1988 NBA Re-Draft

This is the second of my NBA re-drafts. The goal is to re-do all the professional drafts of my lifetime which began in 1987. Here is the 1988 NBA Re-Draft. Let's look at how different the NBA would look if the teams got it right way back when. Here is a look back at the 1987 re-draft.

For accuracy and length purposes, only the 1st round is redone in these redrafts.

1 Los Angeles Clippers

Select: SG      Hershey Hawkins      Bradley

Hawkins was actually selected by the Clippers with the 6th overall selection.

Actual Selection: F     Danny Manning       Kansas

Manning was a fine pro and had a good career, but the Clippers 2nd selection in 1988 actually had a better pick. Hershey Hawkins had a really solid career that spanned 13 seasons and saw him average 14.7 points per game.

2 Indiana Pacers

Select: PF       Anthony Mason        Tennessee State

Mason was actually selected in the 3rd round with the 53rd overall pick by the Trailblazers.

Actual Selection: C     Rick Smits         Marist

Smiths was solid and a good pick, but Mason was the slightly better all-around player. He averaged 2 more rebounds and 2 more assists per game than Smits. Perhaps Mason could have been the boost that Reggie Miller's Pacers needed.

3 Philadelphia 76ers

Select: SG     Mitch Richmond       Kansas State

Richmond was actually selected by the Warriors with the 5th overall selection.

Actual Selection: F      Charles Smith      Pittsburgh

Richmond was the big points scorer of this draft scoring 21 points per game over his 14 year career. Having his shooting presence would have been a big asset to the Barkley led 76ers.

4 New Jersey Nets

Select: PG            Rod Strickland       DePaul

Strickland was actually selected with the 19th overall selection by the New York Knicks.

Actual Selection: SF     Chris Morris       Auburn

Rod Strickland was a great point guard and an underrated star of the 90s decade. He nearly averaged a double double and had a far better career than Morris.

5 Golden State Warriors

Select: SF            Dan Majerle        Central Michigan

Majerle was actually selected with the 14th overall selection by the Phoenix Suns.

Actual Selection: SG     Mitch Richmond       Kansas State

Richmond was the best scorer in the draft and a great pick, but he's gone in the re-draft. Majerle was a solid pro that wasn't quite at Richmond's level, but he would have been a solid selection and is a great choice in the re-draft.

6 Los Angeles Clippers

Select: PG           Avery Johnson      Southern

Johnson actually went undrafted in the 1988 NBA Draft.

Actual Selection: SG      Hershey Hawkins      Bradley

Johnson was a winner and a solid point guard that would have done well on the Clippers. The fact that he went undrafted is a crime. The Clippers love the chance to draft this guy in the re-draft and add him to a backcourt with Hershey Hawkins.

7 Phoenix Suns

Select: C     Rick Smits         Marist

Smits was actually selected with the 2nd overall selection by the Indiana Pacers.

Actual Selection: C        Tim Perry          Temple

Tim Perry was not effective as a pro and the Suns could have done much better with this selection. However, Rick Smits was gone in  the actual draft and they wanted a center. Here in the re-draft, Smits was available and the Suns are greatful.

8 Charlotte Hornets

Select: PF          Grant Long            Eastern Michigan

Long was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 33rd overall pick by the Miami Heat.

Actual Selection: PG       Rex Chapman       Kentucky

Grant Long was not selected until the 2nd round, but he was a better pro than Rex Chapman. Long had a 15 yr NBA career where he averaged 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds.

9 Miami Heat

Select: F     Danny Manning       Kansas

Manning was actually selected with the 1st overall selection by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Actual Selection: C         Rony Seikaly         Syracuse

The 15 year vet, Danny Manning, actually went 1st in the draft. Here in the re-draft, Manning is a bargain at #9.

10 San Antonio Spurs

Select: SG       John Starks        Oklahoma State

Starks actually went undrafted in the 1988 NBA Draft.

Actual Selection: SF       Willie Anderson      Georgia

The Spurs needed some scorers and were waiting on David Robinson's service commitment back in 1988. Selecting Starks in the re-draft, allows San Antonio to get some scoring punch into the lineup.

11 Chicago Bulls

Select: PG       Steve Kerr        Arizona

Kerr was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 50th overall selection by the Phoenix Suns.

Actual Selection: C          Will Perdue         Vanderbilt

Kerr was a key part of several Bulls championships. They want to keep him in the fold via the re-draft.

12 Washington Bullets

Select: F      Charles Smith      Pittsburgh

Smith was actually selected with the 3rd overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Actual Selection: PF          Harvey Grant      Oklahoma

Charles Smith was gone in the actual draft, but he's available here now. He averaged 5 more points per game than Grant and was clearly a superior player. Washington would love to get Smith in the re-draft and keep him from the rival 76ers.

