Re-Do - 2008 NBA Draft

I have done a few of these "Draft Re-do" posts and you really can't judge any professional sports' drafts until after three years. You always have a few late-bloomers that still makes you look at a draft and wonder "why didn't my team draft him?"

The 2008 NBA Draft class is full of All-Star selections, an MVP, and a few guys who blossomed during the NBA Playoffs. You also have a few  players that didn't materialize in the NBA. The last time you heard Joe Alexander's name was when David Stern called his name as the 8th pick. Overall, this draft class is quite deep and much better than the top-heavy 2007 draft class. There are a few guys that we're still waiting for them to peak, but I'm optimistic that they will come through. Does Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo make it into the Lottery during our re-draft?

1. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls - This isn't much of a surprise. I would have bet money that Rose would be one of the game's best by now. The Bulls got pretty lucky with this pick, but as deep as this draft was, they would have still received a pretty good player later in the lottery. After everything is said and done, Rose should have a few rings and many other accolades. (Rose went #1 to Chicago)

2. Russell Westbrook – Miami Heat – I have to admit that I did not love Westbrook when he came out after his sophomore year at UCLA. I thought that he needed another year and when he went #4 to Oklahoma City, I thought that was insanely high. He has done everything to prove me wrong since he's been in the NBA. What is scary about Westbrook? He hasn't even peaked yet and he's looking like an All-Star. (Westbrook went #4 to Seattle)

3. Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Memphis) - I was a big Kevin Love fan when he left UCLA. Come to think of it, how did UCLA not win a championship with Love, Westbook, & Collison? Memphis would be a fantastic team with Love, but they wouldn't have traded for Zach Randolph. A duo of Marc Gasol and Love would be a bit soft, but you would get scoring and rebounding production all day. (Love went #5 to Memphis)

4. Roy Hibbert – Seattle Supersonics – I have to put Hibbert at #4 because he's one of the lone players in this draft to have already earned an all-star selection. I find it hard to believe that Joe Alexander and Marreese Speights were drafted before him. Once Hibbert learns how to shoot a nice 10-foot jumper, he'll be more similar to Patrick Ewing. He's a legit 7-footer with post moves, which is quite rare these days in the NBA. Hibbert has a chance to be great and his best basketball is yet to come. (Hibbert went #17 to Indiana)

5. Serge Ibaka – Memphis Grizzlies (traded to Minnesota) - An argument could be made about not taking Ibaka at #5 from this year's draft class. You would be basing your information by taking about a year and a half of basketball. I have seen enough of him to know that he's going to win a couple Defensive Player Of The Year awards during his career. If his offensive game improves, you could eventually move him up a few spots. (Ibaka went #24 to Seattle)

6. Brook Lopez – New York Knicks - If Lopez could stay healthy, he would be higher in this re-draft. In 2008, the Knicks were bad...really bad. Lopez would have been the franchise's savior. They ended up picking Danilo Gallinari at this spot, who was in the package that they flipped for Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks didn't lose anything by picking Gallinari here, but Lopez would have been interesting in New York. (Lopez was picked #10 by New Jersey)

7. Danilo Gallinari – Los Angeles Clippers - Gallinari is one of those guys that everyone is waiting on. You have seen flashes over the last few seasons, but he's still improving. I expect that he'll grow in Denver and be the face of that franchise. The Knicks may regret trading him for Carmelo in the long-term. (Gallinari went #6 to New York)

8. Eric Gordon – Milwaukee Bucks - I have loved Eric Gordon since he was in college. He is a pure shooter and a bit underrated. He was included in the Chris Paul trade and he's been injured for most of the season. It would have been nice to see him have more time with Blake Griffin. He will be a free agent this summer and he will be a coveted guy. I added him this high because of his playing skills and his ability to down two pieces of Sbarro's pizza in less than two minutes (I saw him at the Charlotte airport Sbarro's in 2009). I am hoping that Gordon will find his way on the Pacers, for purely selfish reasons.  (Gordon was chosen #7 by L.A. Clippers)

