Redrafting the 1998 NBA Draft

Give me your Sam Bowie and your Greg Oden and I will laugh at your definition of bust. Meet Michael Olowokandi. He had a mediocre horror film inspired nickname (The Kandi Man), but that was about the only thing inspired about him or his career. The Clippers, the perennial draft choke artists, took a gamble. And they bust. As usual. This time, just bigger. Look at a draft with five All-Stars and with two or three Hall of Famers and they took a guy who scored a career with 12.3 points per game while shooting a near career low from the field.

The thought of that draft pick, with Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitski (both TRADED on draft night) and Paul Pierce just sitting there, it makes me cringe. It is another vibrant note of what the Clippers might have been had they drafted well. A franchise could have been stabilized with Nowitski or Pierce at the helm.

It was also a weird year for trades, with the 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 9^th picks swapped. It was like teams knew what they wanted, but really didn’t.

And then there was Orlando. While the draft helped turn around the Mavericks, Kings and Raptors and set into motion a return plan for Boston, it was Orlando who could have potentially struck gold. Instead, they turned their three top-15 picks into Michael Doleac, Keon Clark and Matt Harpring. Tragic. Just tragic. They managed to be a 3-seed in the playoffs after a lockout shortened 1998-99 season, but when Penny Hardaway’s support system as these three, there is not question why Allen Iverson took them to the wood shed in the playoff’s opening round.

Pick 1: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Michael Olowokandi

Who they should have took: Dirk Nowitski (9^th pick)

Why: This was a class it was hard to choose who should be the first pick, but Nowitski gets the nod. He was looked at as raw, but long enough to play either forward spots, or even center, once his body reached his potential. He did so quickly in Dallas (good job Milwaukee, trading him is almost like Charlotte trading Kobe). By far the best German born NBA player ever, maybe the best German basketball player ever and easily one of the best jump shooting 7-footers ever. He would have been a homerun for the Clippers instead of the debilitating strike out they went with instead.

Pick 2: Vancouver Grizzlies

Who they took: Mike Bibby

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

Why: After his ex-Kansas teammate bombed in the draft the year before, there was probably some concern about Pierce. After all, Kansas was producing quality college players who were mediocre at best pros (see ‘Blue Devils, Duke’ for more reference on that). Pierce broke that mold. At a time where one player, one identity was what Memphis yearned for, Pierce could have been that like he became for the Celtics. Especially after a move to Memphis, Pierce could have been a Grizzlies lifer, forever altering their franchise and sadly the Celtics too, just not in a good way. And while Bibby was a good pick for Vancouver, they didn’t get his best years while Pierce would have proved to be the most valuable piece in franchise history and their first Hall of Famer.

Pick 3: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Raef LaFrentz

Who they should have took: Vince Carter (5^th pick)

Why: Even though he has fattened with age, Carter still is a terrific player as seen by his highlight reel buzzer beater in this year’s playoffs. But take that away and in 1998 you still have an explosive get-to-the-basket scorer who could glide through the air with ease. The next ‘Next Jordan’ was probably the closest thing to the original because of how he soared and the awe in which people were in when the man shortly dubbed ‘Air Canada’ took flight. NBA dunk contest win with some of the best dunks ever? Check. Leaping OVER a defender for Team USA to dunk? Check. And turning around the Raptors franchise? Check. They could have used any one of those rubs in Denver, where the Nuggets were continuing a pace of downright pathetic.

Pick 4: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Antwan Jamison (traded to Warriors)

Who they should have took: Mike Bibby (2^nd pick)

Why: Bibby put up a hectic pace on the court, really picking up where he left off at Arizona and was a catalyst in the early years for the other Canadian club. Unlike most guys, especially of this era, I think that Bibby was right coming out after his sophomore year as the NBA was better development for his game than college would have been. While Carter, the eventual Raptor from this draft, was the perfect pick up, he realistically possibly wouldn’t be available here so Bibby would have been a pretty great pickup to team with Tracy McGrady in a drive and dish team.

