overly aggressive. Though he hasn't done it yet in a single season, he has all of the potential to be a career double-double guy and would be the missing link inside that Golden State needs and have been trying to add with potential trades for Kevin Love in this 2014 off season.

Pick 7: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Greg Monroe

Who they should have took: Lance Stephenson (40th pick)

Why: There is no bigger spark plug in this draft than Lance Stephenson and if you watched the 2014 NBA Finals, you can't possibly disagree with that. Unfortunately, he can also be a challenge in some degrees. But to me, the juice is worth the squeeze and you can't replicate Stephenson's desire and passion. If you have read past blogs of mine, you will know that I would restructure the current Pacers as more of a 1980's Detroit Bad Boys teams, so what better fit would there be for Lance than Detroit?

Pick 8: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Al-Farouq Aminu

Who they should have took: Eric Bledsoe (18th pick)

Why: I felt at the time like Bledsoe was the most raw of the five Kentucky players coming out, but didn't end up being so. I am sure the Clippers, who ended up with him via draft day trade, would have liked to get him anyway without giving anything up. While he never was the production guy in LA he has become, you take the chance that you can keep him in the long term and pick him over Aminu, who has never been much of anything and probably never will be.

Pick 9: Utah Jazz

Who they took: Gordon Hayward

Who they should have took: Derrick Favors (3rd pick)

Why: Favors will never live up to his hype because quite frankly, when the opponents were as big as him, he wilted. He is still a very strong and muscular force as a swing forward, but he will never be a dominant rebounder or post production guy. With that, he has learned to work great in a pick and roll position and has thrived moving like that in Utah anyway in recent years.

Pick 10: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Paul George

Who they should have took: Avery Bradley (19th pick)

Why: Bradley is a solid score-first point who can rise to the occasion. As Boston's need for his production has risen, so has his game. He would be a valuable piece for the building Pacers and a true point guard, who even though he is a score-first guy, can and will pass the ball.

Pick 11: New Orleans Hornets

Who they took: Cole Aldrich (traded to Thunder)

Who they should have took: Jeremy Lin (undrafted and trade the pick)

Why: Then, there wasn't going to be a trade partner and today, there is still a smaller and shrinking aura of intrigue around Lin. Can he catch lightning in a bottle twice. Make the pick and use it as an asset when the time is right because Lin is an "OK" basketball player and has some trade value to help build up the now Pelicans.

Pick 12: Memphis Grizzlies

Who they took: Xavier Henry

Who they should have took: Larry Sanders (15th pick)

Why: Sanders won't knock your socks off, but one of Memphis' downfalls is the lack of a quality post behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Sanders could be that guy as he is more suited for that role than that of leading man, which they are trying to make him be in Milwaukee.

Pick 13: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Ed Davis

Who they should have took: Greivis Vasquez (28th pick)

Why: Consistency is a key for draft picks after 10 and after his rookie year, Vasquez has been that. Toronto has him now, but would have loved to have his consistency while they built the playoff team they have today.

Pick 14: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Patrick Patterson

Who they should have took: Landry Fields (39th pick)

Why: Fields is terrible. BUT, he wasn't early. Fields appeared to be THE STEAL of this draft and really was his first two years in the league. This is another draft and dump guy. If the Rockets could have taken Fields and dumped him off during the second year of his contract before he bounced in free agency (like he did to the Knicks), then they could have gotten another good piece for the Dwight Howard/James Harden duo. That is your end game with this pick, even if you don't know it yet.

Pick 15: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Larry Sanders

Who they should have took: Jordan Crawford (27th pick)

Why: Of course, you want the early career Jordan Crawford who looked like he was going to be one of those draft day steals. You don't however want the current day Jordan Crawford who plays like the 27th pick. Business boomed for him in Washington and he did OK in Boston before becoming a trade chip. He would have been more featured in Milwaukee and they could have gotten the most out of his early career peak.

Redrafting the 1997 NBA Draft

Let’s call it a tale of one man. The 1997 NBA Draft produced just three future All-Stars and slew of never-was-beens. But at the top sat Tim Duncan, one of those, as we keep learning, oh-so rare transcendent players. Duncan was a game changer and the Spurs didn’t even need one. But with David Robinson and Sean Elliott injured in 1996-1997, there they found themselves with the first pick. Though I am betting the Celtics (with the best statistical chance of getting the pick) were more than upset, the Spurs were glowing.

And even they couldn’t have known all of what they were about to get. It would end up being perhaps their best draft pick ever. And that is saying something.

