OT: What if there was an NBA re-draft?

[PoppyHart]

Suppose every current NBA player is available for the draft. Teams are essentially starting from scratch, i.e. zero supporting cast at the moment, and drafting teams would retain their rights for 4 years, and then they'd be restricted free agents. What would your lottery look like? Age and health status certainly weigh heavy on the decision imo. Season would start in November.

My lottery:
1. Lebron (28) (no brainer)
2. Durant (24) (ibid)
3. Howard (27) (high risk, high reward)
4. Curry (25) (moving him ahead of Rondo due to age, health, and upside)
5. George (23) (a true superstar in the making and only 23)
6. Rose (24) (bit of gamble with knee and mental make-up, but best athlete at the 1)
7. Rondo (27) (would set the table and lead effectively for any new team)
8. Melo (28) (plenty more years of 25-30 ppg performances)
9. Paul (28) (needs to show me more in the April and May)
10. Westbrook (24) (not as dynamic offensively as Curry, and not a true PG; great athlete)
11. Harden (23) (perhaps a bit undersized, but can fill it up and keeps improving at only 23)
12. Irving (21) (more value at 21 than 31-year-old Parker, despite health concerns)
13. Davis (20) (a gamble, but I give him the edge over 28-year-old Noah)

 

[jr4750]

I like it, but I think Steph Curry is a little injury prone as well...I think Chris Paul is a little too low, and Griffin's gotta be in the top ten...

 

[JrodCuse]

1 and 2 are both no brainers. I think you're leaving some key players off of this list. What about Marc Gasol? Hibbert? I would take them both over Dwight the way his past few seasons have gone and all his drama, he wouldn't even be top 10 for me. Kevin Love would need to be top 5. Guy is a manimal. David Lee would need to be on this list too (Anyone who averages 20/10 is a must have). I need to see a bit more from Paul George before putting him at #5 overall in the league, but he certainly has some serious potential. Hard to put Rose and Rondo at 6/7 considering they both coming off serious knee injuries.

 

[orangepassion]

Agree w/ jr about Curry-That's the 1st thing that came to my mind when i saw this list. I would take Melo over Curry

 

[Melancer46]

I think Curry is too high, and I'd be surprised if Melo went ahead of any of those guys besides maybe Unibrow.

 

[Knicks411]

I think after 1-2 I have no idea. Curry's ankles would be a bit of a worry

 

[Orangezoo]

I think I would put George at # 3. Dude is just starting to tap his potential.

Mine Would be

1- Bron
2- Durant
3- George
4-Curry ( injury or not - just an unbelievable player)
5- Melo
6- Rose ( as good as he is - his playing style worries me that he will be a constant injury risk)
7-Westbrook ( look how OKC faired without him)
8- Paul
9-Howard ( needs to prove he can really help a team win)
10-Hibbert - getting better and better and is downright dominant at times - top center in the league at the moment
11- Harden
12-Parker ( his game should allow him to stay around like Nash did)
13-Rondo ( with injuries, maturity etc he is still a wild card in my opinion)

 

[Alsacs]

Harden is too low IMO my top 10 would be
1. Lebron James(obvious and the gap between 1 and the rest of the field is large)
2. Kevin Durant (is good, but showed without Westbrook isn't as dominant)
3. Paul George(if he wins the NBA title this year he would become 2 IMO)
4. Dwight Howard( still young and can dominate if motivated)
5. Russell Westbrook(young PG who can score and distribute)
6. James Harden( 23 yrs old and showed how good he was carrying a young Houston team to 45 wins.)
7. Steph Curry- needs to stay healthy, but is the best pure shooter in the NBA right now.
8. Derrick Rose- if he was healthy would move up to number 5
9/10. Chris Paul/Rajon Rondo too close for me pick between. Rondo better passer, rebounder, defender if motivated while Paul is the better shooter and better leader.

Good discussion though. Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge, are the next tier.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Suppose every current NBA player is available for the draft. Teams are essentially starting from scratch, i.e. zero supporting cast at the moment, and drafting teams would retain their rights for 4 years, and then they'd be restricted free agents. What would your lottery look like? Age and health status certainly weigh heavy on the decision imo. Season would start in November.

My lottery:
1. Lebron (28) (no brainer)
2. Durant (24) (ibid)
3. Howard (27) (high risk, high reward)
4. Curry (25) (moving him ahead of Rondo due to age, health, and upside)
5. George (23) (a true superstar in the making and only 23)
6. Rose (24) (bit of gamble with knee and mental make-up, but best athlete at the 1)
7. Rondo (27) (would set the table and lead effectively for any new team)
8. Melo (28) (plenty more years of 25-30 ppg performances)
9. Paul (28) (needs to show me more in the April and May)
10. Westbrook (24) (not as dynamic offensively as Curry, and not a true PG; great athlete)
11. Harden (23) (perhaps a bit undersized, but can fill it up and keeps improving at only 23)
12. Irving (21) (more value at 21 than 31-year-old Parker, despite health concerns)
13. Davis (20) (a gamble, but I give him the edge over 28-year-old Noah)

14. Kevin Love

(14 lottery picks)

 

[Melancer46]

Harden is too low IMO my top 10 would be
1. Lebron James(obvious and the gap between 1 and the rest of the field is large)
2. Kevin Durant (is good, but showed without Westbrook isn't as dominant)
3. Paul George(if he wins the NBA title this year he would become 2 IMO)
4. Dwight Howard( still young and can dominate if motivated)
5. Russell Westbrook(young PG who can score and distribute)
6. James Harden( 23 yrs old and showed how good he was carrying a young Houston team to 45 wins.)
7. Steph Curry- needs to stay healthy, but is the best pure shooter in the NBA right now.
8. Derrick Rose- if he was healthy would move up to number 5
9/10. Chris Paul/Rajon Rondo too close for me pick between. Rondo better passer, rebounder, defender if motivated while Paul is the better shooter and better leader.