13 Milwaukee Bucks

Select: PG      Vinny Del Negro      NC State

Del Negro was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 29th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings.

Actual Selection: SF           Jeff Grayer        Iowa State

The 12 year vet Del Negro should have been a 1st rounder, especially in this weak draft class. Here in the re-draft, Del Negro goes 13 to the Bucks.

14 Phoenix Suns

Select: C         Rony Seikaly         Syracuse

Seikaly was actually selected with the 9th overall selection by the Miami Heat.

Actual Selection: SF            Dan Majerle     Central Michigan

Majerle is gone in the re-draft so the Suns pick best player available. That is Rony Seikaly, who was gone in the actual draft.

15 Seattle Supersonics

Select: SF     Chris Morris       Auburn

Morris was actually selected with the 4th overall selection by the New Jersey Nets.

Actual Selection: PG            Gary Grant       Michigan

Morris was gone in the actual draft and the obvious choice in the re-draft. The 11 yr vet averaged 11 per game and is a clear top 15 guy in this draft class.

16 Houston Rockets

Select: PF          Harvey Grant        Oklahoma

Grant was actually selected with the 12th overall pick by the Washington Bullets.

Actual Selection: SF             Derrick Chievous      Missouri

Harvey was solid and clearly better as a pro than Chievous. Grant spent 11 years in the NBA, while Chievous only spent 3.

17 Utah Jazz

Select: PG          Michael Williams       Baylor

Williams was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 48th overall pick by Detroit Pistons.

Actual Selection: C               Eric Leckner        Wyoming

Williams would have been a solid back up point guard to John Stockton which is about the best they could do in this draft. He's clearly the best player available and possible trade bait at some point. 

18 Sacramento Kings

Select: C            Andrew Lang          Arkansas

Lang was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 28th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns.

Actual Selection: SG            Ricky Berry        San Jose State

Andrew Lang was a solid big man for 12 seasons and a better player than anyone else available. 

19 New York Knicks

Select: SF       Willie Anderson        Georgia

Anderson was actually selected with the 10th overall selection by the San Antonio Spurs.

Actual Selection: PG            Rod Strickland       DePaul

Anderson was actually gone in the real draft and Strickland is long gone in the re-draft. Rod was a much better pro, but Anderson was solid and would have been a decent selection for the Knicks at this point.

20 Miami Heat

Select: PG        Vernon Maxwell        Florida

Maxwell was actually selected in the 2nd round with the 47th overall pick by the Nuggets.

Actual Selection: PG            Kevin Edwards       DePaul

Maxwell was a much better player than Edwards and averaged 12.8 points per game over a 13 year career. He is a bargain here for the Heat at 20 overall.

21 Portland Trailblazers

Select: PG       Rex Chapman       Kentucky

Chapman was actually selected with the 8th overall selection by the Charlotte Hornets.

Actual Selection: C              Mark Bryant          Seton Hall

Rex Chapman was crazy overdrafted in 1988, but he was still a 1st round value in this weak class. He had a solid 12 year career and would have fit well with the Blazers.

22 Cleveland Cavaliers

Select: C          Will Perdue         Vanderbilt

Perdue was actually selected with the 11th overall selection by the Chicago Bulls.

Actual Selection: SF             Randolph Keys       Southern Mississippi

The 13 year solid pro was still first round value. The Cavs would have done much better to get him at 22. Keys only lasted 5 years and was simply a bad pick.

23 Denver Nuggets

Select: PG             Brian Shaw         UC Santa Barbara

Shaw was actually selected with the 24th overall selection by the Boston Celtics.

Actual Selection: PF             Jerome Lane        Pittsburgh

Most probably remember Shaw at this point for his years as a pro, but he was actually a solid guard in the NBA.

24 Boston Celtics

Select: C              Mark Bryant          Seton Hall

Bryant was actually selected with the 21st overall selection by the Portland Trailblazers.

Actual Selection: PG             Brian Shaw         UC Santa Barbara

Shaw was a solid guard, and gone in the re-draft, but the Celtica may have actually benefitted from getting a big man instead. This could especially be true for Bryant, who lasted 15 years in the league.

25 Los Angeles Lakers

Select: SG            Duane Ferrell         Georgia Tech

Ferrell was actually undrafted in the 1988 NBA Draft.

Actual Selection: PG             David Rivers        Notre Dame

Ferrell went undrafted in the real draft, but he shouldn't have. He was a better guard than Rivers and would have helped the Los Angeles franchise.

- Noland

Why NBA Teams Should Pick Bernard James

All FSU basketball fans love Bernard James. As I have previously reported, he should be loved by all Americans because he is a patriot. That post can be found here. Now CBS 9 News in Washington released an article about the positives of Bernard James. I'd love for the Wizards or Spurs to get James in the 2nd round because he is such a positive influence. He would definitely be a welcome addition in Washington where he could be reunited with Chris Singleton.

