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
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Redrafting the 2013 NBA Draft
Pick 1: Cleveland Cavaliers
Who they took: Anthony Bennett
Who they should have took: Michael Carter-Williams (11th pick)
Pick 2: Orlando Magic
Who they took: Victor Oladipo
Who they should have took: Victor Oladipo
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Who they took: Otto Porter
Who they should have took: Tim Hardaway Jr. (24th pick)
Pick 4: Charlotte Bobcats
Who they took: Cody Zeller
Who they should have took: Trey Burke (9th pick)
Pick 5: Phoenix Suns
Who they took: Alex Len
Who they should have took: Mason Plumlee (22nd pick)
Pick 6: New Orleans Pelicans
Who they took: Nerlens Noel (traded to 76ers)
Who they should have took: Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th pick and keep the pick)
Pick 7: Sacramento Kings
Who they took: Ben McLemore
Who they should have took: Ben McLemore
Pick 8: Detroit Pistons
Who they took: Kentavius Caldwell-Pope
Who they should have took: Cody Zeller (4th pick)
Pick 9: Minnesota Timberwolves
Who they took: Trey Burke (traded to Jazz)
Who they should have took: Kelly Olynyk (13th pick and keep the pick)
Pick 10: Portland Trail Blazers
Who they took: CJ McCollum
Who they should have took: Steven Adams (12th pick)
Pick 11: Philadelphia 76ers
Who they took: Michael Carter-Williams
Who they should have took: Nerlens Noel (6th pick)
Pick 12: Oklahoma City Thunder
Who they took: Steven Adams
Who they should have took: CJ McCollum (10th pick)
Pick 13: Dallas Mavericks
Who they took: Kelly Olynyk (traded to Celtics)
Who they should have took: Ryan Kelly (48th pick and trade the pick)
Pick 14: Utah Jazz
Who they took: Shabazz Muhammed (traded to T-Wolves)
Who they should have took: Gorgui Dieng (21st pick and trade the pick)
Pick 15: Milwaukee Bucks
Who they took: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Who they should have took: Dennis Schroder (17th pick)
Redrafting the 2012 NBA Draft
The final two redraft blogs will be quick picks. Because I'm running out time? Kind of. But more than anything because we all know these guys well and these last two especially are based more on opinion than numbers. It is hard to quantify a "WHY" field for each of these picks. So enjoy as we redraft the Kentucky exile of 2012, a draft loaded with guys who already look like they could be superstars of tomorrow.
Pick 1: New Orleans Hornets
Pick 1: New Orleans Hornets
Who they took: Anthony Davis
Who they should have took: Damian Lillard (4th pick)
Pick 2: Charlotte Bobcats
Who they took: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Who they should have took: Anthony Davis (1st pick)
Pick 3: Washington Wizards
Who they took: Bradley Beal
Who they should have took: Bradley Beal
Pick 4: Cleveland Cavaliers
Who they took: Dion Waiters
Who they should have took: Harrison Barnes (7th pick)
Pick 5: Sacramento Kings
Who they took: Thomas Robinson
Who they should have took: Dion Waiters (4th pick)
Pick 6: Portland Trail Blazers
Who they took: Damian Lillard
Who they should have took: Andre Drummond (9th pick)
Pick 7: Golden State Warriors
Who they took: Harrison Barnes
Who they should have took: Jared Sullinger (21st pick)
Pick 8: Toronto Raptors
Who they took: Terrance Ross
Who they should have took: John Henson (14th pick)
Pick 9: Detroit Pistons
Who they took: Andre Drummond
Who they should have took: Kendall Marshall (13th pick)
Pick 10: New Orleans Hornets
Who they took: Austin Rivers
Who they should have took: Terrance Ross (8th pick)
Pick 11: Portland Trail Blazers
Who they took: Meyers Leonard
Who they should have took: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2nd pick)
Pick 12: Houston Rockets
Who they took: Jeremy Lamb
Who they should have took: Miles Plumlee (26th pick)
Pick 13: Phoenix Suns
Who they took: Kendall Marshall
Who they should have took: Jeremy Lamb (12th pick)
Pick 14: Milwaukee Bucks
Who they took: John Henson
Who they should have took: Tyler Zeller (17th pick)
Pick 15: Philadelphia 76ers
Who they took: Mo Harkless
Who they should have took: Mo Harkless
Redrafting the 2011 NBA Draft
The Cavaliers had the chance to make out like bandits, and although they didn't end up maximizing having the first and fourth picks, they still did alright with a blockbuster first pick and a reliable role player at four. They snuck into the top pick in a trade for Baron Davis. Needless to say, they won that trade.
