This article is part of our The Prospect Post series.
IN HINDSIGHT: THE 2013 NBA DRAFT
This article aims to provide an ongoing evaluation of the NBA's rookie class from a fantasy standpoint while also offering deep dives on college players with bright futures. Projecting young talent is very subjective, so an open dialogue is encouraged, both in the comments section and on Twitter: @RealJRAnderson
While the 2014 draft class was heralded as perhaps the best since the 2003 class that featured LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and company, the 2013 draft was largely mocked as one of the worst collections of NBA prospects in recent memory. This sentiment has been proven true, to a certain extent. However, it is still a fun little group of role players and lottery tickets. This week I'm going to re-draft the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, with the invaluable tool of hindsight.
01.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Giannis Antetokounmpo
(Originally went 15th to Milwaukee)
(Original selection: Anthony Bennett)
Still just 19 years old, the Greek Freak has come on strong this year, now that he is finally starting to see significant playing time. Not only does Antetokounmpo have the highest upside of any player from the 2013 class, he is also the most marketable, and that matters when a franchise is struggling.
02.
Orlando Magic: Gorgui Dieng
(Originally went 21st to Minnesota)
(Original selection: Victor Oladipo)
Guards and wing players are pretty easy to find, even in drafts this shallow, but Dieng is a potentially dominant defensive center, and those are much harder to come by. The 24-year-old Senegalese big man is averaging a double-double with two-plus blocks per-36 minutes in his brief career, and should only get better as he starts to see minutes befitting of his skill set. This is the player people thought Nerlens Noel would be.
03.
Washington Wizards: Victor Oladipo
(Originally went second to Orlando)
(Original selection: Otto Porter)
Oladipo may never be a star, but his versatility on offense, and his stout defense make him a valuable piece of a contending team. He should have a long NBA career.
04.
Charlotte Bobcats: Steven Adams
(Originally went 12th to Oklahoma City)
(Original selection: Cody Zeller)
As with Dieng, Adams is helped by his position. He is big enough to handle any big man in the league defensively, and while he lacks a stroke at the free-throw line, he has shown signs of potential offensively. Adams is the kind of player that can make a difference in a playoff series.
05.
Phoenix Suns: Michael Carter-Williams
(Originally went 11th to Philadelphia)
(Original selection: Alex Len)
There are significant questions about Carter-Williams' ability to stay healthy going forward, but at this point in the re-draft, he is by far the most high-impact player available.
06.
New Orleans Pelicans: Nerlens Noel
(Originally went sixth to Philadelphia)
(Original selection: traded to Philadelphia 76ers, who selected Nerlens Noel)
This one stays the same. Noel was a high-upside pick at the time, and he remains a player to dream on, although there are questions about his rebounding and potential on the offensive end.
07.
Sacramento Kings: Anthony Bennett
(Originally went first to Cleveland)
(Original selection: Ben McLemore)
Bennett could still be one of the better players to come out of this class, despite the "bust" label that casual fans love to throw on him. He remains a dynamic physical presence, and in the right system, he could flourish down the line.
08.
Detroit Pistons: C.J. McCollum
(Originally went 10th to Portland)
(Original selection: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope)
McCollum cannot catch a break, as he has played in just 49 games in his young career due to injury. However, this is a guy who should have been taken higher than he was in 2013 based on talent, and in his limited run, he looks like a player with a bright future.
09.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Mason Plumlee
(Originally went 22nd to Brooklyn)
(Original selection: traded to Utah Jazz, who selected Trey Burke)
Plumlee leads all players from the class of 2013 in win shares at the time of this article, obviously due in part to playing on a playoff team, but he also brings a lot to the table without hurting his team.
10.
Portland Trail Blazers: Kelly Olynyk
(Originally went 13th to Boston)
(Original selection: C.J. McCollum)
Olynyk is a positive contributor. He's not great at anything, but he should be able to carve out a solid career as a backup big man who can play the four or the five.
11.
Philadelphia 76ers: Rudy Gobert
(Originally went 27th to Utah)
(Original selection: Michael Carter-Williams)
Gobert is still learning the NBA game, and at 22 years old, there are still a wide range of possible outcomes for his career. The worst-case scenario is that he plateaus as a backup center who protects the rim, and at this point in the re-draft, that is a valuable proposition.
12.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Tim Hardaway
(Originally went 24th to New York)
(Original selection: Steven Adams)
The Thunder could have really used a player like Hardaway early in the season. He is not always efficient, but Hardaway is a classic two guard who can fill it up if he needs to. There does not seem to be a good fit for him in New York, with J.R. Smith playing the exact same role, but Hardaway should still have plenty of moments in his career.
13.
Dallas Mavericks: Solomon Hill
(Originally went 23rd to Indiana)
(Original selection: traded to Boston Celtics, who selected Kelly Olynyk)
Hill can guard multiple positions, and should develop into a better three-point shooter in time.
14.
Utah Jazz: Ryan Kelly
(Originally went 48th to Los Angeles Lakers)
(Original selection: traded to Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected Shabazz Muhammad)
Kelly is not a fit for what the Lakers are currently trying to do, but he has a future as a quality stretch four off the bench under a more forward-thinking coach.
15.