Pick 5: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Vince Carter (traded to Raptors)

Who they should have took: Antwan Jamison (4^th pick)

Why: They got him anyway. So it was the right pick all along. He was supposed to be Carter’s equal in the ever expanding line of freak UNC athletes (see ‘Stackhouse, Jerry’) and he never panned out in that manner but was still helpful every single place he landed from 1998 through this past season. He mustered together All-Star seasons in Dallas and Washington after he built up a reputation as a dangerous scorer in Golden State where he twice scored 51 points in a game. The Warriors made the right choice here, though I would like to re-free agency for them so they could try to hold onto the career 18.5 ppg scorer into his All-Star years.

Pick 6: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Robert Traylor (traded to Milwaukee)

Who they should have took: Brad Miller (undrafted)

Why: Dallas clearly needed to go big and they made the wrong choice to do that with before trading the same night for the way right choice. But with Nowitski off the board and Robert Traylor being a laughable choice today, Miller would have a perfect fit. The reality is, he wasn’t going to turn around the franchise like Nowitski did, but he was a guy who steadily improved each and every year, culminating with back-to-back All-Star appearances (yes, as an undrafted player) for two different teams. He only averaged 6.3 ppg and 3.1 rpg as a rookie (though still an undrafted one) in Charlotte, but never put up lower numbers except for in his final season once his body was pretty well done over his career low 15 games in 2011-2012.

Pick 7: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Jason Williams

Who they should have took: Rashard Lewis (32^nd pick)

Why: In a draft with a lot of talent, it’s hard to drop down the draft for back-to-back picks but Lewis earned his spot higher in the draft with how quickly he exploded. He wasn’t ready to come straight out of high school in 1998, but unlike most that are not ready early, he quickly figured it out, going from scoring 2.4 ppg and putting down 1.3 rpg as a rookie to 14.8 and 6.9 numbers in his third year. All-Star appearances and 22.4 ppg in his final year in Seattle netted him a big paycheck from Orlando and while he was never as valuable again, he still is a critical role player in the league. Considering is longevity wanting to stay in Seattle, he probably would have long hauled it in Sacramento to and became a great additional inside threat with Vlade Divac and Chris Webber as they were starting their big run.

Pick 8: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Larry Hughes

Who they should have took: Ricky Davis (21^st pick)

Why: Ricky Davis and Allen Iverson would have either been the biggest clash of teammates in NBA history or been nasty together. Like late-80’s Detroit kind of nasty. The pick of the best player right here would be Jason Williams, but with a flashy, tough as nails point guard (Iverson) already in the fold, it wouldn’t make much sense. Davis ultimately proved too selfish for the league, but showed signs of actual brilliance before LeBron James stole his thunder in Cleveland. The year before James entered the league, Davis scored 20.6 ppg to lead the Cavaliers. And while all he led them to was the first pick in the draft, he showed he could play. Sadly, he now knew he could score in bunches, so giving up his touches to LeBron was not in his personal game plan. He never played the same again. However, if he could have found that rhythm without being “the guy,” like in Philly, he may have never lost his scoring swagger.

Pick 9: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Dirk Nowitski (traded to Dallas)

Who they should have took: Jason Williams (7^th pick)

Why: The Milwaukee Bucks don’t even want to think about this draft. Not even a little bit, not even at all. This was Charlotte Hornets bad. They actually drafted Nowitski (who admittedly, isn’t Kobe) and traded him for ROBERT “TRACTOR” TRAYLOR (who still isn’t Vlade Divac good). Never pick a guy named after a semi. Always pick a guy who is nicknamed White Chocolate. Williams helped turn around the Kings, though he had more help. Milwaukee needed some flare and he had that by the buckets full.

