2000 NBA Re-Draft: A look back at the lottery
The best players from the 2000 NBA draft — Where do they go in this redo?
Today I will be starting A new NBA Redraft series where we look back on prior NBA Drafts and redo each lottery pick as if I were The G.M. Each Pick will be based on team needs at the time and/or best players available.
Today we will be starting with the 2000 NBA Draft, one of the worst Drafts not just in NBA history, but in all of professional sports history.
1. New Jersey Nets: Kenyon Martin, PF, Cincinnati, Sr.- Original Draft slot- 1st Overall
Career Stats: 757 Games, 667 Starts, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 AST, 1.1 BLK, 1.2 STL 48% FG
Career Awards/Accomplishments: 1x All-Star, 2000–01 All-Rookie Team
Nets Original Pick: Kenyon Martin
While Kenyon Martin isn’t exactly a dream number one pick, not a superstar, not even a perennial all-star, he had a solid and successful 15 season career in the NBA. His best years were with the new Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets. He helped the Nets reach the NBA Finals two seasons in a row in the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons.
The Nets made the right pick here even though Martin would only play 4 seasons for the Nets. In a historically bad Draft, Kenyon Martin is the obvious pick here.
2) Vancouver Grizzlies: Michael Redd, SG, Ohio State, Jr. — Original Draft slot- 43rd Overall
Career Stats: 629 Games, 429 Starts, 19.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 AST, 83 FT%, 44 FG%, 38 3P%
Career Awards/Accomplishments: 1x All-Star, 2003–04 Third All-NBA team
Grizzlies Original Pick: Stromile Swift
The best player on the board at this point is Michael Redd. if it weren’t for career-ending injuries that cut his prime short at the young age of 32, Redd would’ve been the number one pick. Still, his prime 7 seasons with Milwaukee are worth the 2nd pick in this weak 2000 NBA Draft Class. At his peak, Redd was a 26 PPG scorer and a deadly 3 point marksman.
3) Los Angeles Clippers: Hedo Turkologu, SF/PF, Turkey — Original Draft slot- 16th Overall
Career Stats: 997 Games, 571 Starts, 11.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.8 AST, 42 FG%, 78 FT%, 38 3P%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2000–01 All-Rookie 2nd Team, 2007–08 Most improved Player
Clippers Original Pick: Darius Miles
At the time, the Clips were looking for a SF and drafted Darius Miles. Safe to say, that wasn’t a good pick even in a bad Draft. Instead, the Clippers take the more versatile and better prospect in Turkologu, who was an instrumental part of the late 2000s and early 2010’s Orlando Magic.
4) Chicago Bulls: Mike Miller, SG/SF, Florida, Soph. — Original Draft slot- 5th Overall
Career Stats: 1032 Games, 570 Starts, 10.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.6 AST, 45 FG%, 76% FT, 40 3P%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2000–01 ROY, 2000–01 All-Rookie 1st Team, 2005–06 Sixth Man of the Year, 2x NBA Champion
Bulls Original Pick: Marcus Fizer
In his prime, Mike Miller was a really good starting wing player who could spread the floor and score the basketball. He also could do it off the bench, hence his 2005–06 Sixth man of the year award. Miller was a crucial part of the Miami Heats’ back-to-back Championship run in the 2011–12, and 2012–13 Seasons. Miller shot 42% from the 3 point line and helped the Big “3” spread the floor. In this Re-Draft, Miller would be a much better pick than Fizer who was a major bust, even in an atrocious Draft class.
5) Orlando Magic: Jamal Crawford, SG, Michigan, Fr. — Original Draft slot- 8th Overall
Career Stats: 1326 Games, 14.6 PPG, 3.4 AST, 41 FG%, 34 3P%, 86% FT
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 3x Sixth Man of The year (2010, 2014, 2016)
Magic Original Pick: Mike Miller
If it weren’t for the fact that Jamal Crawford isn’t a good defender, shoots a very low percentage, and takes a lot of low percentage shots, he may have gone higher in this 2000 NBA Re-Draft. He may have even made a couple of All-Star Teams if he played with more discipline. As it stands, his reckless style is best suited for carrying a teams’ second unit. With Mike Miller off the board, the Magic take another prolific bench scoring Sixth Man.
6) Atlanta Hawks: Desmond Mason, SG/SF, Oklahoma State, Sr. — Original Draft slot- 17th Overall
Career Stats: 643 Games, 385 Starts, 12.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 44 FG%,
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2000–01 All-Rookie Second Team
Hawks Original Pick: DerMarr Johnson
In today’s NBA, Mason would probably not even be a 1st round pick. Today’s NBA calls for its SG’s/SF’s to be able to hit the 3 point shot consistently. That wasn’t Masons’ game (66 total three-pointers made in his entire career on a 26 3P% clip). The good news is, this is early to mid-2000s and, Mason's defense and, athletic ability fit right in for a team like the Hawks who were looking for just that at the time of the 2000 NBA Draft, they just took the wrong player.
7) Chicago Bulls: Jamaal Magloire, C, Kentucky, Sr. — Original Draft slot- 19th Overall
Career Stats: 680 Games, 314 Starts, 7.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.9 BLK, 48 FG%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 1x All-Star
Bulls Original Pick: Chris Mihm (Traded to Cleveland)
Magloire had a solid career and is arguably the best player available at this point. He was a good rebounder, low post presence, and defender. His best season came in the 2003–04 season, where he averaged a double-double 13.6 PPG and 10.3 RPG, to go along with 1.2 BLK.