Pick 1: San Antonio Spurs

Who they took: Tim Duncan

Who they should have took: Tim Duncan

Why: San Antonio really doesn’t make a habit out of picking in the lottery, but when they made their one pick of the modern era, they sure made it count. For all of the talk of “NBA ready” bodies, Tim Duncan was truly that. They picked first in 1997 and won a title in 1999, in a LARGE part due to Tim Duncan. The fact that they (as of today) are two wins away from another NBA Finals (their 6^th with Duncan) and have won 4 titles is a testament to just how ready Duncan was and still is at age 38.

Pick 2: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Keith Van Horn

Who they should have took: Chauncey Billups (3^rd pick)

Why: When Boston took Billups 3^rd, it was a mistake. He proved that over a couple of years and stretches elsewhere. But he found a mentor and found his way and became the next best player out of this draft. It was a remarkable turnaround for a guy drafted 3^rd who probably would have been a late second round pick if the redraft happened 3 years later. His work ethic and leadership propelled the Pistons to their 2004 title and he has been a peak performer mostly ever since except for the last couple of years. But his peak scoring season, few remember, came 12 years into his career.

Pick 3: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Chauncey Billups

Who they should have took: Tracy McGrady (9^th pick)

Why: Frame. That is what McGrady lacked in 1997. The worries of high school kids were gone thanks to KG and Kobe. But for T-Mac, he didn’t have the size that most GMs wanted. He went on to be a seven-time All-Star and scorer until the day he left the NBA for a baseball career. But at his peak he was a two-time scoring champion in Orlando, taking the crown from Allen Iverson. Nobody in this class, even Duncan ever led the league in scoring.

Pick 4: Vancouver Grizzlies

Who they took: Antonio Daniels

Who they should have took: Stephen Jackson (42^nd pick)

Why: Ok, I get you…Jackson is a jerk. But he is a jerk you want on your side on the court (or in the stands as the case may be). Jackson was one of the last old school NBA bullies and he made every shot (at the basket or his opponent) count. The Grizzlies, before they moved to Memphis needed a guy to make you scared. Jackson would have been that guy. Just not too many people knew about him as one of the rare draft picks out of community college.

Pick 5: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Tony Battie

Who they should have took: Keith Van Horn (2^nd pick)

Why: Van Horn is one of those guys who gets a bum rap. He wasn’t second pick material, but still managed over 16 ppg in nine years with four clubs. For the 1997-1998 Nuggets squad that flirted with being the worst team in the league’s history, any boost Van Horn could provide would have been nice.

Pick 6: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Ron Mercer

Who they should have took: Antonio Daniels (4^th pick)

Why: With Rick Pitino taking over, why not take Mercer, who was a big letdown in the league. I can see how they thought they were taking the right guy at the time, but he didn’t provide the defensive game on the perimeter that Pitino and the Celtics wanted. Daniels would have been a solid pick, not a steal here. He made the most of a career full of moves, hovered around 9 ppg most seasons and was going to a disruptive on-ball defender at worst.

Pick 7: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Tim Thomas

Who they should have took: Derek Anderson (13^th pick)

Why: Anderson was never the player he was at Kentucky, but in a draft of few guards, he ended up putting up some ultimately good numbers while he was young. He provided Cleveland scoring in his first two years and had his best seasons in years 3 and 4 with the Clippers (16.9 ppg) and the Spurs (started all 82 games). Outside of two seasons being rarely used, his production never slipped too far offensively. With a rebranding and Jayson Williams at his best in the post the coming season, a savvy guard like Anderson would have been helpful.

Pick 8: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Adonyl Foyle

Who they should have took: Bobby Jackson (23^rd pick)

Why: Because he wasn’t Adonyl Foyle. Jackson slipped in the draft because of size, but flourished after his trade before his rookie season to Denver where he averaged 11.6 ppg. Golden State was in a state of flux, a then-constant rebuild and Jackson would have lended a lot of credibility to the product.

Pick 9: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Tracy McGrady

Who they should have took: Maurice Taylor (14^th pick)

Why: Toronto was getting their footing and Maurice Taylor had some of that Fab Five flash in his system (and sadly for him, some of that Fab Five cash too). He never got his legs under him mostly because of his poor choices. His status and stature would have served Toronto well though for a couple of years before it all came falling down.

Pick 10: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Danny Fortson

Who they should have took: Brevin Knight (16^th pick)

Why: The Bucks were trying everything and I do mean everything to win. They traded their All-Star (Vin Baker) for two hens and a yam and then drafted a guy who barely jumped to shoot the ball. Knight on the other hand was an explosive and undersized slasher who led Stanford in scoring, assists and steals while putting them back in a national spotlight.

