1. Cleveland Cavaliers – SF Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
The Greek Freak has evolved into the best player in a relatively weak draft due to his supreme athleticism and rare versatility. Antetokounmpo is skilled with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by the trust that Bucks coach Jason Kidd has placed upon him to run the offense in the coming season. Averaging 17, 7 and 4 last season while surpassing 50 percent shooting from the field, he’s quickly learned how to play in numerous styles in the league. It’s his versatility to be a point guard or a forward, to defend multiple positions with ease and to thrive in transition that makes him the slam dunk top overall pick in a 2013 re-draft. There’s still a lot of potential for Antetokounmpo to realize; he must improve his outside shooting and cut down on turnovers.
For Cleveland, this would be the ideal piece in 2013. Pairing him with Kyrie Irving would give the Cavaliers two creators; one that can play off the ball in Irving, and one that can play the 2 thru 4 spots next to him. Tristan Thompson, Irving and Antetokounmpo are three hard-working, young and charismatic talents that all seemingly would mesh… provided the Cavaliers found a little more shooting. Giannis is also the most valuable trade chip the Cavs could find in this draft if they someday wanted to flip him for, I don’t know, a guy named LeBron? - AS
2. Orlando Magic – C Rudy Gobert, France
After trading away Dwight Howard the previous summer, the Orlando Magic needed a new franchise center, and as we’ve learned in the years since, Nikola Vucevic isn’t the answer. Thus, Rudy Gobert makes the leap from 27th in real life to second in the re-draft, which will likely be the biggest jump of any player in this draft class.
The Stifle Tower didn’t quite live up to the sky-high expectations many had for him heading into the 2015-16 season, but he still averaged 9.1 points on 55.9 percent shooting, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 31.7 minutes per night. He ranked among the top 10 league-wide in defensive rating each of the past two seasons, and he accrued the ninth-most defensive win shares in 2014-15 despite starting only 37 games. In Gobert, the Magic would have their Howard replacement, enabling them to trade Vucevic to a center-needy team before the rest of the league catches on to the devaluation of one-way big men. He’s a no-brainer max extension candidate heading into the fourth year of his rookie deal, too. -BT
3. Washington Wizards – C, Steven Adams, University of Pittsburgh
With the clock ticking, the Wizards have a dilemma: Bradley Beal, their blue-chip rookie, showed tons of potential, but was already missing time with leg injuries. Should they bolster the backcourt with a guy like Lehigh’s high scoring C.J. McCollum? Or should they invest in a rim-protecting center (who’s already injured) from Kentucky like Nerlens Noel? In a bolt of prescience, the Wizards snag Pittsburgh frosh Steven Adams. The 7-foot Kiwi is raw out of college, but is athletic, strong as an ox, and shows an excellent feel for the game.
Adams break out in last year’s playoffs (he averaged 14.3 ppg and 11 rpg in his Thunder 3-0 finishing run of the 67 win Spurs) was more than just stats. Adams showed off nimble footwork, an underrated scoring touch around the bucket, and rock solid defense both at the rim and containing smalls on the perimeter. Not only does drafting Adams plug a hole in the lineup, but the Butterfly Effect it kicks off is a big bonus for the franchise. Now Washington won’t trade its 2014 pick for Marcin Gortat, meaning they can scoop up a Rodney Hood or a KJ McDaniels in the next draft. -JH
4. Charlotte Bobcats – C Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
A gift falls into the lap of the then-Bobcats here, gifting them the most versatile defensive center to anchor a back-line that has juggled and switched identities a few times since the 2013 draft. Coming off a 21-win season, Charlotte did indeed make the playoffs in the 2013-2014 season, yet did so with minimal impact from their draft pick, Cody Zeller. The lack of depth behind Al Jefferson, and the team’s eventual decision to move on from Bismack Biyombo, signal a no-brainer decision to take Noel despite his torn ACL. If the Bobcats were to wait a year, they would have a much more natural progression away from the offensive-minded Al Jefferson and to his successor, the immensely athletic Noel.