Pick 10: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Paul Pierce

Who they should have took: Al Harrington (25^th pick)

Why: The Celtics are like the Mavericks. Thank god there really is no such thing as going back in time and re-drafting. With the exception of Larry Bird, no pick in the history of their franchise has been as important as this one was for Boston (could that change this year?). And Al Harrington would have been downright disappointing in comparison, but not all together disappointing. Like a lot of the later drafted high school kids, his adjustment time was too long (in comparison to Pierce), but he still developed into a dynamic player for a while. He was long and physical and the Celtics were just throwing up draft picks at this point. Harrington wouldn’t stick like Pierce did, but he still would have provided a solid option for an ailing team. The downside? Without Pierce, no matter who this pick was, they may still be ailing (as opposed to ailing again).

Pick 11: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Bonzi Wells

Who they should have took: Cuttino Mobley (41^st pick)

Why: Mobley is one of those guys that you know his name, but you don’t give him much second thought unless you are a Cuttino Mobley or Rhode Island fan. Detroit was seeing an end to the somewhat disappointing (and injury filled) Grant Hill era and was trying to make things click with a bevy of veterans to add some spice to whatever Grant could provide that particular year. Adding Mobley may have not paid initial dividends, but had he stayed in Detroit as long as he did in Houston (where he was drafted and still averaged almost 10 ppg as a rookie), then he would have been highly valuable in the thick of the Pistons’ championship run. He put up a career best 21.7 ppg and 1.5 spg in 2002 and then still put up 15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.3 spg in the Pistons championship season, which would have made them even more unbeatable as another option.

Pick 12: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Michael Doleac

Who they should have took: Larry Hughes (8^th pick)

Why: Orlando needed a lot and although the pickings are slimmer at this point, they sure aren’t Doleac-Clark-Harpring slim. Hughes was a hot shot freshman coming from Saint Louis, with a game very reminiscent of Penny Hardaway himself. It would have been like a younger, still a little raw version of Penny working side by side with him in Orlando, which could have been pretty fun to watch.

Pick 13: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Keon Clark

Who they should have took: Bonzi Wells (11^th pick)

Why: Not a lot of career Muncie, Indiana guys finding success in the NBA, but Wells surely did. He would have played a lot as a rookie in Orlando (not sure why he didn’t in Portland, where he was traded to before he ever played a game) and therefore jumped up his scoring average quicker than he was allowed to do in 7 games as a rookie. In between his first and last years in Portland, he never played less than 66 games, never shot worse than 44 percent from the field and like Mobley was consistent in chipping in scoring, defense and rebounding.

Pick 14: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Michael Dickerson

Who they should have took: Raef Lafrentz (3^rd pick)

Why: He wasn’t really a bust per say, but Lafrentz also wasn’t third pick material (Denver may have passed on Pierce, Nowitski, Carter, Jamison, Williams, etc.). Houston would have been a place for him to develop inside without pressure where Denver expected him to just take over after his success with Pierce at Kansas. And while he finished his college career only behind Kansas legend Danny Manning in scoring and rebounding, he sure wasn’t Danny Manning in the pros. With Clyde Drexler’s retirement and before the Yao Ming era began, Lafrentz could have helped make the Houston interior solid as he never averaged under 12 points or 7 rebounds in his first four seasons, all in Denver.

Pick 15: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Matt Harpring

Who they should have took: Sarunas Jasikevicius (undrafted)

Why: First of all, Orlando needed everything. Second of all, Jasikevicius was before his time. Before the basketball world required gun slinger point guards, Jasikevicius was doing it. His style never really fit at Maryland as a Lithuanian import and thus pro teams didn’t latch on to him. By the time an NBA team did (the Indiana Pacers in 2005), it was too late. And although he was still efficient, he had lost a step and couldn’t keep up with the new age, young gun slinger guards in the league. But had someone taken a chance on him at all in 1998, he himself could have been someone that revolutionized the league from a flashy point guard perspective, much how Jason Williams, of the same draft class, helped do. His leadership and ability have made him one of the best Lithuanian born players ever and a shot in Orlando would have been a perfect setting for him to get the chance before it was too late.