Pick 11: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Tariq Abdul-Wahad

Who they should have took: Tim Thomas (7^th pick)

Why: At the time, I was totally behind the original Kings pick. As Olivier St. Jean, the now Abdul-Wahad led an underdog San Jose State team into the NCAA Tournament and looked like he was primed to break out in the pros. Then he changed his name. And then he sucked. If Sacramento knew that one of their “helpful” recent draft picks in Brian Grant was leaving in free agency, I feel they would have gone bigger. And while Thomas wasn’t (shocker) as good as projected, his 11 points per game in 77 games as a rookie was far better than Abdul-Wahad’s six.

Pick 12: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Austin Croshere

Who they should have took: Tony Battie (5^th pick)

Why: This is a hard pick to want to change because Croshere was such an iconic face (in that, cult classic way) during the Pacer rebirth. With Chris Mullin, Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and host of mid-sized role players, the Pacers came within an eyelash of the NBA finals in 97-98 and Battie would have served them well as they really didn’t have a true backup to Smits.

Pick 13: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Derek Anderson

Who they should have took: Austin Croshere (12^th pick)

Why: See above. Croshere was that guy you want on your team. He picks everyone else up. And maybe he could have flourished earlier in Cleveland, not with a contender like Indiana. With the Pacers, he didn’t get to play much early, peaking in his third season. In Cleveland he would have been relied upon early and I think he would have reacted. In a revamping offseason, the Cavs were more than happy to get Anderson, but I don’t think Croshere would have hurt either.

Pick 14: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Maurice Taylor

Who they should have took: Scot Pollard (19^th pick)

Why: The slipping of Kansas’ two prospects from 1997 probably had something to do with a Sweet 16 loss to Arizona. Where, while the game was close, the Wildcats exposed a lot of weaknesses that didn’t look so weak the previous game against Purdue. Pollard was one of those two and his enigmatic behavior didn’t help. He was a wild card at Kansas and became more of one later, with it only really being a benefit during his time with the rag-tag Sacramento King contender teams.

Pick 15: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Kelvin Cato

Who they should have took: Jacque Vaughn (27^th pick)

Why: See above (at least the “The slipping of Kansas’ two prospects from 1997 probably had something to do with a Sweet 16 loss to Arizona. Where, while the game was close, the Wildcats exposed a lot of weaknesses that didn’t look so weak the previous game against Purdue” part). Vaughn just didn’t have size on his side which hurt him because he was never too quick either. As the league was developing into a more fast paced game, he was out of place. In Dallas, where he could have learned an up tempo pace from Jason Kidd, he would have been better off. After all, he surely wasn’t learning run and gun from John Stockton in Utah.

Redrafting the 1996 NBA Draft

One of the best drafts, if not the best of the 90's, with four Hall of Famers and six more guys who were very good for what they did in their careers as quality NBA players. It was also a showcase for 12 of the biggest draft blunders ever. Those 12? The first 12 picks before the Charlotte Hornets drafted this kid named Kobe. But I guess you can count them as blunder #13 since they shipped him to Los Angeles for Vlade Divac.

After a share of forward and center heavy drafts, this was the guard draft that a lot of teams had been salivating for and when you look at the names selected, you can see why.

Pick 1: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Allen Iverson

Who they should have took: Kobe Bryant (13th pick)

Why: Why? Do I even need to fill this out? Like Garnett the year prior, nobody really knew how to feel out a kid coming straight from high school yet. And while Garnett became a great, Kobe became a top 10 player in the history of the league and arguably the best overall since Michael Jordan. Iverson turned Philly's fortunes around but Kobe would have won them a title or two (or three or four). He was the best player in this draft because he was (in my humble opinion) the best player drafted in the 1990's or 2000's.

Pick 2: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Marcus Camby

Who they should have took: Steve Nash (15th pick)

Why: He was a quiet unassuming ex-soccer player when he came into the league in 1996, but Steve Nash became an assassin on a basketball court, one of the all-time great point guards. Unfortunately, because of their pick of Damon Stoudamire the previous year, the Raptors were one of the few teams in this draft not interested in the guard pool, even in their second season. Camby wasn't a bad pick at the time for anyone, especially the Raptors needs. But looking back, you send Stoudamire packing at take one of our generation's great playmakers.

Pick 3: Vancouver Grizzlies

Who they took: Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Who they should have took: Allen Iverson (1st pick)

Why: He ended up there years and years later, but imagine an early Grizzlies with AI, where they wouldn't have had to (incorrectly) leaned so much on Bryant Reeves. Iverson was such a strong presence on the court throughout his career and while I doubt he would have been happy staying in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for long, I am willing to bet he would have led them to success to some degree before bolting after his rookie contract.

Pick 4: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Stephon Marbury (traded to Timberwolves)

Who they should have took: Ray Allen (5th pick)

Why: While the Allen/Marbury pair was such a toss up from the beginning (hence being swapped eventually anyway), Allen ended up being the better NBA player mostly because of his willingness to play the game. When things were ending for him credibly in Milwaukee, he accepted his move to Seattle. When it was time to move on, he did again to Boston and again to Miami. Marbury however was never the player he could be because he wanted to do things the Stephon Marbury way. Allen reached his potential and was great for Milwaukee during his years there. I don't see any reason why they would want to change that.