8) Cleveland Cavaliers: Quentin Richardson, SG/SF, DePaul, Soph. — Original Draft slot- 18th Overall
Career Stats: 783 Games, 486 Starts, 10.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 39 FG%, 35 3P%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: All-Star 3 Point Champion (2005)
Cavaliers Original Pick: Jamal Crawford (Traded to Chicago)
The “drop off” in talent in an already bad Draft begins here. In this Re-Draft the Cavs don’t get Crawford but they do get a terrific 3 point shooter in Richardson that shot the 3 at a 35 3P% clip.
Richardson’s most memorable run as an NBA player came when he was a part of the high-scoring Phoenix Suns 2004–05 team.
9) Houston Rockets: Morris Peterson, SG/SF, Michigan State, Sr. — Original Draft slot- 21st Overall
Career Stats: 711 Games, 488 Starts, 10.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 41 FG%, 37 3P%, 77% FT
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2000–01 All-Rookie 1st Team
Rockets Original Pick: Joel Przybilla (Traded to Milwaukee Bucks)
“Mo Pete” is kind of a forgotten player, whose career was quietly solid. I can remember being in the 4th Grade playing NBA Live 2003 on my PlayStation 2 (with Jason Kidd on the cover), and I liked using Peterson’s 3 Point prowess on the Toronto Raptor. The good ole days. Peterson was a solid starting SG that did what was asked of him, which was hit the open shot when his number was called and he was good at it.
10) Orlando Magic: Keyon Dooling, SG/PG, Missouri, Soph. — Original Draft slot- 10th Overall
Career Stats: 728 Games, 7.2 PPG, 2.2 AST, 41 FG%, 34 3P%, 79% FT
Career Accomplishments/Awards: None
Magic Original Pick: Keyon Dooling (Traded to L.A. Clippers)
Yes, this Draft is wearing thin on talent, as seen with this pick of a man who never averaged at least 10 PPG in any of his professional seasons. Nonetheless, Dooling played in a lot of games, had a pretty lengthy career, and stuck around in the NBA as a solid back-up PG that could get hot and score, and run the second unit. No change here for the Magic, in a Draft short on talent, they made the right choice.
11) Boston Celtics: Eddie House, PG/SG, Arizona State, Sr. — Original Draft slot- 37th Overall
Career Stats: 717 Games, 7.5 PPG, 1.6 AST, 1.7 RPG, 40 FG%, 39 3P%, 85% FT
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2007–08 NBA Champion
Celtics Original Pick: Jerome Moiso
Eddie House was a SG in a PG’s body. He could shoot the three. His best season came in the Mike D’Antoni system in Phoenix, where he was the back-up to Steve Nash, and scored a career-high 9.8 PPG, and shot 38% from the 3 point line. He would later go on to help the “Big 3” (and Rondo) of Boston to spread the floor and win a Championship in the 2007–08 Season. Ironically, in this 2000 NBA Re-Draft, the Celtics take House here and are much happier with the pick than the horrible pick of Jerome Moiso.
12) Dallas Mavericks: Darius Miles, SF/PF, East St. Louis H.S. (Illinois) — Original Draft slot- 3rd Overall
Career Stats: 446 Games, 10.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.1 BLK, 47 FG%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2000–01 All-Rookie 1st Team
Mavericks Original Pick: Etan Thomas
At this point talent and potential reign supreme over “solid contributors”, especially in this historically weak Draft class. Darius Miles had a strange Career. He had a promising start with the Clippers but he could never find any consistency or consistent playing time.
If I were the G.M. of the Mavericks I would take Miles and, try to develop him into a player with better habits and, give him more of a chance to grow and develop in a solid environment. Those Clipper teams he played on in the early 2000s were a joke and had no veteran leadership.
Maybe if Miles grows into a different team system, an environment like the Mavs, who are a well-run organization, his career, and potential bear fruit. If I’m the G.M. of the Mavs here I’m willing to bet on Miles here as opposed to the other players left on the board.
13) Orlando Magic: Eduardo Najera, PF, Oklahoma, Sr. — Original Draft Slot- 38th Overall
Career Stats: 619 Games, 4.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 48 FG%, 0.7 STL
Career Accomplishments/Awards: None
Magic Original Pick: Courtney Alexander (Traded to Dallas Mavericks)
You know a Draft is bad when a career 4 PPG scorer is a lottery pick. Nonetheless, there isn’t much to say here. The best thing I can say about Najera is that a lot of what he brought to the table did no show up on the boxscore. He was a great rotational energy glue guy, that set great screens, played hard defense, and hustled. There I tried. Congrats Orlando.
14) Detroit Pistons: Joel Przybilla, C, Minnesota, Soph.
Career Stats: 592 Games, 397 Starts, 3.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.4 BLK, 55 FG%,
Career Accomplishments/Awards: None
Pistons Original Pick: Mateen Cleaves
Despite the Career 4 PPG joke made in the previous pick, for full disclosure, I think Najera or Przybilla would’ve been a great pick here for the Pistons. They fit the mold of those early 2000’s Piston Championship teams. Przybilla brought little on the offensive end, but on defense, he averaged 6.2 RPG and 1.4 BLK, his stats per 36 minutes were even more impressive, 11.2 RPG, and 2.6 BLK. Not bad for a backup big.
I will continue to do the NBA Re-Draft series up until the 2016 NBA Draft, then start an NFL Re-Draft Series. Hope you guys enjoyed thanks for reading. See you next time!