Nerlens has already propelled himself into the top tier of front court defenders in this league based on his averages, metrics and on the eye test. Noel averaged over 4 slocks (steals + blocks) per 36 minutes in his first two seasons; his combination of incredible timing and open-court speed allow him to apply pressure on opposing offenses or serve as a back-line rim protector. Steve Clifford would love a piece like this. While Charlotte has several pieces of need in terms of shooting and depth, Noel may still be a high-powered star some day if he gets into a better playing situation. It’s a great pickup for Charlotte at 4th overall. - AS
5. Phoenix Suns – G C.J. McCollum, Lehigh
Speaking of gifts, the Phoenix Suns just stumbled into the perfect marriage of “best player available” and drafting for need with C.J. McCollum. After two years of being largely buried on the bench, McCollum erupted upon moving into Portland’s starting lineup this past year, going off for 20.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 triples in 34.8 minutes per night, proving to be a strong Robin to Damian Lillard’s Batman.
For a Suns team lacking any semblance of an elite 2-guard at the time, McCollum fills a gaping hole in their starting lineup alongside Goran Dragic. Only two of the players on Phoenix’s roster shot better than 33.6 percent from three-point range in 2012-13, so McCollum’s career average of 40.8 percent would give the Suns a much-needed reliable threat from downtown. Better yet, it would dissuade them from the ill-fated three-headed point guard rotation that they’d pursue in the coming years, sparing general manager Ryan McDonough from a massive headache. The Trail Blazers just handed McCollum a four-year max deal this summer, and the Suns would have done the same in this re-drafted NBA. -BT
6. Philadelphia 76ers (via New Orleans) – G Victor Oladipo, Indiana
The 2012-2013 Sixers were a mess, but new GM Sam Hinkie was there to save the day. Out goes Jrue Holiday, in comes Victor Oladipo and the Pelican’s 2014 protected pick. Oladipo was coming off a stellar junior year at Indiana, with his size (a sturdy 6’4″ with a 6’9″ wingspan), athleticism (42″ max vertical) and all around floor game tailor made for the pros.
Oladipo would thrive individually for the tanking Sixers, flanked by the sneaky good Thad Young and Evan Turner.
And with Oladipo in the fold, Philly wouldn’t waste their #12 pick on Michael Carter-Williams, the stat stuffer who won rookie of the year and was shipped out of Philadelphia the next season. Like Carter-Williams, Dipo is one of 17 rookies in the three point era to average at least 13.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg, and 1.5 stl/gm, but unlike MCW, Oladipo has shown flashes of what looks like a real jumper (per basketball-reference.com, Oladipo is a career 39% shooter on long twos, 34% 3 point shooter. MCW? 32% on long twos, 25.5% from 3). -JH
7. Sacramento Kings – PF Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
It almost seems like no matter who the Kings pick here will be a wasted pick since their player development track record has been so awful. Still, finding the right fit next to DeMarcus Cousins has been an abundantly difficult task for the Kings. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kosta Koufos, Jason Thompson… these have been poor fits on the offensive end and are not perfect defensive meshes either. Dieng at the very least provides some offensive spacing due to his mid-range prowess. Per basketball-reference, a third of Dieng’s career attempts have come from 10 feet or longer, making above a 46% clip on those attempts. He is the right guy to pick in order to back up, play next to or some day supplant Cousins.