9. Mario Chalmers - Charlotte Bobcats -  Chalmers is a player that you either love or hate. The people that hate him say that he's a system point-guard and that anyone could play with Wade, Bosh, and Lebron James. The people who love him think that it takes a special player to be able to hang with the best trio of players in the NBA. He's a very good defensive player, but could improve with his mid-range game. The Bobcats would have benefited from picking Chalmers over D.J. Augustin. (Chalmers was picked #34 by Minnesota - traded to Miami)

10. O.J. Mayo – New Jersey Nets - Mayo should be higher on this list, but he's blocked by Rudy Gay. He has earned more playing time, but he's a trade chip for the Grizzlies. If he was on a team that needed SG & SF help, he would be a starter. Mayo was all hyped up coming into college and he didn't do anything special at USC (besides allegedly getting Tim Floyd to hand deliver money). I still think that he's a special player, but he has to start working at getting better at the NBA level. (Mayo was picked #3 by Memphis)

11. Michael Beasley – Indiana Pacers (traded to Portland) - Beasley is another guy who came into the NBA with a lot of hype, but lacked any sizzle his first couple years in the NBA. He was a casualty in the Lebron James saga and landed in Minnesota. He has done very well for them and doesn't have to be the #1 or #2 scoring option. He will flourish in a system in which he doesn't have a lot of pressure on him. The Pacers currently have a player like him on their roster, Tyler Hansbrough. (Beasley was picked #2 by Miami)

12. Goran Dragic – Sacramento Kings -  In a few years, Dragic could be much higher on the list. He's currently on the Houston Rockets and getting his first shot at running the offense. He has been a star for them, but they need a few more pieces. Dragic can make his own shot and help others do the same. I really like watching him and hopefully the Rockets can build around him. In hindsight, he would have done very well with the Kings. (Dragic was picked #45 by San Antonio traded to Phoenix)

13. Nicolas Batum – Portland Trail Blazers traded to Indiana - Batum is another "we are still waiting on you" type of player. He hasn't had the type of playing time needed to showcase his skills, but you know that they're there. You'll still need to wait and see what he turns into, but I'm optimistic.(Batum was picked #25 by Houston traded to Portland)

14. Brandon Rush – Golden State Warriors - This is quite convenient. If he was picked by the Warriors, he would have struggled in Indiana. He seems to fit the system in Oakland and I like his current role. He's a guy that can come off the bench, shoot some 3's, and play a little defense. He could be a fill-in starter, but I like what he does off of the bench. (Rush was picked #13 by Portland traded to Indiana)

Next Three Picks - D.J. Augustin, Jason Thompson, George Hill

Here's the Re-Do posts for the 1999 NBA Draft, 2005 NBA Draft, 2006 NBA Draft, & 2007 NBA Draft.


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Re-Do - 2007 NBA Draft

You can't really judge any professional sports draft until after three years. I have done "NBA Draft Re-Do" posts since the 2005 Draft and they are always eye-opening. When you start to weed out the busts and players that never achieve their potential due to injury, sometimes you're left with mixed bag. This year was not different, luckily I didn't have to add Josh McRoberts as a potential NBA Lottery pick, that would have been ugly. Does Greg Oden even make the cut? Here is my 2007 NBA Draft Lottery, if the draft were held today.

After taking out guys like Brendan Wright, Acie Law, Spencer Hawes, and Yi Jianlian from the draft, after pick #6, it starts to get ugly, you have been warned.

1. Kevin Durant – Portland Trail Blazers - Portland would be a legit contender in the Western Conference with Durant as the leader of the team. They thought they had a sure thing by picking Greg Oden #1 in 2007, but he has been made of glass. Durant is an MVP candidate and will be for many years to come. (Durant went #2 to Seattle)

2. Al Horford – Seattle Supersonics – Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly Seattle) would have a true inside force with Horford in the paint. He has been improving every year since he's been in the league and who knows what kind of player he'll be in five years. (Horford went #3 to Atlanta)

3. Joakim Noah – Atlanta Hawks - Would Atlanta be a better team with Noah instead of Horford? That's a tough question because Horford is a much better offensive player, but Noah's defensive skills are more advanced. The Hawks would matchup better against Orlando if Noah went to the Hawks with this pick. (Noah went #9 to Chicago)