Their top pick, Kyrie Irving, was a whole other tale when it came to the one-and-done trend. He, due to injury, barely played any games while attending Duke University. It was a dice role, however calculated for the now LeBron-less Cavs.
A lot of these picks are based far more on expectation and what we know about their NBA talent so far than on stats, where as previous drafts I looked at more objectively when it comes to stats. While they do play some role here, it is just as important to take into consideration what they could and can do based on what we know so far about their professional career.
Pick 1: Cleveland Cavaliers
Their top pick, Kyrie Irving, was a whole other tale when it came to the one-and-done trend. He, due to injury, barely played any games while attending Duke University. It was a dice role, however calculated for the now LeBron-less Cavs.
A lot of these picks are based far more on expectation and what we know about their NBA talent so far than on stats, where as previous drafts I looked at more objectively when it comes to stats. While they do play some role here, it is just as important to take into consideration what they could and can do based on what we know so far about their professional career.
Pick 1: Cleveland Cavaliers
Who they took: Kyrie Irving
Who they should have took: Kyrie Irving
Why: Irving today stands as still the most clearly explosive player in this draft and has proven any doubters wrong since he was all but straight out of high school due to injuries at Duke. He's been an All-Star already and as Cleveland continues to add prospects around him, including the top pick in this year's draft, he may be the guy to lead Cleveland back to title contention in the coming years and he is more than capable of handling that weight on his back if he says healthy.
Pick 2: Minnesota Timberwolves
Who they took: Derrick Williams
Who they should have took: Kawhi Leonard (15th pick)
Why: A NBA title and Finals MVP to cap off the 2014 season more than justifies Leonard's jump here. He can get to the basket, score in traffic, shoot the ball well and rebound with ferocity. I bet Indiana is really wishing they hadn't given him up in 2011 essentially for George Hill.
Pick 3: Utah Jazz
Who they took: Enes Kanter
Who they should have took: Kemba Walker (9th pick)
Why: Questions surrounded Walker a lot in 2011 like they surround fellow ex-UCONNer Shabazz Napier in this year's draft. Is he a NBA player? Walker has more than answered that by becoming the go-to guy on a Bobcats team that went to the playoffs (yes, the Bobcats actually made they playoffs). He will continue to be the face of the organization as they flip back to the Hornets, a face that Utah sure wishes they had these days as they hang out in limbo.
Pick 4: Cleveland Cavaliers
Who they took: Tristan Thompson
Who they should have took: Isaiah Thomas (60th pick)
Why: 59 picks before Thomas went. Was he undersized? Not in what we've seen. And I know what you are thinking, I recently blasted the Timberwolves for taking two point guards in the first five picks of a draft, but this is a little different. Why? Partially because Kyrie can have questionable health and Thomas is coming off a 20.3 ppg, 6.3 apg season that probably landed him the honor of the best last pick in draft history. The other reason, if Kyrie stays healthy, then Thomas is one hell of a trade piece.
Pick 5: Toronto Raptors
Who they took: Jonas Valanciunas
Who they should have took: Kenneth Faried (22nd pick)
Why: Faried is a beast who will be the catalyst in any run that Denver can make in coming years. While Jonas is developing in Toronto, one of the things they haven't been able to do is match up inside. Faried would have been a great pick here and is bordering on being a double-double player 12.1 ppg and 8.6 rpg for his career.
Pick 6: Washington Wizards
Who they took: Jan Vesely
Who they should have took: Klay Thompson (11th pick)
Why: Thompson has proven his worth by becoming virtually untouchable this off season. After an 18.4 ppg year, Thompson's potential involvement seems like it has all but vetoed a trade that would bring Kevin Love to Golden State. Yes, the Warriors may be passing on KEVIN LOVE because they don't want to lose Thompson. That is high praise. He would be an excellent piece next to John Wall and far better of an asset than the essentially useless Vesely.