Pick 5: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Ray Allen (traded to Bucks)

Who they should have took: Stephon Marbury (4th pick)

Why: In retrospect, I am sure they would rather just keep Allen. But it doesn't work that way. Marbury was a hell of a basketball player and even seeing how things shook out for him, you try to redo the hatred filled Marbury/Kevin Garnett relationship if you can. And even for all of his personality flaws, Marbury was still productive in all of the places he ended up (except for that late run in Boston) and still is productive on a lower level in China today. He was the third best option in 1996 and went fourth. With Kobe, Nash and Allen becoming Hall of Fame players, he dropped down in this group, but still stands as a tremendous player.

Pick 6: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Antoine Walker

Who they should have took: Jermaine O'Neal (17th pick)

Why: Another high school kid in 1996 and it is funny to think now that teams in the middle of the first round and late in the lottery were trying to decide between he and Kobe, not that Jermaine wasn't more than efficient. One of 10 All-Stars in this class, O'Neal was on the verge of being a long term upper echelon player when he was averaging over 20 points per game in Indiana before a basketbrawl kind of sent him backwards in performance and expectations. A combo of he and future Celtic Paul Pierce would have given Boston a great scoring duo to get them back towards the top quicker, even if Walker was helpful in his own right in doing just that.

Pick 7: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Lorenzen Wright

Who they should have took: Peja Stojakovic (14th pick)

Why: Passing on KG and Kobe in back to back years? Well at least they weren't the only ones. Peja was almost as unknown of a commodity as the high school kids, but became such a clutch scorer and the Clippers needed anything at this point. But again, the European imports were just becoming popular like the high schoolers and it was just so hard to gage what their success would be. His 13,000 points and 40.1 percent from three-point range for his career indicate that this was also a golden era for European prospects coming in to the league.

Pick 8: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Kerry Kittles

Who they should have took: Marcus Camby (2nd pick)

Why: Camby could have benefited from another year in college, but at this point he was looked at as a guy with an NBA ready body. He wasn’t quite NBA ready, but that didn’t stop him from a productive career spanning across the league. Sure his production has slipped, he never averaged more points per game than he did his rookie year and although still playing, he doesn’t do much. But at this stage, with the Ed O’Bannon experiment clearly failing, Camby would be a good solid piece for the Nets to work with. And his 14 points per game in his rookie year would have helped them a lot.

Pick 9: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Samaki Walker

Who they should have took: Zydrunas Ilgauskas (20th pick)

Why: When the Cavaliers ultimately decided to take a pair of Europeans. Ilgauskas was not the one expected to be productive. Years later he was an All-Star and had his jersey retired by the Cavaliers. As I said in the 1995 blog, the Mavericks were a team searching for an inside presence at this point. And while Walker had style...of some sort...Ilgauskas became the type of player that Dallas tried and failed with when taking Cherokee Parks and Samaki Walker.

Pick 10: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Erick Dampier

Who they should have took: Derek Fisher (24th pick)

Why: Name a player in recent memory that has been reliable on and off the court than Derek Fisher. This kid from Arkansas-Little Rock didn’t turn many heads in 1996, but he did so almost every year afterwards. He has won five NBA title and has been crucial in them all. Though mostly a Laker during two separate runs, Fisher was helpful with every team he has been with, including currently in Oklahoma City. One day he will make a great coach because Fisher knows the ins and outs, in every way, of this game. He was pretty unknown and dropped to the Lakers (who combining the Fisher pick and getting Kobe, won this draft), but there is no way he slides out of the top 10 if this draft is today.

Pick 11: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Todd Fuller

Who they should have took: Erick Dampier (10th pick)

Why: Dampier ended up having his best season in Golden State anyway, so why not go early. Another one of those career strong role players, Dampier shined in Golden State in the post, which they clearly wanted (though taking the way wrong guy for the second year in a row). He kept a respectable pace and was helpful in the Mavericks world title run in 2010. Take a break for a second and remember that the Magic could have had this pick had they not traded it back to Golden State and take Kobe Bryant to team with Shaq. Oops.

Pick 12: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Vitaly Potapenko

Who they should have took: Antoine Walker (6th pick)

Why: Walker’s decline was haunting. And that is one of the things we remember the very most about him. We remember this aging, fattening man in decline who went bankrupt and tried everything he could to get back to the league through the D-League. That Antoine Walker may not be worth a first round pick. But while in Boston early, he was a heck of a scorer. Six of his first 9 seasons were spent as a 20+ point per game scorer and he was a guy who was reliable right away. He knew how to get to the basket and be a bully once he was down there.