It was a difficult decision to pass on a franchise-caliber point guard here in Dennis Schroder. Looking at the Kings’ current roster, it would have been easy to pick him and see the long-term benefits. Two factors played into not taking him: first, a lack of trust in Sacramento’s development system that likely would have botched his quick ascension — Schroder was a very raw pick in 2013. Second, the Kings did have Isaiah Thomas at the time. Perhaps the right pick elsewhere allows the Kings to keep Thomas if they have a more successful season in 2013-2014. - AS
8. Detroit Pistons – SF Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown
As a Georgetown grad, this is admittedly somewhat of a homer pick. But looking at the Pistons’ 2012-13 roster, SF stands out as the one glaring hole, as Kyle Singler started 74 games and the corpse of Tayshaun Prince started 45. Porter isn’t flashy and likely won’t ever develop into a 20-points-per-game scorer, but his well-roundedness would be an asset on a roster already touting Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
Last year, during his first full season as a starter, Porter averaged 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 treys in 30.3 minutes per night, shooting a career-best 47.3 percent overall and 36.7 percent from deep. Seeing as he’d be no better than the No. 4 option on offense for this Detroit team, he’d serve as the Pistons’ glue guy, which is his ideal NBA role. It would also warm the cockles of my heart to see him play alongside Monroe, a fellow former Hoya, even if Detroit did eventually come to the same conclusion that the Monroe-Drummond pairing wasn’t feasible long-term. Porter isn’t a max-extension-caliber player, but considering Kent Bazemore just received a four-year, $70 million deal in free agency, Detroit would likely have to offer at least that amount to keep him around past his rookie contract. -BT
9. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota) – PG Dennis Schröder, Germany
Utah came into this draft looking to upgrade their point guard situation, and gladly take a Mulligan, selecting Dennis Schröder instead of the underwhelming Trey Burke. Coach Quin Snyder (and the rest of the NBA) would hope the jet quick guard could develop into a hybrid of George Hill and Jeff Teague, using his speed to cause havoc in the lane and using his 6’7″ wingspan to poach passing lanes and blanket the opposition on the perimeter.
While platooning with Jeff Teague in Atlanta last season led to some pedestrian numbers, Schröder’s per-36 numbers (19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.6 steals) are a tantalizing glimpse of his potential as a starter. A ’14 lineup of Schröder, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Favors, and Kanter would have been interesting in Utah. -JH
10. Portland Trail Blazers – C Mason Plumlee, Duke
In a strange foreshadowing, the Blazers should pick Plumlee in this re-draft to help shore up their front line. In his first season with Portland last year, Plumlee started all 82 games and turned into one of the best passers amongst young big men in the league. His ability to play as a passer as well as a decent scorer at the rim makes him a strong front court piece moving forward. The first two seasons in Brooklyn saw Plumlee grab attention for his highly efficient offensive numbers with three straight years of positive DBPM (defensive box score plus-minus, a metric that calculates the positive or negative impact a player has on the game). As far as athletic and solid two-way big men, Plumlee is certainly fitting into Portland’s long-term plans.
While the Blazers did take Meyers Leonard in 2012 and acquire Thomas Robinson for 2013, Plumlee is the best of the three and is worth grabbing a pick here. Plug him into a sixth man role behind Lillard-Matthews-Batum-Aldridge-RoLo and the Blazers may have been able to pick up more than just a first-round exit after a 54-win season. - AS
11. Philadelphia 76ers – C Alex Len, Maryland
After drafting Victor Oladipo with the No. 6 overall pick, the Sixers would have no need for another 2-guard, so Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continues his redraft-day fall. Instead, new general manager Sam Hinkie going to take whichever of Alex Len or Mason Plumlee fell to them at 11, so Portland forced his hand and made him take the former. Hinkie inherited a team that gave up Andre Iguodala, Nik Vucevic, Moe Harkless and a future first-round pick for Andrew Bynum, who would never play a single regular-season minute in a Sixers uniform, which left a glaring hole at the 5 spot in Philadelphia.