Pick 7: Sacramento Kings
Who they took: Bismack Biyombo (traded to Bobcats)
Why: Parsons is one of the best trade pieces possible for this summer. He is averaging 14.1 ppg for his career and has shown he is more than just a one dimensional shooter in the professional game.
Pick 8: Detroit Pistons
Who they took: Brandon Knight
Who they should have took: Nikola Vucevic (16th pick)
Why: It seemed like a questionable pick at the time, but Vucevic has hit a high mark for his young career but becoming a double-double machine (14.2 ppg, 11 rpg) this last season and believe it or not, is probably the best piece to build around in Orlando.
Pick 9: Charlotte Bobcats
Who they took: Kemba Walker
Who they should have took: Brandon Knight (8th pick)
Why: Knight's drop is more of a testament to how well lower picks have performed so far. He can score in bunches and has shown that he can perform well when he has higher expectations. With not adding Kemba in the redraft, Knight would be a more than adequate replacement to help the Bobcats to Playoff land.
Pick 10: Milwaukee Bucks
Who they took: Jimmer Fredette (traded to Kings)
Who they should have took: Jonas Valanciunas (5th pick and keep the pick)
Why: In the coming years, Jonas may be higher than this, but he has had a slower progression and didn't play in the league the year after his drafting. He is already a 10 and 7 guy, but has shown a progressive toughness inside, which is something that Milwaukee could use. Jonas would be a great piece right next to Larry Sanders.
Pick 11: Golden State Warriors
Who they took: Klay Thompson
Who they should have took: Tristan Thompson (4th pick)
Why: Thompson wasn't quite the 4th pick, but he has been solid as a role player in Cleveland. His role could be even bigger in Golden State where his career 10.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg numbers would easily inflate with Steph Curry drawing defenders away from the posts.
Pick 12: Utah Jazz
Who they took: Alec Burks
Who they should have took: Jimmy Butler (30th pick)
Why: Butler could very well be the NBA's 6th Man next year in Chicago. He was a major diamond in the rough, often overlooked and has slowly improved his game. He is a great defender and would be one of the very best players on Utah's roster today.
Pick 13: Phoenix Suns
Who they took: Markieff Morris
Who they should have took: Reggie Jackson (24th pick)
Why: Oklahoma City snagged a good pick late in Jackson, who would thrive from the move and score quick environment in Phoenix.
Pick 14: Houston Rockets
Who they took: Marcus Morris
Who they should have took: Norris Cole (28th pick)
Why: Cole is a good point guard, who could be great. He has benefited from playing with great players in Miami and his real value will be tested in the coming years IF the big three leave and he has to become a big scorer and not just big helper. Never the less, he is a strong point guard who can distribute as good as almost anyone.
Pick 15: Indiana Pacers
Who they took: Kawhi Leonard (traded to Spurs)
Who they should have took: Iman Shumpert (17th pick and trade the pick)
Why: Iman's production has dropped off since his surprising rookie year, but I am calling that more environmental than anything. In Indiana, he would be a good guy to take the ball out of Lance Stephenson's hands some (when needed) and would be a terrific role player. Unfortunately, in New York and based on his rookie year, his expectations were too high too quick.
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
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 2009 NBA Draft
The draft where David Kahn went crazy. We can look at the super freak athlete that Blake Griffin is or the monumental flop pick of Hasheem Thabeet. We can be in awe of Stephen Curry's shooting or James Harden's beard. But for me, 2009 will always be about the draft where Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn actually drafted four point guards in the first round including two with back-to-back picks at #5 and #6.
The decisions that Kahn made (or didn't make) in 2009 still haunt Minnesota today and are part of a string of events that would be the catalyst for the clearly pending Kevin Love exit which will mirror Kevin Garnett's 2007 exit and lead to the once-again downfall of the organization.
As no matter how good this class was and is today, I will always look at 2009 as the year that the Minnesota Timberwolves' prospect laden rise started to decline...again.