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 1994 NBA Draft

1994 proved to be an interesting draft. At the top were Hall of Famers but by mid-lottery, it was bust after bust after bust. Some of the better NBA hanger ons in this class came late in the first round and even in the second round. Players were starting to leave early and next top crop of kids were going into college. It was kind of an in between year that produced a unique sampling of career results and a rarity: co-rookies of the year. And neither was the top pick, at least in 1994.

Pick 1: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Glenn Robinson

Who they should have took: Jason Kidd (2^nd pick)

Why: Well just on the surface, let’s talk about his 10 All-Star appearances. How about being the co-Rookie of the Year that first season? Kidd was one of only four guys in this draft to make an All-Star team and an All-NBA team. The Bucks’ actual top pick, Robinson, wasn’t one of those four. Kidd spent his career as a top point guard from start to finish, no matter where he landed. He was the assist leader in the league five times, made six All-NBA teams, 9 All-NBA defensive teams and a couple of Sportsmanship awards all while racking up 17,000 career points and 12,000 career assists. Was Kidd the most complete player in this draft at the time? No. If it weren’t for injuries to others, would he be at the top of this list? No. But that isn’t how this works and the Bucks would have thrived much better with Kidd at the helm for a few years than what they got out of the ‘Big Dog.’

Pick 2: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Jason Kidd

Who they should have took: Grant Hill (3^rd pick)

Why: The next ‘next Jordan,’ Hill didn’t “pan out” as projected. But, expectations were too lofty and his Achilles didn’t like him. However, that didn’t stop Hill from being a more than serviceable athlete during his long NBA tenure. And a Mavericks team that could have combined Jamal Mashburn and Hill would have been pretty powerful and had a nice place to build from offensively with Hill and actual pick Kidd scoring at about the same clip for their careers.

Pick 3: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Grant Hill

Who they should have took: Juwan Howard (5^th pick)

Why: The third of the guys who would go on to be All-Stars and All-NBA performers. Howard was quietly consistent always, from his time at Michigan through his retirement at the end of the 2012-2013 season.  Howard’s strengths at the time of the 1994 Draft were evident. He could play with his back to the basket and was a strong interior defender. The question marks? How does he play on his own? He was probably the least brash of the Fab Five, so what did Howard’s personality due when alone? He showed that early and was diverse in his approach perhaps as the most overall NBA ready player in this draft, as evidenced by his long tenure in the league. In a world without Grant Hill, Detroit would have served well building around Howard.

Pick 4: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Donyell Marshall

Who they should have took: Glenn Robinson (1^st pick)

Why: For all I criticized Robinson for going first, he was a solid NBA role player and at times peak performer. Minnesota wanted a bruising small forward and with Robinson and Hill off the board, they took the best option. But looking back, Robinson would have been available and the right choice to team with Laettner on what may have been the worst franchise in the league.

Pick 5: Washington Bullets

Who they took: Juwan Howard

Who they should have took: Jalen Rose (13^th pick)

Why: Washington wanted to see if they could get some of that Wolverine brashness, which is why they took on Howard and later Chris Webber via a trade. They would have gotten that by the buckets picking Rose. In Washington, Rose would have thrived better with an immediate opportunity to run the show unlike the floundering in Denver like he did before his trade two years into the league. And if being the captain didn’t work out with the Bullets, he showed (especially during his tenure in Indiana) that he could be a good deck hand while making a run at a title.