4. Marc Gasol – Memphis Grizzlies – Well, I guess if Gasol was drafted here, Memphis would still have Pau Gasol and he never got a ring. Marc Gasol is still improving and has helped Memphis become a playoff team in the West. (Gasol went #48 to L.A. Lakers)

5. Carl Landry – Boston Celtics (traded to Seattle) - If this draft re-do happened, the Thunder would have Horford and Landry being one of the best rebounding tandems in the league. The team would be cleaning the glass and would be a tough team to beat in when it comes to rebounds. (Landry went #31 to Seattle - traded to Houston)

6. Jeff Green – Milwaukee Bucks - A scorer that can make his own shot? It sounds exactly what Milwaukee has been missing since Rashard Lewis took the money and got out of town. (Green was picked #5 by Boston)

7. Thaddeus Young – Minnesota Timberwolves - This is the part of the draft where this re-do starts to go downhill. Young, due to injuries and busts in this draft lands at this pick. He would be serviceable in Minnesota, but not a big piece of the puzzle in the big picture. (Young went #12 to Philadelphia)

8. Rodney Stuckey – Charlotte Bobcats (traded to Golden State) - Stuckey would have been a godsend in a Don Nelson offense. He can score in bunches, but he has the tendency to disappear every few games. He would have been a nice compliment to Monta Ellis. A backcourt of Stuckey and Ellis would fill up the boxscore. (Stuckey was chosen #15 by Detroit)

9. Mike Conley Jr. - Chicago Bulls - Conley Jr. isn't the ninth best player in this draft, but the Bulls needed a point-guard (this was pre-Derrick Rose) and they would have picked him. He would have filled the need and they could have moved Kirk Hinrich to shooting guard. Conley would have probably been a bust here, they are lucky to have picked Joakim Noah here instead. (Conley was picked #4 by Memphis)

10. Wilson Chandler – Sacramento Kings - Chandler is a proven scorer in the NBA and the Kings needed a perimeter scorer in 2007. Chandler has been a solid player in the up-tempo offense for the Knicks and would have been a better choice for them than Spencer Hawes was. They wish this re-do was real life. (Chandler was picked #23 by New York)

11. Glen Davis – Atlanta Hawks - A frontcourt of Noah & Davis seems a bit outlandish, but it would work. Josh Smith could handle the offensive duties and help defensively by blocking shots. The paint would have a lot of bodies in it and they would forget that they actually picked Acie Law with this pick. I think all Atlanta fans would wish to forget Law and you would have funny YouTube videos to watch from Davis. (Davis was picked #35 by Seattle - traded to Boston)

12. Jared Dudley – Philadelphia 76ers - It took Dudley a few seasons to find his role in the NBA and he has been a solid player for the Phoenix Suns. Would the Sixers welcome a dead-eye 3-point shooter right now? Of course they would. (Dudley was picked #22 by Charlotte)

13. Aaron Brooks – New Orleans Hornets - I doubt having Brooks and Chris Paul on the same team would work in real-life, but it would be a lot of fun to watch. I would make sure that I would watch every game on League Pass. Their backcourt would be over-matched by bigger guards, but they could find a way to make it work. Hey, Brooks would be a better pick than Julian Wright. (Brooks was picked #22 by Houston)

14. Corey Brewer – Los Angeles Clippers - Brewer is a streaky player that some would say is a headcase, he would have been perfect for the Clippers! Brewer has been bouncing in and out of the rotation on Minnesota and he could have been a starter on the 2007 Clippers. Al Thornton, their actual pick, didn't stick with the team, but I have a feeling that Brewer would still be on the team today. (Brewer was picked #7 by Minnesota)

Next Three Picks - Marco Belinelli, Al Thornton, Ramon Sessions


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Re-Do: 1999 NBA Draft

The 1999 NBA Draft is considered one of the deepest drafts in in history. There are nine All-Stars from this draft and players like Lamar Odom and James Posey who were cornerstones in helping their teams win an NBA Championship. Who goes #1 if this draft was redone today? Who would pick the same players if everyone is reshuffled? Here is the 1999 NBA Draft redone if it happened today.