Pick 1: Los Angeles Clippers
Who they took: Blake Griffin
Who they should have took: Blake Griffin
Why: As smaller as the answers to this question get the more recent we get we these drafts, this is one I really feel like I should leave blank. It may be the biggest no brainer in the modern era of the NBA draft because I feel I have no reason to have to justify this. But in case I do, 18 points and 8.3 rebounds. Those are the lowest single season marks for Griffin in his short, yet successful NBA career. Lows.
Pick 2: Memphis Grizzlies
Who they took: Hasheem Thabeet
Who they should have took: James Harden (3rd pick)
Why: Harden is what we thought he was. Unfortunately, Oklahoma City had too may other (two to be exact) stars to notice. He is not a sixth man, he is a prolific scoring first option that you build an entire organization around. Would Memphis be able to see that, already loaded down with Rudy Gay and Mike Conley? Maybe not, but you still don't pass on a guy like Harden here who people follow like his game is the gospel.
Pick 3: Oklahoma City Thunder
Who they took: James Harden
Who they should have took: Stephen Curry (7th pick)
Why: People kind of cringed as Curry dropped down the draft board. But none of those people seemed to be executives with early picks. While Harden was built, in the eyes of OKC, as too much like Russell Westbrook to play alongside him all of the time, Curry was basically built for a role as a 2-guard in OKC. Imagine the defense worrying about how Kevin Durant will abuse them in the post, forcing them to halfway double him always, then collapse on a driving Westbrook, only for him to kick it out to WIDE open Steph Curry. Ouch.
Pick 4: Sacramento Kings
Who they took: Tyreke Evans
Who they should have took: Ricky Rubio (5th pick)
Why: In the downfall they were in at that point that they could have afforded to wait a couple years for a player of Rubio's ability. He is absolutely a guy you could build around and would be great in a modern Sacramento where he, Demarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore could all work off of each other.
Pick 5: Minnesota Timberwolves
Who they took: Ricky Rubio
Who they should have took: DeMar DeRozan (9th pick)
Why: DeRozan can fly. In my opinion, if you can nail down a good point, a true wing and solid big man, you can fill in those last two spots around them. Knowing that you can still get a point guard with the next pick (so I guess these two are interchangeable), you need to take that wing as you already have Kevin Love inside. DeRozan is the most long term scoring option at this point and has a natural athletic ability (I say that a lot, don't I?). His scoring prowess has steadily rose to over 22 ppg and is currently a go-to guy for the surging Raptors. In Minnesota, he would have taken a lot of heat off Love and vice-versa.
Pick 6: Minnesota Timberwolves
Who they took: Jonny Flynn
Who they should have took: Ty Lawson (18th pick)
Why: They actually picked him anyway at 18 before trading him away (might have had something to do with the other two point guards they had already drafted that night). Lawson has become easily the second best point guard from this draft by being able to adapt from being a score first guard to a pass first guard on any given night depending on what is need of him. Proof in the pudding? Last season, he put up career best 17.6 ppg and 8.8 apg numbers.
Pick 7: Golden State Warriors
Who they took: Stephen Curry
Who they should have took: Brandon Jennings (10th pick)
Why: The question on Jennings was how does one adapt from the high school game to the European game and back to the pro game. Even scarier, he averaged only 5.5 ppg in Europe and proved why the two games were so different. Good news? He's never averaged lower than 15.5 ppg in the NBA. He wouldn't have been the same player Curry was, but he would still have helped a Golden State revival. This is one of those ones where I don't trade him on draft night, but I still pick him with every intention of trading him down the line, be it a year or two away.
Pick 8: New York Knicks
Who they took: Jordan Hill
Who they should have took: Taj Gibson (26th pick)
Why: Gibson was one of those guys who you thought you wanted, but maybe thought was too raw, but he was so strong...probably close to every team in this draft had a love/hate relationship with the idea of drafting Taj Gibson. The Knicks really could have used him here, because he has been the defensive power that they wanted from Hill, who never lived up to anywhere close to his hype. Gibson will never been a big scoring or rebounding guy, but he does enough to be a game changer on defense and that is what New York desperately needed when they took Hill. That and a prime time scorer that they missed out on by ONE SPOT when Golden State took Steph Curry.