Pick 6: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Sharone Wright

Who they should have took: Eddie Jones (10^th pick)

Why: At this point, Philadelphia was pretty quietly establishing busts. Shawn Bradley was Shawn Bradley and Clarence Weatherspoon was a decent filler guy, but Philly needed a playmaker here. Sharone Wright was never that guy, floundered and was out of the league by 1998. And while there were still guys like Rose on the board then, he wouldn’t be now so you take the best player maker in Eddie Jones who had a solid career as a started, culminating in 2000 when he was in his 3^rd All-Star game, made the All-NBA 3^rd Team and was on the All-NBA Defensive 2^nd Team.

Pick 7: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Lamond Murray

Who they should have took: Donyell Marshall (4^th pick)

Why: So it wasn’t a great year after the top four or five picks, but Marshall would have still been a strong fit in LA where they were throwing it all at the wall to see what stuck. It was a small forward heavy draft with a lot of unknowns in how guys could adjust to the NBA. Marshall was about the last of the ones who could adjust on a competitive level and would have been the best option.

Pick 8: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Brian Grant

Who they should have took: Wesley Person (23^rd pick)

Why: A lot of the longer tenured guys in the draft were picked later and Person was one. He was a fringe lottery pick, but was thin and wasn’t strong around the basket or in creating his own shot. In Sacramento, with Bobby Hurley sidelining himself, they needed another ball handler and shooter and used Person more in this way than as the small forward that most teams tried to use him as throughout his career.

Pick 9: Boston Celtics

Who they took: Eric Montross

Who they should have took: Charlie Ward (26^th pick)

Why: Take the Heisman winner, he is an athlete. Ward had a productive stay in New York and his gritty style was the basis when he moved to the Spurs of how they play in San Antonio now. The Celtics needed an identity and you can’t blame them for taking Montross, well regarded as a Bill Laimbeer/Kevin McHale guy who slipped to them at nine. But knowing now that he was more the Eric Piatkowski kind of guy, you take a chance on the tough as nails point guard.

Pick 10: Los Angeles Lakers

Who they took: Eddie Jones

Who they should have took: Brian Grant (8^th pick)

Why: The draft wasn’t deep and Grant was going to be a bruiser. The Lakers, like the Celtics needed an identity to get back to their winning ways and Grant really was the best choice to at least establish some fear from the opponents. Luckily for the Lakers, they didn’t have to draft in retrospect and got a lot more out of Eddie Jones than teams drafting higher got out of their prospects.

Pick 11: Seattle Sonics

Who they took: Carlos Rogers

Who they should have took: Monty Williams (24^th pick)

Why: Seattle wasn’t struggling in 1994 and all they needed was a role guy. Instead, they brought in a guy they didn’t need and immediately traded him for no value. The value they could have gotten from Williams, a true leader and coach (even then) would have been better bang for the buck at 11. He could have played behind Detlef Schrempf and beside Kendall Gill to give this pretty deep Seattle team more depth.

Pick 12: Miami Heat

Who they took: Khalid Reeves

Who they should have took: Carlos Rogers (11^th pick)

Why: Rogers was strong for a couple of years. That is all anyone was getting out of him, but the Heat needed a guy who could come in and get the job done. He had no longevity but I don’t know that the Heat needed that in 1994, just something.

Pick 13: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Jalen Rose

Who they should have took: Lamond Murray (7^th)

Why: I mean, take the best available player. This draft kind of sucked.

Pick 14: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Yinka Dare

Who they should have took: Lawrence Funderburke (51^st pick)

Why: Considering eight guys were picked before him that never played in the league and most picked before him weren’t as efficient, why not. Can’t be any worse than Yinka Dare, right? Dare was out of the league about the same time Funderburke found a footing and made his way into the league. When he did, he was a vital backup for Chris Webber in Sacramento during the Kings’ years almost capturing a Western Conference title. Even if he didn’t come to New Jersey until 1997, it would have been helpful during a seven year stretch that the Nets were pushing toward contendership, much like the Kings.

Pick 15: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Eric Piatkowski

Who they should have took: Voshon Lenard (46^th pick)

Why: How Piatkowski spent 14 years in the league is the biggest mismanagement of funds since Enron. Lenard was an ace shooter when on his game and found a footing in Miami eventually where he was part of the team that took them out of the cellar at the end of the 1990s.