Pick 13: Charlotte Hornets

Who they took: Kobe Bryant (traded to Lakers)

Who they should have took: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (2nd pick)

Why: Do the Hornets win because the draft isn’t today? No. They lose. They lose a lot. They are the ultimate losers. The Charlotte Bobcats laugh at them. As bad as it is for the 12 other teams to have passed on Kobe Bryant (in retrospect), how much worse is it to have had him and then given him away. Kobe Bryant. Its like drafting Jordan or LeBron or Dwayne Wade and then just giving them up for Robin Lopez. Abdur-Rahim is a way better choice than Vlade Divac.

Pick 14: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Peja Stojakovic

Who they should have took: Lorenzen Wright (7th pick)

Why: Wright floundered before finding his spot in Atlanta and getting shipped to Memphis where he led off with a 12 ppg and 9 rpg season, legitimizing his spot in the mid-echelon of post players. And then he declined, almost every year. Sacramento needed a strong strictly guard and at this point, there isn’t much talent that way left. So you take the best prospect and that was Wright and is Wright, you just hope you have him before the decline or can at least prevent it.

Pick 15: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Steve Nash

Who they should have took: Kerry Kittles (8th pick)

Why: The face of the starving generation of the Nets, Kittles would still be a good pickup for a team because he had a worth ethic almost unrivaled in this draft class at the time when the class was picked.

Redrafting the 1995 NBA Draft

It was a Draft that could have been built as one for the ages. Many more of those “can't miss” prospects, headlined by a future superstar in Joe Smith, the money story of the first high school player going pro in decades and a pair of talents from Chapel Hill. That high schooler, Kevin Garnett, changed the game forever because of the notable high school players that followed in the coming years and how it led to the NBA's one and done rule and is still relevant today as the league considers imposing an age limit of 20.

The players, especially near the top had solid careers, but only one really ended up standing out as a superstar. And it was not the one projected to do so.

Pick 1: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Joe Smith

Who they should have took: Kevin Garnett (5^th pick)

Why: Far and away the best player in this draft, which was so hard to see then. He was raw and out of high school and nobody had any indication how that would transfer at this point. Not since Moses Malone had a notable player come straight to the league more than 20 years earlier, so Garnett was a huge question mark, even when he was ultimately taken at five. Looking back, the addition of Garnett could have propelled the Warriors into contention, as he eventually did in Minnesota. Imagine if you will a world where Golden State never moved Chris Webber. Could you imagine C-Webb and KG teaming up? A soon-to-be Hall of Famer, one of the few things lacking from Garnett's resume is being selected number one overall.

Pick 2: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Antonio McDyess (traded to Nuggets)

Who they should have took: Rasheed Wallace (4^th pick)

Why: The Clippers really did not benefit from this pick, which netted them Brent Barry and Rodney Rogers in a trade. Wallace, who was looked at as equal to college teammate Stackhouse, would have been more valuable to LA than their pick or the two guys they got in trade. With Garnett off the board, Wallace, who was more than serviceable especially as a NBA champion in Detroit would be the way to go. In the real draft, passing on Wallace, Stackhouse and especially Garnett were just three more mistakes to add to a long list of Clippers draft blunders throughout history.

Pick 3: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Jerry Stackhouse

Who they should have took: Jerry Stackhouse

Why: In a redraft, Stackhouse was not only the best player available, he was the right option for Philly, which he may have been in 1995 as well. They didn't really need the presence of Wallace and this wasn't a guard heavy draft so they couldn't improve there either. Stackhouse is one of the top 76ers of the modern era and once even led the league in scoring after leaving the city of brotherly love.

Pick 4: Washington Bullets

Who they took: Rasheed Wallace

Who they should have took: Antonio McDyess (2^nd pick)

Why: While Wallace ended up with the better body of work, what he did for Washington in his years there could have been equaled by McDyess. Many forget what McDyess did during his career. When you pick a guy in the top 5, you expect a superstar. But more often than not, you get far from that. More guys in the top 5 end up busts than end up consistent performers like McDyess. The fact that he did so well too with many injuries that rarely slowed his helpful pace makes him still a good pick up in this draft.

Pick 5: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Kevin Garnett

Who they should have took: Joe Smith (1^st pick)

Why: Joe Smith was not the superstar of this class. But that didn't stop him from being a great overall athlete and another solid career contributor in the league, a role that each of the top 5 (outside of Garnett's superstar talent) took on. Plus, I think Minnesota would have preferred adding Smith this way more than when they did so in free agency years later, violating the salary cap and losing a first round pick for multiple years because of it. Minnesota however also should be happy with what they got instead of Smith as Garnett was the their first draft pick to really pan out.