Pick 9: Toronto Raptors
Who they took: DeMar DeRozan
Who they should have took: Tyreke Evans (4th pick)
Why: Evans is a prolific ball handler and assuming the Raptors still built up the same way they have, they could have used someone with his court sense. His drop is attributed to the fact that he isn't a prime time scorer in the league as expected, but his quickness, court vision and ball handling are all still major assets.
Pick 10: Milwaukee Bucks
Who they took: Brandon Jennings
Who they should have took: Jrue Holiday (17th pick)
Why: Holiday needed another year at UCLA to develop. Let's get that out of the way first. And while that is the case with a lot of these guys, it really is with Jrue. He proved over time in Philadelphia that he can be a number one or two scorer and can rebound when needed. Hopefully he can find his role in New Orleans, but should he have gone here, he would have immediately been the top dog in Milwaukee in pretty much the exact same way Jennings was.
Pick 11: New Jersey Nets
Who they took: Terrence Williams
Who they should have took: Jeff Teague (19th pick)
Why: New Jersey wanted an interior defender here but you can't pass on Teague, who has quietly become one of the more intriguing wings in the last couple of years. He shoots the ball well (.447 for his career) has really developed a great get-to-the-basket game which has helped him become the primary guard scoring option in Atlanta and has him lined up for a big free agent contract soon.
Pick 12: Charlotte Bobcats
Who they took: Gerald Henderson
Who they should have took: Wesley Matthews (undrafted)
Why: In recent years, has there been a better UNDRAFTED prospect than Matthews? He was a very solid player for four years at Marquette, which made his draft status questionable. He made sure people understood why by averaging 9+ ppg as a rookie and has seen his scoring and rebounding improve almost every year since. Like with pretty much always, Charlotte was looking to stockpile guys who could be of any help and Matthews could have been much more so than Henderson.
Pick 13: Indiana Pacers
Who they took: Tyler Hansbrough
Who they should have took: Danny Green (46th pick)
Why: There are a lot of very naturally gifted, athletic scorers in this draft and that is the only reason I have Green as far down as 13. He's today's Robert Horry, minus a few pounds (though still about the size of Horry during the Houston Rockets' mid-90s title runs). He can contribute, is unassuming and a crafty clutch three point shooter, all of which Indiana could use right now and in the past several years while they were looking for those intangible pieces to help topple Miami.
Pick 14: Phoenix Suns
Who they took: Earl Clark
Who they should have took: Darren Collison (21st pick)
Why: I don't have a great answer here. Collison is the best player today left on the hypothetical draft board at this point.
Pick 15: Detroit Pistons
Who they took: Austin Daye
Who they should have took: Demare Carroll (27th pick)
Why: Carroll has always been a really strong guy, which fits into the Pistons style. Last year in Atlanta, he proved he could score often in the NBA, which is something the Pistons are lacking, despite a constant rotation of those "physical" players over the last several years.
Redrafting the 2008 NBA Draft
Welcome to the official rollout of the world of
one-and-dones. No longer will kids be coming straight from high school, but
instead going to campus for a school year, attending classes for four months
(or just long enough to stay eligible) and then going to make a pay day.
That was the story of this draft. No more high school run
wild and the foreign picks have tapered off. Four of the first five and five
of the first seven picks were college freshmen, making this the start of a new
trend that has taken over (note that three of the biggest prospects in the 2014
Draft are all freshmen).
It was also a nice look at how poorly the Miami Heat were
run for a long time. After missing out on the number one pick, which should
have statistically belonged to them after the most horrendous of seasons, the team
passed on at least two future Hall of Fame players to select Michael Beasley.
Geez.
This was also a tough one as I legitimately saw 18 guys for
these top 15 positions (sorry George Hill, JJ Hickson and Ryan Anderson.)
Also, it is the first class where my analysis doesn’t and
doesn’t have to run as deep because, well, we all know about these guys and
what they do. We see it every day during the NBA season and we don’t need to
look back so deeply.