I will get back to why I want him in Washington later, but I wanted to get to the CBS article. The NBA Draft is in 11 days and the article points out that James will likely go in round 2, but then it goes deeper.

It talks about James' age and that he is 27. Mentioned is the fact that James got cut from his Freshman HS team, but it goes further than that. James dropped out of school and earned his GED. Quite the unusual path. Then James took an even more unusual path. As I mentioned in my previous post on James, he joined the Air Force a month after earning his GED. The article talked in detail about his service just like my last post on James, but then it talked about why the Wizards should add him and I agree. I will quote the end of the article right from the site and you can easily see why I want him in Washington.

"James walked away from the interview with a quote that should be stapled above most of the Wizards players lockers.
"I understand teamwork. I'm mature. I'm a professional and I know how to come to work everyday."
How could an NBA executive not salivate over James' real-life approach? On a Washington team that's almost too young for it's own good, adding the maturity of a player like Bernard James should be valued much higher than gambling on a second round pick and his "upside.""

That is exactly it. Bernard James is a leader, he works hard, and he gets it. On a team that has been lazy in the past and has had a problem with effort, James is a refreshing change of pace. On the Wizards frontline to go with Kevin Seraphin, don't we want guys like Bernard James. We have a great start with Nene and Booker, but James can only add to that. Adding James would give Wizards fans a front line that they can be proud of for the first time ever. This guy should be added to the team.

Maybe adding him would make my cousin Adam a big basketball fan again too, maybe.

-Noland

Wizards Draft Plan

This post will outline various scenarios for the Wizards draft. Everyone knows that Anthony Davis is going to the Hornets at 1, the question is what do we do at 3? Another question is what do the Bobcats do at 2? Going by Jordan's track record there is a good chance he will blow the #2 pick so many scenarios are on the table.

Scenario #1: Bobcats select Kidd Gilchrist
Kidd Gilchrist is one of the few guys in this draft I can be ok with the Wizards selecting. I prefer Singleton starting and so do the Wizards I believe, but I think we can survive with both guys starting. Kidd Gilchrist, Singleton, Seraphin, Nene, and Wall is a solid starting five. That five also gets at it on the defensive end and Crawford can come off the bench if we need a scoring punch. With Gilchrist off the board it makes it less likely the Wiz get a capable starter. Without Gilchrist I prefer the Wizards trade the pick.

Scenario #2: Bobcats select Harrison Barnes
Barnes is a UNC guy just like Jordan. Don't dismiss the connection. Barnes is actually the player I prefer if the Wizards stay at 3, but I don't know if they will reach for him. With the Bobcats selecting Barnes, the Wizards should either select Kidd Gilchrist or trade the pick.

Scenario #3: Bobcats select Bradley Beal
I do not want to touch Bradley Beal with a 10 foot pole in this draft. This is the scenario I am wanting and the one I think has a realistic chance of happening. I still believe trading the pick has more value and the value of the pick goes up as Beal is picked. However, if the Wizards select Barnes or MKG I am ok with that.

Scenario #4: Bobcats select Andre Drummond
The scouting report on Drummond is big, strong, and talented. The knock is that he needs to be motivated all the time. Big, strong, talented, trouble being motivated, does that sound familiar? We don't need Blatche or Brown version 2 in Washington. This is the other player I don't want in Washington. We finally have a young team that works hard. The Wizards do not want to ruin that by bringing in more lazy players. If the Bobcats pick Drummond we should be thanking our lucky stars.

Scenario #5: Bobcats select Thomas Robinson
The Bobcats may opt for the veteran leader in Thomas Robinson. That pick might work out for the Bobcats. They may decide that Robinson needs to be there so they have a player who is ready to contribute and get better. I wouldn't mind having Robinson on the team in Washington either. You don't want a bench guy with the #3 pick though. Again if Robinson fell the Wizards probably wouldn't take him. If the Bobcats do pick Robinson it won't really hurt the Wizards.

So since the best option appears to be trade, what are our options there?
On the trade front there isn't to much that meets the eye. A few teams have multiple 1sts, but not many.

Golden State has picks 7 and 30
Portland has picks 6 and 11
New Orleans has the best setup as they pick again at 10 after picking 1
Houston picks 14 and 16
Boston picks 21 and 22
Cleveland picks 4 and 24

Obviously the two of those that jump out as appealing are Portland with picks 6 and 11 and Cleveland at 4 and 24. Cleveland is appealing because if you can get an extra 1st rounder by trading one spot down in this draft it is huge. Portland would be even better. If we could get Barnes and Lamb, we'd be hitting the jackpot in my opinion. Not likely we get both, but we can compete with those two added to our rotation. Either one of those and Austin Rivers would be another way to go. I like the potential scoring from Rivers, Barnes, and Jeremy Lamb. Those three have more potential than the majority of draft picks as well.