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.

Redrafting the 1992 NBA Draft

1992 is such pertinent place to start because, like in 2014, the class was headlined by three guys who you could, conceivably do no wrong in drafting. Those three (Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Christian Laettner) were the talk of all of the draft. The field behind them was just OK in comparison, so most eyes were solely on those three, which is where it differs from this year.

O’Neal and Mourning were, as was then and is still often a draft trend, the biggest two. Although Laettner had the best college career and was fresh off being part of the original Dream Team, the allure of quality centers has always made for some of the drafts biggest decisions, steals and blunders. And Shaq and Zo were certainly thought to be far from the highlight reel of busts. And while Laettner had a pretty sweet resume, how his game would transfer to the NBA was a mystery. He did pretty much just OK as part of a Team USA squad that didn’t need him and his frame and position in the NBA were still kind of unknowns.

Pick 1: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Shaquille O’Neal

Who they should have took: Shaquille O’Neal

Why: Shaq will go down as one of the best big men to ever play in the league. When Orlando took him, they didn’t even have an idea how dominant he would be. As he got bigger and better, he became even more of a threat that his early, rip tearing down days. He also helped lead Orlando to a Finals appearance. They would love one of those right about now. In retrospect, they would try harder to keep him away from LA, but Shaq looms today as far more the better choice even than he was then.

Pick 2: Charlotte Hornets

Who they took: Alonzo Mourning

Who they should have took: Alonzo Mourning

Why: A fringe Hall of Fame talent, Mourning was absolutely a top post player of this era. His size and footwork was stellar, and like any good big man, he wasn’t afraid to play the physical role (see his tenure with the Miami Heat vs. the Knicks). Again, Charlotte would have liked to hold onto him longer, but with Shaq off the board, this remains the right pick.

Pick 3: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Christian Laettner

Who they should have took: Christian Laettner

Why: There are people who did go after Laettner who had more productive (in ways) careers. While I wouldn’t label Laettner a bust by any stretch, pro Laettner was no college Laettner. He made one All-Star appearance (as a Hawk) and had an above average career. But even knowing all of what we know now, there is no way the Wolves could have or should have passed on such a talent here. He answered the questions about his size and position by putting on weight and becoming a power forward, though he probably would have benefited from not as much weight and playing as a stretch three.

Pick 4: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Jimmy Jackson

Who they should have took: Robert Horry (11^th pick)

Why: While Jackson was the first part in the Mavericks’ eventual ‘3J’ plan with Jamal Mashburn and Jason Kidd, there is no way to logically pass on ‘Big Shot Rob’ (who more than earned that moniker) here. Horry was a critical part of many championships in Houston and with the Lakers. Imagine if he could have helped do the same thing in Dallas and made them a contender earlier than they were, bringing titles earlier than their 2011 crown.

Pick 5: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: LaPhonso Ellis

Who they should have took: Jim Jackson (4^th pick)

Why: A win-win here for the Nuggets in keeping Ellis versus taking Jackson, but the heart of me feels that a more up-tempo look from Jackson would have benefited the Nuggets.

Pick 6: Washington Bullets

Who they took: Tom Gugliotta

Who they should have took: LaPhonso Ellis (5^th pick)

Why: Knowing the injury woes that were on the way, Washington needed another playmaker and Horry’s jump would allow them to pass on big man Gugliotta here. Ellis would have helped a lot when Rex Chapman and Calbert Cheany slowed with injuries in the next couple of years.

Pick 7: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Walt Williams

Who they should have took: Latrell Sprewell (24^th pick)

Why: I’m not sure. At this point, the Kings were a total joke and not much was going to help. Sprewell was one of five future All-Stars from this class and did a lot of good on the court in averaging over 18 points per game in his career. His downside was clearly (mostly) off the court. The on the court issue? Would he have still choked his coach in Sacramento? Who knows.