Pick 1: Chicago
Bulls
Who they took: Derrick Rose
Who they should have took: Kevin Love (5th pick)
Why: Love is perhaps the most purely dominant player from
this draft class. His size and agility make him hard to guard no matter where
he is on the floor. In a class that is pretty damn good today, Love shines
because he is such a complete players. Teaming him with Joakim Noah and other
complimentary players would have made the Bulls the team to beat in the East
almost every year since this draft.
Pick 2: Miami
Heat
Who they took: Michael Beasley
Who they should have took: Russell Westbrook (4th
pick)
Why: Westbrook is a standalone prospect that hasn’t been
give the opportunity to stand alone. He and Durant are too much alike, outside
of size, that they will succeed on talent, but there isn’t much room for
co-existence in Oklahoma City .
Still, he is the best overall point guard from this draft and combined with a
more subtle talent like Dwayne Wade in Miami ,
he would be a MVP candidate today without Miami
losing much of a step. However, the reality here too is that if you would have
drafted and kept Westbrook, adding LeBron wouldn’t have worked out because of
the same type of personality clashes. Still, a ‘big three’ of Russell, Dwayne
and Chris Bosh would be pretty damn good.
Pick 3: Minnesota
Timberwolves
Who they took: OJ Mayo (traded to Grizzlies)
Who they should have took: Derrick Rose (1st pick
and keep the pick)
Why: Ok, injuries do hurt Rose’s stock here, but he would
still be a huge pick up for the Timberwolves and would have saved them from
their forthcoming Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn/Wayne Ellington point guard pileup
draft. I don’t believe that D.Rose would be longed to stay in Minnesota ,
so maybe you still take Rubio so he arrives from Europe
as Rose leaves the first chance he gets in free agency, but picking Rose here
allows you to play more with your future drafts than the crazy David Kahn and
company had the luxury to do. And again, injuries aside, Rose is an amazing
talent and the third of these top three guys who is likely bound for the Hall
of Fame. He is truly one of the best score first point guards in the modern
era, possibly ever, of the NBA.
Pick 4: Seattle
Supersonics
Who they took: Russell Westbrook
Who they should have took: Brook Lopez (10th
pick)
Why: Look, Lopez hasn't been healthy for the majority of his career it feels like. But when he is, he certainly can lay claim to being a top 5 center in the league. It sure would have left Oklahoma City without a critical piece at point guard, but would have made them so strong on the interior that they could have taken later money used for the Serge Ibakas and Kendrick Perkins' of the world and still brought in a quality point, who maybe could get along better with Durant? Lopez can rebound with anyone in this league is strong on defense, the pick would be a no brainer to me as his value certainly soared from the 10th pick after he actually played in the league.
Pick 5: Memphis
Grizzlies
Who they took: Kevin Love (traded to Minnesota )
Who they should have took: Eric Gordon (7th pick
and keep the pick)
Why: Gordon never has been the player he was in high school. It was a stretch, mostly due to his size, to believe that he could be. But he still proved a valuable scorer at Indiana and has become a reliable second option in the NBA. For Memphis, with Rudy Gay and Mike Conley in the fold, Gordon could have had more flexibility without so much reliability. As a true shooting guard, he could have flourished. A lineup today (had they kept the team intact) of Conley, Gordon, Gay, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph would be a tough squad to beat out West. Taking that pressure off Gordon in Memphis, which didn't happen in LA, would have done wonders for his career, which isn't too shabby at all anyway.
Pick 6: New York
Knicks
Who they took: Danilio Gallinari
Who they should have took: OJ Mayo (3rd pick)
Why: Mayo is a headcase, hence his drop off here. Nobody can deny his talent, but the problem is that as he gets more disciplined in his career, his production drops off. This past season, as the least ball hogging he's been. he scored a career low. But Mayo is still a prolific scorer and athlete that the Knicks coveted at a time where they had none before the Carmelo acquisition.