Good discussion though. Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge, are the next tier.

I think I agree with all of this, though I'd probably put Rose above Curry because Curry doesn't play any defense and also has injury concerns. After that 10, I'd probably go Kyrie, Love, Blake Griffin, and then Melo, Anthony Davis, or Tony Parker. Sleeper pick might be Jrue Holiday or John Wall just banking on them figuring it out at some point in their 4 years and becoming a legitimate star.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think I agree with all of this, though I'd probably put Rose above Curry because Curry doesn't play any defense and also has injury concerns. After that 10, I'd probably go Kyrie, Love, Blake Griffin, and then Melo, Anthony Davis, or Tony Parker. Sleeper pick might be Jrue Holiday or John Wall just banking on them figuring it out at some point in their 4 years and becoming a legitimate star.

I love Rose's game - I just don't think he lasts. Dude is always injured it seems and plays with reckless abandon. Its a shame because if he could string together some healthy seasons - would be incredible to watch. To big of a risk to me...

 

[Melancer46]

I love Rose's game - I just don't think he lasts. Dude is always injured it seems and plays with reckless abandon. Its a shame because if he could string together some healthy seasons - would be incredible to watch. To big of a risk to me...

He's only missed like 4 games in his career before last year/this year though. I don't remember what his big injury was last year before the playoffs though.

 

[Orangezoo]

He's only missed like 4 games in his career before last year/this year though. I don't remember what his big injury was last year before the playoffs though.

true - but just watching him play - nearly every drive to the hoop makes you cringe.. with a horrible knee injury coupled with that ailment pre-playoffs - I would be wary..

 

[Melancer46]

true - but just watching him play - nearly every drive to the hoop makes you cringe.. with a horrible knee injury coupled with that ailment pre-playoffs - I would be wary..

Yeah that's fair. It would be a tough choice IMO.

 

[Knicks411]

I think Rose played through a ton of injuries before the ACL blew out last year, fwiw

 

[skurey]

1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Anthony Davis
4. Howard
5. Chris Paul
6. Westbrook
7. Irving
8. Rose
9. Harden
10. The Real Gasol
11. Hibbert
12. Curry
13. Melo
14. Wade

 

[TinyManInside]

I wouldn't put Chris Paul or Dwight Howard in my top 10.

Howard is a baby.

Chris Paul is overrated and the PG position, IMO, just isn't as important in the NBA as it is in college.

 

[moqui]

the PG position, IMO, just isn't as important in the NBA as it is in college.

was discussing that with a friend the other day . . . you have to go back to Isaiah Thomas to find a team that was led to an NBA title by a point guard. Maybe Westbrook will be able to drag KD over the finish line and be the next one to make the claim.

You don't need one to win, but on the other hand, a good opposing point guard on a hot streak can run you out of the playoffs at any time (or at least threaten to).

 

[Melancer46]

was discussing that with a friend the other day . . . you have to go back to Isaiah Thomas to find a team that was led to an NBA title by a point guard. Maybe Westbrook will be able to drag KD over the finish line and be the next one to make the claim.

You don't need one to win, but on the other hand, a good opposing point guard on a hot streak can run you out of the playoffs at any time (or at least threaten to).

Tony Parker did win a Finals MVP, though Duncan was still an elite big man at the time I believe.

 

[alphaorange]

No love for Deron Williams? Jrue Holiday? John Wall?

 

[skurey]

If John Wall continue his play next season he will certainly have a case to be up there.

 

[Knicks411]

was discussing that with a friend the other day . . . you have to go back to Isaiah Thomas to find a team that was led to an NBA title by a point guard. Maybe Westbrook will be able to drag KD over the finish line and be the next one to make the claim.

You don't need one to win, but on the other hand, a good opposing point guard on a hot streak can run you out of the playoffs at any time (or at least threaten to).

No love for Derek Fisher?!?!?!?

Though more seriously, maybe you could make an argument for Billups with the 04 Pistons. Without checking the stats, I'd say he was their best offensive player, though combining offense and defense Sheed was probably their top guy

 

[Alsacs]

BTW, Congrats to Kobe Bryant for making his 11th All-NBA 1st team which tied Karl Malone for most all-time, and Tim Duncan with his 10th All-NBA 1st team.

I agree Isiah Thomas is the last PG to be the alpha dog on a championship team. Billups was the NBA Finals MVP like Tony Parker in 2007, but I don't think Billups was the best player on that team. Jason Kidd with the Nets was probably the last PG to drag his team to the NBA Finals.

 

[Alsacs]

Harden and Paul George on the 3rd team All-NBA is a joke.
My first team
Lebron James
Kobe Bryant
James Harden
Kevin Durant
Tim Duncan

2nd team
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Paul
Russell Westbrook
Paul George
Marc Gasol

3rd team
Blake Griffin
Tony Parker
David Lee
Kyrie Irving
Dwight Howard

 

[moqui]

No love for Derek Fisher?!?!?!?

Though more seriously, maybe you could make an argument for Billups with the 04 Pistons. Without checking the stats, I'd say he was their best offensive player, though combining offense and defense Sheed was probably their top guy

yeah, but he didn't dominate the team . . . the Pistons were a fluke in that they are the only team in . . . decades that didn't have a bona fide superstar at the head.

same thing with Parker on the Spurs. He had a great Finals, but it was Timmy who led them there.