Pick 6: Vancouver Grizzlies

Who they took: Bryant Reeves

Who they should have took: Michael Finley (21^st pick)

Why: A productive defender and bench player for years to come, Finley was a steal when he went after a decent career at Wisconsin. For Vancouver, anything would have been better than the disappointment of 'Big Country.' Finley may have not been able to be a cornerstone for the organization but he would have been a good place to start for this new organization.

Pick 7: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Damon Stoudamire

Who they should have took: Damon Stoudamire

Why: Toronto, like Vancouver, was in their first draft and needed a young athletic player to build around. Stoudamire remains the best choice to do that. Mighty Mouse is probably the most recognizable player from the Raptors early seasons for a reason and that is because he was the early, short term lynchpin that they needed him to be.

Pick 8: Portland Trail Blazers

Who they took: Shawn Respert (traded to Milwaukee)

Who they should have took: Theo Ratliff (18^th pick)

Why: Ratliff, like Finley, was a nice surprise future All-Star late first round pick. He was a strong interior defender over the years. In a draft that got moderately shallow after the top 5, Ratliff would have added some life to the lifeless Trail Blazers, who struggled from about this point until about two years ago. It would have been more helpful than either Respert or Gary Trent, who they traded for.

Pick 9: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Ed O’Bannon

Who they should have took: Corliss Williamson (13^th pick)

Why: What we knew about Williamson from his National Title days at Arkansas was that he was tough as nails, a reputation that developed even more in the NBA. He was good at making something out of nothing. Because let's face it, Arkansas was not exactly rich with talent when they stood atop the college mountaintop. New Jersey, at this point was looking for a blue collar proven winner, which is why they went with O'Bannon. What O'Bannon didn't provide however was a motor or effort for a higher level, something that Williamson never was short on even when he was short on talent.

Pick 10: Miami Heat

Who they took: Kurt Thomas

Who they should have took: Brent Barry (15^th pick)

Why: 8,0000 career points and one of the more surprising NBA Dunk titles ever. That is what Brent Barry brought the Clippers that he could have brought to Miami. Barry was a strong passer and shooter throughout his career, another service guy in this draft that was often reliable. But as a rookie, he captured perhaps his biggest moment by taking off from the free throw line to win the Dunk Contest, one of the more shocking wins ever in the contest (and some note of interest, he is still the only white guy to win the contest). In Miami, he could have taken the crown from the Heat's Harold Minor, who had reached his decline.

Pick 11: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Gary Trent (traded to Portland)

Who they should have took: Kurt Thomas (10^th pick)

Why: Lather, rinse, repeat? Thomas was a strong defender who proved to be a good journeyman. Heard it before. Pretty consistent with this draft. And at least he wasn't Shawn Respert.

Pick 12: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Cherokee Parks

Who they should have took: Greg Ostertag (28^th pick)

Why: While often forgotten in the story of the Utah Jazz's title contention years, Ostertag was an anchor. Like Byron Russell years earlier, the Jazz lucked out in getting him late in the draft. Dallas was starting to build something by 1995 after three drafts that got them their 3 J's (Jim Jackson, Jamal Mashburn and Jason Kidd) and a centerpiece in the post would have legitimized them a lot. Unfortunately (and I say this with as much kindness as I can as a Duke fan), they incorrectly thought that Parks was going to be that guy. Ostertag would have been a great pick here.

Pick 13: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Corliss Williamson

Who they should have took: Bob Sura (17^th pick)

Why: Part of me says take Bryant Reeves or Alan Henderson here because the Kings clearly wanted another interior player to pair with Brian Grant, but I really think with Bobby Hurley's injury, they could have bit the bullet on taking on a productive point guard here. Sura would have served good in the direction that the Kings were going in with their tempo.

Pick 14: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Eric Williams

Who they should have took: Fred Hoiberg (52^nd pick)

Why: This was such a horrible draft era for the Boston Celtics, why not take a gamble on a guy who played such a specific role in the league. Hoiberg was a spot up shooter, nothing more and nothing less. But why not take that shot? He was a guy who, in the locker room, could have brought together the rag tag group that they had and would assemble during the losing years in Boston. Paul Pierce came in and did that eventually, but it took him a while to have the level of maturity that Hoiberg did immediately.

Pick 15: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Brent Barry (traded to Clippers)

Who they should have took: Bryant Reeves (6^th pick)

Why: Big Country is another guy who never panned out, but his first four years or so are worth at least the 15^th pick. The Nuggets could have used a perimeter player but Reeves wouldn't be passable here. He was strong and built like a house. And, even if you trade this pick away as they ended up doing, you could probably have gotten a better return investment from a team that picked late that really wanted a role player center.