1. Richard Hamilton – Chicago Bulls - I think Hamilton gets the edge over the rest of the class because he is a winner and has been very productive for years. Elton Brand was originally picked here, which was a decent pick. (Hamilton was picked #8 to Washington)

2. Baron Davis – Vancouver Grizzlies – Maybe if the Grizz drafted Baron "The Beard" Davis, the team would have stayed in Vancouver instead of moving to Memphis. Steve Francis was drafted by them, but promptly traded to the Rockets. (Davis went #3 to Charlotte)

3. Manu Ginobli – Charlotte Hornets - Maybe the Spurs wouldn't have been so dominate the last 5-7 years without Ginobli. He would have been #1 or #2, but he has been a sixth man for most of his career in San Antonio. Baron Davis went here in the real 1999 NBA Draft. (Ginobli went #57 to San Antonio)

4. Ron Artest – Los Angeles Clippers – I love playing revisionist history because L.A. is really where Artest wanted to be nearly his entire career. Maybe if they pick Artest here instead of Lamar Odom, he would have stayed with the Clippers and they would have been much better of a team for the past decade. (Artest went #16 to Chicago)

5. Elton Brand – Indiana Pacers - He would have been a much better pick here than Jonathan Bender was at this pick. The Pacers have been searching for a post-man during this time, they could have had a franchise player in Brand at #5. (Brand went #1 to Chicago)

6. Lamar Odom - Minnesota Timberwolves - Odom has been lucky because he has played his entire career either in L.A. or Miami, so thinking that he would do well in Minnesota would be ridiculous, but he would have been a nice compliment to Kevin Garnett during this time. They ended up picking Wally Szczerbiak here, who was a nice player for them. (Odom was picked #4 by L.A. Clippers)

7. Shawn Marion – Washington Wizards - I'm not sure if Marion would have done well in Washington during the 1999 period. He did well in Phoenix because there weren't any real plays set up for him. He was the garbage man and Washington was better off with their actual pick of Richard Hamilton (Marion was picked #9 to Phoenix)

8. Andre Miller – Cleveland Cavaliers - This was the one of two picks in this re-do that was the actual pick by the team. Although he only spent three seasons in Cleveland, if he would have stayed there, he would have been a nice role player with Lebron James. (Miller was picked #8 to Cleveland)

9. James Posey - Phoenix Suns - No matter where James Posey plays, he is well-liked by his teammates and completely over-achieves. If he were on the Suns, maybe they would have won a Championship, but Phoenix can't complain, Shawn Marion did a great job with them with this actual pick. (Posey was picked #18 to Denver)

10. Jason Terry – Atlanta Hawks - This is the other pick during this re-do that actually happened in the 1999 NBA Draft. During Terry's stretch in Atlanta, he spent his time in and out of the doghouse. His most productive years have come as a member of the Dallas Mavericks (Terry was picked #10 by Atlanta)

11. Corey Magette – Cleveland Cavaliers - Maggette would have been a very in compliment to Lebron James and Andre Miller, if those players were still on the Cavs. Cleveland's actual pick was a swing and a miss. They took Trajan Langdon also out of Duke, but couldn't stick in the league. (Maggette was picked #13 by Seattle)

12. Andrei Kirilenko – Toronto Raptors - Kirilenko has the potential to be a triple-double machine and he plays stout defense for Utah. He would probably have seen more playing time in Toronto and would have been a better pick for them than Aleksander Radojevic, who they picked at this spot in 1999. (Kirilenko was picked #24 by Utah)

13. Wally Szczerbiak – Seattle Supersonics - No one was hotter coming off an amazing NCAA tournament in this draft than Szczerbiak. He was a scoring machine for Miami of Ohio. In his prime, he was one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, but the Sonics actually picked Maggette with this pick, but didn't stick with the Sonics. (Szczerbiak was picked #6 by Minnesota)