Perhaps the most likely trade down scenario is Golden State. Golden State is appealing. You pick up a back end first rounder and still get a shot at Barnes or Jeremy Lamb. You can probably trade the 7th pick down to 10 or so and get Austin Rivers also. Rivers may be the pick here to fit with Washington. I say that for a couple of reasons. Rivers is a scorer whom the Wiz desperately need. However, Rivers also passes the ball and is a good ball handler. Sometimes, Wall is most effective as a scorer and Rivers can reset the offense when things break down. He also is a hard worker and coach's son, so we don't have to worry about work ethic, attitude, and basketball IQ. Not only that, but he tries to make everyone around him better. With Rivers and Wall we would have an incredibly small backcourt, but they could work well off one another. The appeal of Rivers is one of the reasons I want to trade down. Rivers is a bit of a risky pick and picking up the other 1st rounder could be huge.

Another likely trade down partner is Houston. There is a slim chance Rivers will be there at 14. Is it worth risking if Rivers is our guy? Perhaps not, but there are decent players available at those spots. Rivers is currently projected 13. You never know if the Celtics will trade up to get Rivers to pair with Rondo. Perhaps, they are done with the big 3. The draft presents so many interesting scenarios. Currently the 14th pick is projected to be John Henson. Henson is the ACC defensive player of the year and will obviously contribute on that end. He could provide insurance for an injured Nene and again isn't one of the players you need to worry about with the smarts and effort. At 16 the North Carolina point guard is projected. By adding Marshall, the Wizards have their back up point guard. Marshall is a very good back up point at that. I'd be ok with landing those two. I would prefer Henson and Rivers if we went this route, but you never know what will happen.

I think Boston is too far down to make it appealing unless they package a player. Should sure be interesting to watch. Soon, I will have other trade scenarios not involving picks. That one will be really interesting.

-Noland

Draft Lottery Results

For the past 30 minutes I have seen the Toronto Blue Jays destroy the Orioles on my computer (MLB TV's Free Game) while watching the NBA Draft Lottery. The lottery went a little better than the O's game during that time, but not by much.

The Wizards could have done no worse than 5th in the lottery after finishing with the 2nd worst record. However, the Wizards won't pick 2nd, they will pick 3rd. Not too bad, but it could have gone much better. New Orleans ended up with the top pick. In other words, the Hornets will get Anthony Davis. Who will the Wizards select though?

The #2 player on most boards is Michael Kidd Gilchrist. He was the SF on Kentucky's National Championship Team, playing alongside Anthony Davis. The Wizards have Chris Singleton, but could they pass up on Gilchrist if he fell to 3. The #3 player on most boards is now Bradley Beal. Beal plays a position of need for the Wizards, SG. However, Beal is a gator and not even a good one at that. I would not pick Beal. After Beal is Thomas Robinson. Robinson is a very solid player, but with Nene in the fold with Seraphin, I would rather have a more dynamic scorer from the 2 guard than Robinson. These imperfect solutions make me desire a trade.

Perhaps the Trail Blazers would want to move up? The Blazers have two lottery selections. If another team would be willing to part with 2 first rounders I would jump on that offer as well. There isn't much difference between 2 and 10 and frankly you might rather have Harrison Barnes or Jared Sullinger than Beal or Robinson. You sure would have rather had one of the former two last year at least. It should be an interesting story to follow going forward. I'd be ok with Harrison Barnes at 3 actually. Most would say it is a reach though. This class just doesn't have a clear cut person to pick outside of #1 though.

-Noland

American Patriot: Bernard James

Most people know Bernard James as the face of the Seminole basketball team the past two years. James was the emotional leader of the Seminoles basketball team that made the Sweet 16 last year and won the ACC this season. However, none of that is what we want to recognize James for on this site.

James served 6 years in the United States Air Force before his time with the Seminoles. This tour of duty was from (2003-2008). During this time, James served three tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Qatar. The forward is extremely proud of his time in the Air Force where he defended our freedom. During his third Iraq deployment in 2007, James suffered a near death experience. His base came under mortar fire and one landed 75 feet from him. It knocked him down and he had partial hearing loss from the incident, but he wasn't one of the 67 injured from the attack.

This is what James had to say about his service, "It opened my eyes that there really are people out there who want to hurt you just because you're an American and because of what America represents: freedom, prosperity and dreams."

His journey to FSU was a fascinating one and I am glad that he is a Seminole. Even better for us is that he is an American who risked his life to protect this country.

Bernard James is preparing for the NBA Draft and here is an update on that. I sure hope an NBA team takes a chance on him. Video is below.

-Noland