Redrafting the 1993 NBA Draft

The 1993 NBA Draft was a tale of two picks. Two picks that were then inexplicably swapped. The trade of Chris Webber and Anfernee (Penny) Hardaway has never made sense to me. The Magic only made the trade to do what they did, which was attempting to rob Golden State blind. If the Magic wanted Penny, they could have taken Penny. But instead, they made a trade that netted them just that and three first rounds picks. Those picks, in some loose and only-in-the-NBA way ended up being Todd Fuller (1996) and Vince Carter (1998) (both had found their way back to Golden State) and Mike Miller (2000). Of course Carter was traded way for Antwan Jamison on Draft Night, but that is another story.

The traded ended up, with other pieces from other trades between 1993 and 2000, Chris Webber for Anfernee Hardaway and Mike Miller.

Also for the noting, had the Magic just went ahead and kept those three picks, they could have had Kobe Bryant in 1996 AND Carter or Paul Pierce in 1998, all drafted at or after the picks they acquired and ended up trading (in a roundabout way) back to Golden State.

If only this was the Re-GM blog, the Orlando Magic would have entered the new millennium with Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce. Hmmm.

Pick 1: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Chris Webber (traded to Golden State)

Who they should have took: Chris Webber (and not traded him)

Why: Look, the trade was great in 1993. After they decided to use those picks not on their future but on other guys already in the league, the trade looks like crap. Webber was a physical specimen and although Hardaway helped Orlando make a title run, the imagination runs wild with the thought of Shaq and Webber combining inside. Would the Rockets have beaten them out in that title run? And how would Webber’s career have been different in Orlando? Let’s not pretend that it was all smooth sailing in Golden State. We could have saved him a trip to Washington too. Webber is probably an eventual Hall of Fame player anyway, but he would have been clear cut had he not stumbled out of the gate, something that was done in a lot of ways because of his trade to the Warriors.

Pick 2: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Shawn Bradley

Who they should have took: Jamal Mashburn (4^th pick)

Why: Look, I get it. Shawn Bradley was 7-foot-7. That is a hard fact to pass on. But he also looked like he weighed 136 pounds. Mashburn however was a force coming from Kentucky where he was the lynchpin in reestablishing that program under Rick Pitino. He was proven and he was solid; quick enough to create on the drive and strong enough to power around down low with the likes of Webber or Christian Laettner.

Pick 3: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Anfernee Hardaway (traded to Orlando)

Who they should have took: Anfernee Hardaway

Why: Hardaway had a ton of talent, not often enough used. He had a long career, even if it wasn’t as special as originally expected and also scored over 10,000 points. He was expected to be THE guy somewhere, but ended up being a quality fourth or fifth option throughout his career. At this point though, you couldn’t pass on his skill set or his athleticism, even if it didn’t pan out exactly how you wanted it to.

Pick 4: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Jamal Mashburn

Who they should have took: Vin Baker (8^th pick)

Why: There are very few examples of how you could go wrong from here. Everyone from here on out mostly turned out to be serviceable guys who would have decent career spans and would be helpful to the cause wherever they were. Baker still just had the most upside looking back at it. It gets forgotten that Baker was a four time All-Star and made appearances on the NBA 2^nd and 3^rd teams while averaging over 15 and 7 with the Bucks and Sonics (with later, less productive stops in Boston, New York, Houston and LA). Mashburn was the second of the previously (see 1992 post) 3J trio, but since I wouldn’t have picked Jim Jackson the previous year, we can go to complete imagination land and paired Baker with Robert Horry.

Pick 5: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Isaiah (JR) Rider

Who they should have took: Nick Van Exel (37^th pick)

Why: Because why not? The Wolves needed someone to compliment Laettner and (it’s easy to say in retrospect) I do not know how in the world they thought Rider was that guy. I think if they could go back, they would take anyone by Rider, who proved too selfish to be helpful. There are other guys in this draft who could go here (Sam Cassell?) and compliment what Minnesota had (basically Laettner) but if you told me I could rely on Van Exel (14.4 ppg, 6.6 apg) or Cassell (15.7 ppg, 6.0 apg), I am going with the better playmaker and the more clutch shooter and that is Van Exel.

Pick 6: Washington Bullets

Who they took: Calbert Cheaney

Who they should have took: Sam Cassell (24^th pick)

Why: To say the Rockets won the 1992 and 1993 drafts would be an understatement. Horry and Cassell helped them win their titles and both would go much higher in a redraft. Sam Cassell, who played all the way up to 2008 as part of the champion Boston Celtics, was exactly what Washington wanted with this pick. They had their big (Tom Gugliotta) and they needed a sustainable guard. At the time, Cheaney was the perfect pick. He was intelligent, he could score, he could dish. But the pace of the game and injuries made Calbert Cheaney a big bust. Cassell on the other hand would have been the right guy to fill that same role that Washington was looking for.