Pick 8: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Todd Day

Who they should have took: Tom Gugliotta (6^th pick)

Why: Gugliotta was a quality big who you were going to get minutes and hard work from. He scored over 9,000 career points and had over 5,000 rebounds. Not a world breaker, but still sustainable numbers. And maybe the Bucks could have kept him for the two years he eventually averaged over 20 points per game in Minnesota. Day on the other hand spent more time out of the league than in it.

Pick 9: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Clarence Weatherspoon

Who they should have took: Clarence Weatherspoon

Why: In a draft of journeymen, Weatherspoon would be a critical off the bench element. There was no 76ers of this era without him. The right pick then remains the best choice for Philly.

Pick 10: Atlanta Hawks

Who they took: Adam Keefe

Who they should have took: Doug Christie (17^th pick)

Why: After early struggles/mediocrity, Christie had a tremendous career during the years 1996-2005 in Toronto and Sacramento. He became the Raptors all-time steals leader and was one of the lynch pins in the Chris Webber led Kings teams that gave the Lakers a run in the West year after year. Keefe’s nine year NBA tenure barely left him with better numbers than his four years at Stanford.

Pick 11: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Robert Horry

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

Why: If there was a Denver Nuggets Hall of Fame, Stith would probably be the face of the 1990’s wing. He was a constant in a town without much promise. Not to say that he had a great career, but Stith was loyal and showed flashes of the ability that made him tough at the University of Virginia. He was solid, nothing more and nothing less. And while he wouldn’t have been as valuable as Horry ended up being, I still think he would have been valuable enough that the Rockets still would have won back-to-back titles with him instead.

Pick 12: Miami Heat

Who they took: Harold Miner

Who they should have took: Malik Sealy (14^th pick)

Why: Malik Sealy’s career and life ended too early and tragically in 2000. His presence on the court was intimidating, especially in years with the Clippers and T-Wolves. His face, his frame…Malik had athletic ability for days, even if it didn’t always translate. He finished his career just shy of 5,000 points (still a 10.1 ppg average) and could have been valuable to the slow years in Miami before Alonzo Mourning made his way to South Beach.

Pick 13: Denver Nuggets

Who they took: Bryant Stith

Who they should have took: Anthony Peeler (15^th pick)

Why: Peeler was a sharpshooter who rarely found his accuracy. In 2003-2004 he was on to the tune of 48.2 percent from long range. Drafting him was taking a chance that he would be on more often than not. Sadly, the Lakers found out he rarely was. Still he averaged almost 10 ppg and became the first Laker rookie to average double digit scoring in nine years and also cleaned up his off court issues.

Pick 14: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Malik Sealy

Who they should have took: Walt Williams (7^th pick)

Why: Williams was a NBA dud. His career at Maryland was more than just strong, but he never found a beat in the league. Still, at this spot, taking a chance on the 6-8 post was not going to hurt the Pacers. He was an All-Rookie second team selection and put up over 1,000 points in that first year, which would have been a boost for the Pacers off the bench.

Pick 15: Los Angeles Lakers

Who they took: Anthony Peeler

Who they should have took: Harold Miner (12^th pick)

Why: Part of me says that this pick should have gone to either Hubert Davis, Jon Barry or Tracy Murray, but I think even knowing what we know, that you have to take the chance on “Baby Jordan.” The toughest thing for Miner in that moniker (which has been often called the beginning of his downfall) is that he was really the first person to have to carry the weight of being the “next Michael Jordan.” That tag holds no weight anymore. Everyone seems to be the next someone. And there have been plenty of other “next Jordans” like Grant Hill and Allen Iverson, but it didn’t sting anyone like it stung the first. And perhaps he would have gotten more playing time and better work in LA than he did in Miami, extending his (what would be) short career beyond just a sideshow dunker.