Milwaukee Bucks: Cody Zeller
(Originally went fourth to Charlotte)
(Original selection: Giannis Antetokounmpo)
Zeller does not fit as a strong offensive option inside, but he has been solid defensively, and would be an upgrade over what the Bucks are currently getting from Zaza Pachulia.
16.
Boston Celtics: Ben McLemore
(Originally went seventh to Sacramento)
(Original selection: traded to Atlanta Hawks, who selected Lucas Nogueira)
The early returns this season suggest McLemore could be a three-point specialist, who offers nothing on defense. That's not close to what the Kings hoped to get when they drafted McLemore, but at this point in the re-draft, it's good enough to come off the board.
17.
Atlanta Hawks: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
(Originally went eighth to Detroit)
(Original selection: Dennis Schroder)
When Caldwell-Pope came into the league, he was supposed to be one of the best shooters from this draft class. That has not been the case, and if he is not going to shoot at even an average clip for his position, then he is the definition of replaceable. However, given his size and ability to defend, it is worth giving him a bit longer to find his stroke.
18. Atlanta Hawks: Otto Porter
(Originally went third to Washington)
(Original selection: traded to Dallas Mavericks, who selected Shane Larkin)
Porter should not have gone as high as he did in 2013. That much was obvious at the time of the draft. However, he has shown some promise this season, and should carve out a career as a versatile seventh or eighth man.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tony Snell
(Originally went 20th to Chicago)
(Original selection: Sergey Karasev)
Snell has not been given a chance to really develop against NBA competition, but in brief stretches he has looked quite capable. He could develop into a two-way wing player off the bench on a good team.
20.
Chicago Bulls: Shabazz Muhammad
(Originally went 14th to Minnesota)
(Original selection: Tony Snell)
Muhammad is a shooting guard on paper, but that hasn't stopped him from being used as a stretch four at times for Minnesota this year, which makes him interesting. He seems to genuinely want to succeed in the NBA, despite questionable makeup coming out of college, and his strength and shooting ability should keep him in the league for a while.
21. Utah Jazz: Matthew Dellavedova
(Originally undrafted)
(Original selection: traded to Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected Gorgui Dieng)
Dellavedova is the first player who went undrafted to come off the board in this re-draft, and while his numbers don't look noteworthy, he has not exactly had a great situation to play in. Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving dominate the ball in Cleveland, but if Dellavedova was ever given the backup point guard spot on a team with an offense based on passing and space, his career could take off.
22.
Brooklyn Nets: Nate Wolters
(Originally went 38th to Milwaukee)
(Original selection: Mason Plumlee)
Last season he was one of the most efficient players on the Bucks, and while he has not played well this season, Wolters has at least displayed that he can be a competent backup point guard in the NBA.
23.
Indiana Pacers: Reggie Bullock
(Originally went 25th to Los Angeles Clippers)
(Original selection: Solomon Hill)
It has been a shame that the Clippers have not found a way to give Bullock significant run, but he still has the size and the stroke to cover multiple positions and play potentially three positions on offense.
24.
New York Knicks: Alex Len
(Originally went fifth to Phoenix)
(Original selection: Tim Hardaway, Jr.)
Len has been coming along slowly, and finally resembles an NBA player this season. Maybe he should have come off the board a bit sooner in this exercise, but he still looks like a stiff at times, and he leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive end.
25.
Los Angeles Clippers: Isaiah Canaan
(Originally went 34th to Houston)
(Original selection: Reggie Bullock)
Canaan is not really a point guard, although that is what he plays for Houston because of the makeup of that roster. Although he can score the ball, and could be used in an Isaiah Thomas/J.J. Barea fashion off the bench.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves: Dennis Schroder
(Original selection: traded to Oklahoma City Thunder, who selected Andre Roberson)
Maybe Schroder will just be this generation's Rodrigue Beaubois, a foreign point guard who occasionally showcases upside, but eventually fizzles out of the league. Still, with the 26th pick in this draft, he is still worth the gamble.
27.
Denver Nuggets: James Ennis
(Originally went 50th to Miami)
(Original selection: traded to Utah Jazz, who selected Rudy Gobert)
When Ennis has gotten in games this season, things seem to happen. He might be a little raw, but there's a chance he can carve out a career as an energy guy off the bench.
28.
San Antonio Spurs: Livio Jean-Charles
(Original selection: Livio Jean-Charles)
The Spurs won the title last year. Jean-Charles has yet to play in the NBA. They are the Spurs. This is working according to plan.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Troy Daniels
(Originally undrafted)
(Original selection: traded to Phoenix Suns, who selected Archie Goodwin)
Daniels is a gunner, and has dominated in the D-League before. He has yet to receive a regular opportunity to do that in the NBA, but if he does, there's still a chance he can have success in an instant-offense role.
30. Phoenix Suns: Trey Burke
(Originally went ninth to Utah)
(Original selection: traded to Golden State Warriors, who selected Nemanja Nedovic)
Burke is below average at everything. He does not have that one defining skill, whether it be shooting, passing or defending, and he is not just an average all-around player. Even an average point guard would be valuable in the sense that they could offer solid minutes as a backup, but Burke's numbers do not even warrant him being given backup duties. Still, at this point, in the re-draft, it's worth gambling on Burke being able to turn himself into a Ramon Sessions type of player.
