We’re in the process of revisiting the 2005 NBA Draft, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Lakers, who held the No. 10 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Los Angeles’ pick and check back Sunday for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Magic should have taken at No. 11. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
- Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
- Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
- Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
- Knicks — Marcin Gortat [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]
- Warriors — Lou Williams [Actual Pick — Ike Diogu]
- Lakers — ?? [Actual Pick — Andrew Bynum]
Charlie Villanueva
What a bad draft if we’re already at Lou williams.
Andrew Bynum not being at least #4 on this list is madness. I’d put him #2. He played a huge role on 2 championship teams and was unstoppable in the post – BY FAR the most talented offensive big man in the league for a good stretch. If he actually gave a f#ck, then he’d be #1.
The big reason why Bynum falls is because he isn’t even in the league now. And while he had a huge presence on the Lakers’ championship squads, it did help that they had Kobe and Pau Gasol (lets not act like Bynum single-handedly carried them to two rings). I agree that he should be ahead of Danny Granger and David Lee and I could see an argument for him being ahead of Ellis and Bogut (not that I believe he should be ahead, but I can see an argument being made). But he wasn’t better than Deron Williams in their healthy prime years, and he definetly isn’t better than Chris Paul. Chris Paul right now might still be better than a peak Andrew Bynum. At best, Andrew Bynum goes #3.
These Draft re-dos are silly, imho. As they stand now, they are just reordering the draft class by career value. But that’s not really an interesting exercise. The really interesting thing to do would be to re-draft it as it might have really happened–if team X, which debated between Jones and Smith and took Jones, had really taken Smith. Look at this draft: Assume Bogut Williams go first and second; really, were anyone else being considered for those spots? But what if the Jazz had taken Chris Paul and the Hornets/Pelicans had taken Deron Williams? Let’s stop there and play a little “what if?” What might have happened? How would Paul have done with Jerry Sloan? Would Williams have forced a trade from NO, and if not, could they have kept the Williams/West duo together and built on that? THAT’S the kind of re-draft “what if” I’d like to engage in…something that might really have happened.