Hinkie certainly wasn’t risk-averse during his stint with the Sixers, so he wouldn’t be deterred by the stress fracture in Len’s left ankle that required surgery the month before the draft. Instead, he’d be intrigued by a 7-footer with legitimate two-way potential who plunged in this redraft largely because injuries have hampered him through his first three NBA seasons. Had the Sixers proceeded to draft Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor over the next two summers, they likely wouldn’t be weighing an extension offer for Len, but a breakout 2016-17 campaign in his contract year could make them grow to regret that decision immediately. -BT
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – SG Allen Crabbe, Cal
Ah, the Thunder search for a shooting guard continues. From Thabo Sefalosha to Kevin Martin to DeAndre Liggins to Jeremy Lamb, OKC’s has a gaping hole between Westbrook and Durant since the James Harden trade. With Russ and KD chewing up possessions, a long armed defender who can hit threes would fit the bill. Allen Crabbe, come on down.
It took a couple of years for him to find himself in Portland, and who knows what kind of role Scott Brooks could have carved out for him, but the sweet shooting 6’6″ swing man showed a nice shooting touch out of college (he hit over 38% of his triples at Cal) and was strong on the boards. Learning from vets Derrick Fisher and Thabo Sefalosha for a year would have sped up his learning curve, and his catch and shoot/one dribble pull up game would have dovetailed nicely with the playmaking of Westbrook and Durant. -JH
13. Boston Celtics (via Dallas) – C Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga
It’s a simple concept here for the Celtics in June 2013: facilitate a rebirth into the post-Big Three era and grab the biggest needs for a team that is about to deal Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry for a slew of draft picks. Widely recognized as the most one-sided deal in recent memory, taking this pick for the Celtics means I’m not a fan of revisionist history. Simply, the franchise is in a better place now than it was three years ago thanks to the goldmine that Danny Ainge was able to secure from Brooklyn. Olynyk may not be the 13th best player in this draft class looking back at it, but he’s certainly a fit in Boston.
Olynyk can shoot and is comfortable on the perimeter, something highly valued for a big man in Brad Stevens’ offense. Without Olynyk, the Celtics are struggling to find the proper spacing that allows Stevens to run his desired actions. With plenty of dribble handoffs in the slot (the area around the top of the key), Olynyk has been utilized in a way where he’s deadly — he shot above 40% from three last season. Olynyk certainly has his defensive limitations, but for a seven-footer who can shoot and pass, he’s the right pick for a team looking for a modern stretch big. - AS
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah) – SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia
The Timberwolves, in disbelief of their good fortune, rush this draft card to the podium before anyone changes their mind. Having started Luke Ridnour for all 82 games in 2012-13, Minnesota was in desperate need of an upgrade at the 2-guard spot, which Kentavious Caldwell-Pope represents in spades. The Timberwolves ranked dead last in three-point shooting percentage and made the third-fewest threes league-wide that season, as they didn’t have a single player shoot above 34.6 percent from beyond the arc.
KCP, meanwhile, was fresh off a season in which he drilled 37.3 percent of his 225 three-point attempts at Georgia. Though Caldwell-Pope has been a streaky shooter during his first three years in the Association, Ricky Rubio’s elite vision and passing ability would help generate more open looks for him, particularly so long as Kevin Love remains in Minnesota. KCP would help bring Minnesota’s offense into the 21st century, and even if the T-Wolves draft Zach LaVine a year later, he’d be a lethal weapon off the bench. -BT
15. Milwaukee Bucks – Shabazz Muhammed – SF/PF, UCLA
Fresh off of first round ousting by at the hands of the Heat (“Bucks in six” had everyone chuckling), Milwaukee needs help inside and on the wing. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are fun, and Larry Sanders has the middle locked down, but they need more. Enter Muhammad, the barrel-chested hybrid who showed great touch in his one year in college (37.7% from downtown) and could score in bunches (17.9 points a game).