14. Jeff Foster – Minnesota Timberwolves - I put Foster in this slot over Steve Francis because of longevity of career, plus Foster is a very under-rated basketball players. He can play both Center and Power Forward effectively and is very durable. Minnesota could have used a guy like that and would have gave Garnett another big man in the paint. Their actual pick, William Avery, didn't last in the NBA very long. (Foster was picked #21 by Atlanta)

RE-DO - 2005 NBA Draft

After any major sports draft, every team and their fans usually feel great about the future. The NBA many teams draft based on potential and not on the basis of past performance. 2005 was one of the last drafts that high school talent could bypass the college game and enter in the draft. Teams will still draft on potential, even a year in college doesn't show enough to make an educated determination on what player is better than the other. Here is a re-do of the 2005 NBA Draft if it happened today.

1. Chris Paul - Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks would be a much improved team with Paul at the point. Andrew Bogut was a decent pick, but the draft class was presumed to be very thin in 2005 and they couldn't pass up on a big man with International flavor. Chris Paul is hands-down, head above shoulders, the filet mignon of this draft. (Paul went #3 to New Orleans)

2. Andrew Bynum - Atlanta Hawks - Atlanta was rebuilding a young roster and needed a scorer. At the time of the draft, Atlanta could have waited on a player to develop, but big men develop at a snail's pace. The Hawks ended up taking Marvin Williams, not a bad choice, but he was solely picked based on a predicted potential with no ceiling. (Bynum went #10 to the Lakers)

3. Deron Williams - Utah Jazz - Williams actually went at this spot and to-date seemed to be about the third best player in the draft. At the University of Illinois, Williams looked great, any other year, he would have went deeper in the draft, but he'll be great. (Williams went #3 to Utah)

4. Danny Granger - New Orleans Hornets - The Hornets was the lucky team in 2005 by picking Chris Paul. Granger would be a stud on any team in the NBA. He was supposed to go much earlier than where he went, many teams weren't sold on him. (Granger went #17 to Indiana)

5. Andrew Bogut - Charlotte Bobcats - Bogut would be a great addition to Charlotte. A Bogut/Okafor duo would be a much better front court team than May/Okafor. Charlotte went to take Raymond Felton at this spot, but many thought at the time that they needed to take some Tar Heels to increase attendance in Chartlotte. (Bogut went #1 to Milwaukee)

6. David Lee - Portland Trailblazers - Lee is an energy player that doesn't quit on either end of the floor. He was an Energizer bunny at the University of Florida, but many didn't think that his game wouldn't translate to the NBA. Portland picked Martell Webster, who is turning into a nice player, but in 2005 he was picked on potential. Lee has been the one constant on the Knicks roster during the last three years and will continue to be a piece of their future. (Lee was picked #30 by New York)

7. Marvin Williams - Toronto Raptors - I would like Marvin Williams on Toronto more than I do on Atlanta, where he ended up. Toronto was a team trying to find its identity without Vince Carter. They ended up taking Charlie Villanueva, which seemed like a decent move, since Villanueva could score all over the floor at UConn. (Williams went #2 to Atlanta)

8. Charlie Villanueva - New York Knicks - The Knicks could have used Villanueva on their team, especially since he would have been a nice middle of the floor scorer. New York had a ton of guards and wannabe big men, Villanueva fit a niche that they were missing. Channing Frye was the player chosen by New York, he may still end up being a decent guy, but probably not a starter. He was traded to Portland last season, where he is behind Greg Oden in the rotation. (Villanueva was chosen #7 by Toronto)

9. Jason Maxiell - Golden State Warriors - Maxiell would have added much needed defensive ability on the high-scoring Warriors. Golden State was coached by Don Nelson at the time he was just looking for more offense, so they chose Ike Idogu. Maxiell is coming into his own on Detroit where he is playing for a contender. (Maxiell was picked #26 by Detroit)

10. Jose Calderon - Los Angeles Lakers - Calderon was probably going to stay in Europe for a season or more, something the Lakers could have done. The Lakers were trying to find themselves as a team without Shaquille, so drafting a point guard may have not been in their plans. Andrew Bynum was probably the perfect pick for what they needed. (Calderon went undrafted in the 2005 NBA Draft)