Pick 7: Los Angeles
Clippers
Who they took: Eric Gordon
Who they should have took: DeAndre Jordan
(35th pick)
Why: I don't know who could have expected the meteoric rise of DeAndre, but I think too a lot can be credited to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. If you look at his numbers, you wouldn't think Jordan would be a top 10 pick, but the reality is that he is an absolute game changer. Physicality, mentality, leadership, explosiveness, defensively, if I was building a team he would probably be the fourth guy from this draft I would actually take behind Love, Westbrook and Rose. He finally averaged in double digits in scoring this past year, but his rebounding numbers exploded from 7.2 rpg to a league high 13.6, all while leading the league in shooting percentage for a second straight year. The Clippers ended up with their man anyway, but in a redraft, he certainly wouldn't be there at #35.
Pick 8: Milwaukee
Bucks
Who they took: Joe Alexander
Who they should have took: Danilio Gallinari (6th
pick)
Why: Because he isn't Joe Alexander? Gallinari was a highly touted prospect who really isn't looked at as a success. Why? I am not sure. He didn't perform well as a rookie in New York but steadily improved his numbers to the point that he was a key centerpiece on the New York side in a trade that brought the Knicks Carmelo Anthony. If it had not been for him and his consistency, the Knicks may have not had the assets to bring in Melo. Since then, he has been a leader in a generally decent Nuggets organization and just had his best year as a scorer and one of his best as a rebounder and passer.
Pick 9: Charlotte
Bobcats
Who they took: DJ Augustin
Who they should have took: Nicholas Batum (25th
pick)
Why: Batum came into the league with a lot of hype from Europe. He has been a critical piece for the thriving Trail Blazers and the Bobcats were still searching for a personality. And DJ Augustin wasn't it. Batum would have come in and immediately been a young prime time scorer at a time when Charlotte was relying heavily on a seemingly ever changing rotation of veterans who were not reliable in the long term.
Pick 10: New Jersey
Nets
Who they took: Brook Lopez
Who they should have took: Goran Dragic (45th
pick)
Why: His production in the last two years is why I would see Dragic soar to this spot. While Deron Williams has been great in New Jersey/Brooklyn, could you imagine a world where they didn't need him and could spend his money elsewhere (hello Carmelo?). Dragic's assist per game went down last year, but only to see his scoring clip surpass 20 ppg and his shooting percentage soar above .500.
Pick 11: Indiana
Pacers
Who they took: Jerryd Bayless (traded to Blazers)
Who they should have took: Roy Hibbert (17th pick
and keep the pick)
Why: The Pacers ended up with Hibbert anyway, but you actually need to make this choice earlier. Yes, he faltered a lot this past postseason, but he is still over 7-feet with a huge upside. His inconsistency keeps him out of the top 10, but his size and ability (if he ever fully uses it) make him a guy you absolutely have to take here and Indiana is way better off with him than had they gone in any other direction in 2008 with this pick.
Pick 12: Sacramento
Kings
Who they took: Jason Thompson
Who they should have took: Courtney Lee (22nd
pick)
Why: Lee is a steady scorer to come off a bench. He's already been with five teams and will probably always be a journeyman add-on in trade. But he still fills his role no matter where he goes and that is really all you can ask most of the time from anyone picked outside the top 10.
Pick 13: Portland Trail Blazers
Who they took: Brandon Rush (traded to Pacers)
Who they should have took: Michael Beasley (2nd
pick and trade the pick)
Why: Beasley isn't a bad player, he's just a role player in the league and not the star that Miami wanted or that he was at Kansas State. But let's face facts, there is a huge difference between Kansas State and the NBA. But his biggest detriment are six off the court issues, including being kicked out of the rookie camp shortly after the draft. On the court, he could fill a void in Portland and give them more of an edge, both then and now.
Pick 14: Golden State
Who they took: Anthony Randolph
Who they should have took: Serge Ibaka (24th
pick)
Why: Ibaka has ended up being what Golden State thought they were getting originally in Randolph. He's a shot blocking machine, already leading the NBA in blocks on two separate occasions and his rebound and scoring numbers are often on the increase.
Pick 15: Phoenix
Suns
Who they took: Robin Lopez
Who they should have took: Mario Chalmers (34th
pick)
Why: Chalmers probably didn't need the 'big three' yelling at him for years in Miami while being relegated to the bench in favor of Norris Cole. Phoenix has been without a real point guard since Steve Nash and today they could really use a nice point guard. Meanwhile, the lesser Lopez has been nothing but trade fodder.
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