Muhammad won’t stop anyone in the NBA, but his bruising inside-outside game give the Bucks much needed versatility. Shabazz would fit the bill as a microwave scorer off the bench, or fill in nicely starting beside either Khris Middleton or Ersan Ilyasova. A Jennings-Ellis-Middleton-Shabazz-Sanders lineup could cause some mayhem in the lower end of the Eastern conference. -JH
16. Atlanta Hawks (from Boston via Dallas) – C Cody Zeller, Indiana
The first of two back-to-back picks, Atlanta is in a position to take the best player on the board. Zeller might not only be the best player available, but also the best fit. Atlanta’s frontcourt was lacking depth when Mike Budenholzer took over; behind Horford and Josh Smith were the veteran Zaza Pachulia and the brazen Ivan Johnson. Rookie Mike Scott has been an issue off the court as well — the Hawks needed to get younger in their frontcourt.
Knowing how Budenholzer plays, Zeller’s ability to play as a center away from the basket is crucial to their style. He’s incredibly cautious at not turning the ball over, has a high career assist rate (2.0 per 36 minutes) and is a surprisingly solid rebounder. Zeller’s not a scorer away from the basket, as he’s very inconsistent in the mid-range (30% on career attempts beyond 15 feet). His tweener status on defense makes him a perplexing long-term prospect, even in 2016: he’s athletic, but a bit slow guarding smaller 4-men on the perimeter, and would not be a vertical rim protector as the 5. Zeller is low-risk however, and Atlanta may be able to invest in him for the future with a few years to develop behind a similar prospect in Al Horford. - AS
17. Atlanta Hawks – PG Michael Carter-Williams, PG
With their second of their back-to-back picks, Atlanta stops Michael Carter-Williams’ slide down the redraft board. Since Dennis Schroder is long gone in this redraft, the Hawks go with the next-best point guard remaining to give themselves an heir apparent to Jeff Teague. Carter-Williams gets a bad rap because he was a low-efficiency turnover machine during his 1.5 years in Philadelphia, but he shot 45.2 percent from the floor while only averaging 2.8 giveaways this past year with the Milwaukee Bucks. At 6’6″, MCW has the frame and length to harass smaller floor generals, which would give Atlanta a nice changeup behind Teague. His three-point stroke remains a work in progress, as evidenced by his 25.5 career shooting percentage from deep, but he’d have far more support surrounding him in Atlanta than he did during his time with the Sixers.
With Teague in place, the Hawks wouldn’t need to put too much responsibility on MCW’s plate right away, so while he wouldn’t win the 2013-14 Rookie of the Year award, national perception may be far higher of him in this alternate reality. Assuming the Hawks proceeded to trade Teague in the 2016 offseason, Carter-Williams would thus enter the final year of his rookie contract looking to prove his worthiness to Atlanta as a starter, much like Schroder is now. -BT
18. Dallas Mavericks (via Dallas) – Trey Burke, PG
Just 2 years after their thrilling championship run, the Mavs scuffled to a .500 record and missed the playoffs. A big reason for the moribund season was the terrible point guard play; 37 year old journeyman Mike James and 38 year old Derrick Fisher combined to start 32 games that year. The Darren Collison experiment was a bust, and GM Donnie Nelson knows upgrading the point guard position is key to getting his team back on track.
Enter Trey Burke, the dynamic scoring point out of Michigan. A bit undersized at 6’1″, Burke showed explosive scoring and floor spacing potential in college, averaging over 18 ppg and shooting 38% from deep as a sophomore. He’d add a necessary injection of youth and energy to a roster where 6 of it’s rotation players were over 30 years old. His poor defense would be an issue, but on a team with Jose Calderon and Monta Ellis, crappy defense from the point guard isn’t just expected, but mandatory, right? -JH
19. Cleveland Cavaliers – SG Ben McLemore, Kansas
We’re around the point of the re-draft where finding players that can be serviceable starters after three years is running low. Cleveland already got a non-shooting swingman in Antetokounmpo with the first pick in the re-draft, so they should look for another guard to help spread the floor. That’s what Ben McLemore’s floor is, and realistically has been the first three years of his career. He shot 36% from three last year, and still holds the reputation of being a defense-stretcher. That’s at the very worst-case scenario for McLemore.
