By Dave Zarum — Sportsnet Magazine
1. Houston Rockets – Yao Ming, C (1)
Career averages: 19 points, 9.2 rebounds
Original selection: Yao Ming
Sure he played less than 10 seasons before he was forced to retire from injuries but the Rockets were always competitive while Yao was manning the middle. What’s more, he was a total cash-cow for the league and franchise (Rockets merch is still a top-seller in China). You could even talk me into Yao as a future Hall of Famer — his career averages of 19 points, nine boards and two blocks are justifiably overshadowed by his massive role in growing the game overseas.
2. Chicago Bulls – Amare Stoudemire, PF (9)
Career averages: 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds
Original selection: Jay Williams
Williams was the reigning NCAA player of the year, and his game projected well in the NBA, but a motorcycle accident cut his career way short. Stoudemire, meanwhile, had questions surrounding his drive and rose red flags with a troubling family background and by attending six different high schools but the talent was always there. He was Blake Griffin before Blake Griffin (and Shawn Kemp after Shawn Kemp, etc.) for most of his career and has adapted his game nicely since micro-fracture knee surgeries.
3. Golden State Warriors – Tayshaun Prince, F (9)
Career averages: 12.7 points, 4.5 rebound
Original selection: Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Prince was a big part of a mini Pistons dynasty. I’d take him on my team any day.
4. Memphis Grizzlies — Caron Butler, F (9)
Career averages: 16.1 points, 5.7 rebounds
Original selection: Drew Gooden
Gooden was a strange pick, considering the Grizzlies had Pau Gasol at the same position and a huge need for a swingman (Shane Battier was the lone standout). As a rookie, Butler averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 boards, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, and got better from there. Injuries sidelined him for parts of every season, but a solid career nonetheless.
5. Denver Nuggets — Carlos Boozer, PF (35)
Career averages: 17 points, 9.9 rebounds
Original selection: Nikoloz Tskitishvili
Boozer has averaged 17 and 10 for his career and reached his apex with 21.9 and 11.7 in 2006-7. Nowadays he spends most of his time trying to avoid getting his minutes stolen by Taj Gibson.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers — Nene, C (7)
Career averages: 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds
Original selection: Dajuan Wagner
Wagner was a PHENOM in high school, dropping 100 points more than once, but was an NBA bust. Nene is the definition of good, not great, and is a valuable commodity at a fairly weak position, league-wide.
7. New York Knicks — Mike Dunleavy Jr., G/F (3)
Career averages: 12.1 points, 4.6 rebounds
Original selection: Nene
Dunleavy has averaged 12 points in his career, with two seasons of 15 PPG or more. Yes, this was a weak draft year.
8. Los Angeles Clippers — Drew Gooden, PF (4)
Career averages: 12 points, 7.7 rebounds
Original selection: Chris Wilcox
He was drafted fourth, which set expectations way to high. But Gooden’s a solid role player, not much more or less.
9. Phoenix Suns – Matt Barnes, SF (46)
Career averages: 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds
Original selection: Amare Stoudemire
This is how bad this draft was.
10. Miami Heat – Jarred Jeffries, F (11)
Career averages: 5 points, 4.2 rebounds
Original selection: Caron Butler
Ugh!
11. Washington Wizards – Juan Carlos Navarro, G (10)
Original selection: Jared Jeffries
Do international accomplishments count? No? Whatever.
12. Los Angeles Clippers – Roger Mason Jr., G (31)
Original selection: Melvin Ely
So the Clippers had two lottery picks and walked away with Chris Wilcox and Melvin Ely. But it was all part of the plan to draft Blake Griffin, then 13 years old, in 2009.
13. Milwaukee Bucks – Rasual Butler, SF (53)
Original selection: Marcus Haislip
I actually liked the Haislip pick at the time, but obviously it didn’t work out. As if Butler would have.
14. Indiana Pacers – Nenad Kristic, C (24)
Original selection: Fred Jones
Kristic had a couple of decent seasons, and in this draft, that makes you a lottery pick!