Pick 7: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Bobby Hurley

Who they should have took: Allan Houston (11^th pick)

Why: This was a point guard draft for the Kings and they picked the right one. But again, this isn’t about who was right but who IS right. Houston never did much for Detroit (where he was drafted) but was such a key cog for the New York Knick resurgence in the late 1990’s despite knee problems. He was key in their run to the 1999 NBA Finals despite the Knicks being an 8-seed, including a buzzer beater in Game 5 of the first round to topple big time foe and #1 seeded Miami.

Pick 8: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Vin Baker

Who they should have took: Byron Russell (45^th pick)

Why: To look at Russell’s full body of work, you might be skeptical. But if you give him a few years to develop and look at 1996-1997 to 2000-2001 and this is a clear pick. Once Russell’s game matched a NBA level, he was a started and a ferocious defender for title contender Utah Jazz teams. He came just shy of 2000 points in 1999-2000 and was probably the most valuable piece in Utah behind John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Pick 9: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Rodney Rogers

Who they should have took: Lindsey Hunter (10^th pick)

Why: Let’s say that Hunter was never more than a mediocre journeyman. Well, that is better than most. He thrived in the league when he was a Piston twice (1993-2000 and 2003-2008) and won a pair of titles. He was never going to devastate you but was consistent, playing in all 82 games in 5 of his first 9 seasons. And he could do a little of everything. In 1996-97, when he averaged a career high 14.2 ppg, he also had almost three rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals per game.

Pick 10: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Lindsey Hunter

Who they should have took: Isaiah Rider (5^th pick)

Why: Sure, Detroit got good again eventually. But they could have tried to do so sooner by just going for broke and trying to reinvent a new ‘Bad Boys.’ And Rider would have fit perfectly. But don’t get me wrong; while Isaiah (or JR depending on the week) was a headache and a head case, he was also a freak athlete and tremendous talent. Despite his run ins with the law, teammates, officials, etc. he was an All-Rookie player, a Slam Dunk champ and averaged just less than 17 points per game over 9 years. He would have been a nice Rick Mahorn player with a better scoring average.

Pick 11: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Allan Houston

Who they should have took: Bobby Hurley (7^th pick)

Why: Had Bobby Hurley worn his seatbelt, this all would have ended differently. But he didn’t and it didn’t. An accident in his rookie season in Sacramento forever changed Bobby. He played again through 1998 but he was never the same player that is still the all-time NCAA assist leader. Why take him here knowing how his career turned out? Because Bobby Hurley was a Bad Boy. He and Laettner were Duke’s Detroit Pistons. A Hurley and Rider combo would have been brash and scary, at least while it lasted. And with his court vision and prowess, you take a chance on him and hope he puts a seatbelt on while cruising the streets of Michigan.

Pick 12: Los Angeles Lakers

Who they took: George Lynch

Who they should have took: Shawn Bradley (2^nd pick)

Why: He was 7-foot-7 and the Lakers were a franchise known for post dominance. Wilt, Kareem…eventually Shaq. Why not take a chance on this massively tall man. Again, knowing how he played, Bradley probably wasn’t a first round pick. But the chances you take, even knowing…Bradley had something you wanted to see.

Pick 13: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Terry Dehere

Who they should have took: Bruce Bowen (undrafted)

Why: Bruce Bowen was one of the best pure defenders of this generation. He didn’t just ride out 3 titles in San Antonio, he helped punch their ticket with 5 All-Defensive First Team and 3 Second team honors. It’s even hard to not want to take him earlier given what he was able to do despite not being drafted at all. What keeps him this low? It did take him until 1997 to break into the league after stops all over the globe, including with the CBA’s Fort Wayne Fury. His debut season: 1 game, 1 minute and 1 block for the Miami Heat. But the defender he turned into makes him go from a guy who nobody wanted to clear lottery pick in 1993.

Pick 14: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Scott Haskin

Who they should have took: Calbert Cheaney (6^th pick)

Why: And the state of Indiana (the Hoosier fans anyway) blows up. Cheaney’s prospects were huge and he couldn’t fill the shoes or stay healthy, but he still averaged 9 ppg and 3 apg during his shortened career. And in Indiana, he probably wouldn’t have had to shoulder the load that he did in Washington. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t be better than Haskin (1 season, 27 games, 2 ppg).

Pick 15: Atlanta Hawks

Who they took: Doug Edwards

Who they should have took: George Lynch (12^th pick)

Why: Another freak defender in this draft, Lynch was mistakenly though to be a stand alone player than the 6^th man he really was. He was still strong and still reliable.