It’s difficult to fully blame McLemore for what has been a dreadful start to his career after a tenuous three years in Sacramento. The constant turnover in the front office and coaching staff, consistent change in point guards and a generally volatile culture have certainly made his development less consistent. In taking McLemore here, Cleveland gets a good chance to assess him as a prospect alongside a franchise-caliber point guard and a wing that can also create shots. If the Cavs’ end game was always to chase LeBron in summer 2014, McLemore would still have enough value after one season to be a fairly large piece in any trade. - AS
20. Chicago Bulls – SF Solomon Hill, Arizona
Though the Chicago Bulls didn’t know it at the time, they had a budding star on their roster in 2012-13 whose name wasn’t Derrick Rose. Thus, their focus with this pick should have been finding a long-term complement to Jimmy Butler. Rather than draft Tony Snell, who has yet to achieve an above-zero mark in either offensive or defensive box plus/minus through his first three years in the league, the Bulls take a player in Solomon Hill whose league-wide stock will skyrocket in 2016.
With Paul George sidelined for all but six games in 2014-15, Hill stepped into the Indiana Pacers’ starting lineup and averaged 8.9 points 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 triples in 29.0 minutes per game, starting all but four of the 82 contests in which he appeared. Pairing Hill with Butler would give the Bulls a nightmarish, interchangeable two-way duo at the 2 and the 3, which would prove particularly beneficial when crossing paths with the Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors in the playoffs. Seeing as Hill received a four-year, $50 million contract from the New Orleans Pelicans this summer while Snell likely won’t sniff an extension, Chicago gladly takes a redo here. -BT
21. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah) – Tony Snell, SG/SF
Decisions, decisions. We’re down to the dregs, and the Wolves already snagged Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at 14. Snell here would add shooting and size on the wing. In 2013, we STILL don’t know what Snell is, but the rangy 6’7″ wing CAN hit open threes (he’s made almost 37% of his triples the last two years), a necessity for a team that finished 28th in made threes and dead last in three point percentage.
He’s also a decent rebounder, as his 5.5 rebounds per-36 minutes attests to. His handle and decision making leave much to be desired, but with Ricky Rubio running the show, Snell’s life would be much easier. -JH
22. Brooklyn Nets – PG Shane Larkin, Miami (FL)
Larkin, who played with the Nets in his third pro season, would have been a good pick-up for Brooklyn. Their lack of depth was preposterous, especially with young players. Finding solid and reliable pros is a necessity for them in this draft. Larkin’s 2015-2016 campaign was actually not awful. He shot 44% from the field, putting up per-36 minute stats of 11.6 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. He’s become a solid outside shooter and is still a blur in transition. But the Nets need someone that is solid here, and with few players remaining that are of rotational caliber, Brooklyn should grab the backup point guard. - AS
23. Indiana Pacers – SG/SF Andre Roberson, Colorado
Fresh off a surprise berth in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers don’t have any holes to fill in their starting lineup, so they’ll instead round out their backcourt depth by taking the best remaining available player. Andre Roberson won’t stuff the stat sheet like Lance Stephenson or Paul George, but as he’s proved with the Oklahoma City Thunder over the past few years, he’s plenty capable of playing lockdown defense while drilling the occasional three-pointer. He’s a low-volume long-range shooter, but he shot 35 percent from beyond the arc during his three years at Colorado and has improved his efficiency on three-pointers during each of his three seasons in the Association. He’d be a welcome addition to the Pacers as a short-term reserve and potential successor to Stephenson in the starting lineup. -BT
24. New York Knicks – C, Joffrey Lauvergne, France
The Knicks won 54 and went down swinging to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semis, but they still had work to do. Kurt Thomas, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby, and Kenyon Martin have an average age of 37.75. Lauvergne adds skill and youth to a roster in desperate need for both. Lauvergne has the size to back up both Chandler and Stoudemire, and mercifully keep Andrea Bargnani off the court. -JH
25. Los Angeles Clippers – C Jeff Withey, Kansas
Another low-upside but solid end-of-bench option late in the first round. Withey is an above-average NBA defensive center that logged some real minutes for the Utah Jazz last season. He’s smart on both ends of the floor — rarely out of position on D, never forcing poor shots on O. The Clippers have been a bit thin behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin for a few years. This could be a very low-risk option to step up in case of an injury. - AS
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Golden State via Minnesota) – SG Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan
Though the Oklahoma City Thunder might not have known it heading into the 2013 draft, they would never see James Harden in one of their uniforms again. With that possibility in mind, they’re taking Tim Hardaway Jr. to give them some insurance at the position. Hardaway is a career 35.0 percent three-point shooter, so no one will mistake him for Harden any time soon, but he’ll be able to provide some complementary offense behind Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Reggie Bullock was also a consideration here, but Hardaway gets the nod based on their respective production to this point in their careers. -BT
27. Utah Jazz (via Denver) – G Archie Goodwin, Kentucky
Rodney Hood is a year in the future. Screw it, let’s go Archie Goodwin, the uber-athletic guard out of Kentucky. He can’t shoot a lick, but he’s strong to the cup and a creative finisher around the rim. Squint and you’ll see Demar DeRozan, a volume scorer who can chew up possessions, old school, for better or for worst. Is that ideal? Nope, but Utah has to pick someone. Maybe Goodwin could thrive as the microwave scorer off of the bench. -JH
28. San Antonio Spurs – PF Anthony Bennett, UNLV
Bennett was a lottery pick for a reason — he had talent. A foot injury, weight issues, playing on poor teams and an unbelievable expectation for a little-known kid from Canada who unexpectedly rose to be the number one overall pick all played massive factors in the derailing of his career. So for a talented, young player, the Spurs could afford to take a flier on him and see if Bennett would develop well in a strong organization. Even for the skeptics that disagree with my assertion here, you have to look at what San Antonio has done with Danny Green and Patty Mills among others. There aren’t many safer picks to make at this point in a weak draft. - AS
29. Phoenix Suns (from Golden State via Oklahoma City) – PF/C Ryan Kelly, Duke
Since the Suns went with a 2-guard in C.J. McCollum at No. 5, they’ll beef up their frontcourt depth here with Ryan Kelly. Though the Duke product has played sparingly during his three years with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s gone 98-of-313 (31.3 percent) from beyond the arc, making him a great fit in today’s three-point-happy league. In the short term, he’ll have a chance to learn from Channing Frye, a fellow stretch 4, while perhaps serving as the backup 5 behind Miles Plumlee. When the Markieff Morris experience takes a turn for the worst a few years down the road, Kelly could be in for an even larger role. -BT
30. Golden State Warriors (via Suns by way of Heat, Cavaliers and Lakers) – C Mike Muscala, Bucknell
Bob Myers himself strides up to the stage, his gait that of a man forging ahead on the weatherdecks of a ship embroiled in heavy seas, his tie flapping over his shoulder like a wounded kite. In his reality, Nemanja Nedovic had long been drafted by Phoenix, traded to the Dubs, and left tossing in the breeze. So how, then, was he forced to repick this hellish first round? Why was he handing David Stern, not Adam Silver, an envelope with “Mike Muscala” scrawled within by his own tremulous hand? Somehow time has fractured, somehow, and here he was, reliving on a new twist the mundane 30th pick in the 2013 draft. Muscala could possibly space the floor, rebound a little, take up space. “That’s what we have Mo Speights for”, thought Myers glumly, before a terrifying realization struck him; in this time stream, Speights wasn’t yet a Warrior. Nothing was what he remembered. He stared about him under the too-bright lights, suddenly terrified. Somewhere to his left, Bill Walton brayed drunken laughter. Myers thought the sound would drive him mad. -JH
