The 2014 NBA Draft saw two MVPs picked later than they should have been.
Some players were drafted too high in the 2014 NBA Draft, but even more so, there were some players from that class who were drafted way too low. Nikola Jokic comes to mind in that regard, as the player who is now arguably the best player in the NBA wasn’t drafted until the second round back in 2014. Every team missed on the center out of Serbia, so we were curious how the draft would fall in a do-over. Here is ClutchPoints’ redraft of the 2014 NBA Draft.
30. Khem Birch, San Antonio Spurs
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 30 pick: Kyle Anderson
Khem Bitch was a backup center who only had career averages of 5.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. He was not necessarily a dynamic player, but he was a big body who wouldn’t lose you games in short stints. That impact was enough to get him drafted in the 2014 NBA redraft after originally going undrafted because there were a number of bad picks at the back end of the first round when the draft actually happened.
29. Dante Exum, Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 5th
Original number 29 pick: Josh Huestis
Dante Exum was originally viewed at as a massive bust. He missed his entire sophomore season with the Utah Jazz after being drafted fifth overall, and he never seemed to adapt to the speed of the NBA game. Exum struggled to score, and he only put up 8.1 points per game in his best season in Utah. The team gave up on their project as he only started 27 games for them after his rookie season. Not long after, Exum was out of the league.
He played two seasons in other professional leagues, but he was given another chance in the NBA this season. Exum has made the most of it, too, as he is clearly having his best season. Without the pressures of being a high draft pick, Exum is averaging career highs in points (9.3) and rebounds (2.9). It is still probably fair to call Exum a bust, but his resurgence with the Dallas Mavericks warms the heart.
28. Langston Galloway, Los Angeles Clippers
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 28 pick: C.J. Wilcox
Langston Galloway was undrafted, but he burst onto the scene his rookie year. Playing for one of the biggest teams in the NBA, the New York Knicks, Galloway averaged 11.8 points per game and started nearly every game he played in for the team in his first year. Unfortunately, his rookie season was his best. Galloway only started another 21 games during the rest of his career, but he did stick in the league until 2022.
27. Shabazz Napier, Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 24th
Original number 27 pick: Bogdan Bogdanovic
LeBron James wanted Shabazz Napier on his Miami Heat back in 2014, and the Heat obliged. In the 2014 NBA redraft, they skip on taking Napier with their pick and allow the Phoenix Suns to take him one pick later. Napier was more successful as a collegiate player than he was at the professional level, but he could still bring steady play to the point guard position. Napier always had a good assist-to-turnover ratio.
26. Maxi Kleber, Miami Heat
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 26 pick: P.J. Hairston
It took a few years for Maxi Kleber to come stateside, and that hurts him in this redraft, but he is a solid player even to this day. Three-point shooting from the big man positions is vital, and Kleber brings that. He has thrived around Luka Doncic for that reason, and he likely would have thrived as well if he joined the Miami Heat when they had Dwyane Wade.
25. Tyler Johnson, Houston Rockets
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 25 pick: Clint Capela
Many fans have forgotten about Tyler Johnson, but the guard out of Fresno State once had at least two teams that were willing to pay him $50 million in 2016. That offseason was notorious for overpays, as the salary cap had increased like never before seen, but Johnson was still viewed at as a rotational piece, and teams aren’t going to throw around money for no reason. Johnson averaged 13.7 points per game in his best season, and he did a little bit of everything in his prime.
24. Elfrid Payton, Charlotte Hornets
Actual position: 10th
Original number 24 pick: Shabazz Napier
A lack of shooting led to Elfrid Payton’s demise in the NBA, but he actually did effectively fill the stat sheet. Payton averaged 10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per his game for his career, and many fans have likely forgotten that he started 395 games during his playing days. Payton was a triple-double threat, and he was only not selected higher in this redraft because his NBA career is already over.
23. Torrey Craig, Utah Jazz
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 23 pick: Rodney Hood
It took Torrey Craig a few years developing his skill set overseas before he was given a chance in the NBA. Even when Craig started his career out with the Denver Nuggets, his offensive game was extremely limited. Craig has always been talented as a defender, though. He has even always been one of the best hustle players in the NBA, and he has a knack for finding loose balls and offensive rebounds. Craig has jumped around the league a little bit in the last few seasons, but his offensive game has improved during that time. He went from a non-shooter to someone that teams are confident in to hit the open jump shot, especially if it is a corner three-pointer.
22. Rodney Hood, Memphis Grizzlies
Actual position: 23rd
Original number 22 pick: Jordan Adams
Of the players in this redraft who are no longer in the NBA, Rodney Hood had arguably the best career. Injuries cut his career short, though, but he was a valuable scorer in his days with the Jazz, Cavaliers, and Trail Blazers. Hood’s lefty shooting stroke was pretty and effective.
21. Jabari Parker, Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 2nd
Original number 21 pick: Mitch McGary
Jabari Parker was touted as the next LeBron James, as he was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated in high school. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way. The start of Parker’s career was promising, though, as he averaged 20.1 points per game by year three. After that, injuries got the best of him. He tore his ACL for the second time in year three, and he never fully recovered. Additionally, Parker’s playstyle that was midrange reliant was a little bit outdated. Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker were supposed to be one of the best one-two punches at the start of a draft ever, but both disappointed in comparison to expectations.
20. Dario Saric, Toronto Raptors
Actual position: 12th
Original number 20 pick: Bruno Caboclo
Dario Saric is a big man with some advanced passing skills. He started his career as a power forward, but in recent seasons, he has been a solid backup center wherever he has suited up. Saric is a rotational piece, and the Toronto Raptors would easily take that with the 20th pick. Their original pick was Bruno Caboclo, who was described as being “two years away from being two years away.” Caboclo was a project, and he never did pan out.
19. Doug McDermott, Chicago Bulls
Actual position: 11th
Original number 19 pick: Gary Harris
Shooting is a coveted skill set, and that is even more so the case for taller players. Therefore, Doug McDermott has had a role in the NBA for a long time. McDermott doesn’t bring much more than shooting, though, and his ceiling has always been capped for that reason. Any team would be happy to have a career 41.3% shooter from deep, though. In 2014, the Chicago Bulls traded two first-rounders to acquire McDermott. In this redraft, they just take him with the lower of those two picks.
18. Dwight Powell, Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 45th
Original number 18 pick: Tyler Ennis
Dwight Powell has spent all but five games of his career with the Dallas Mavericks, so it would be interesting to see him in another jersey. Powell has been an occasional starter over the course of his career. He is currently the fourth longest-tenured player in the NBA on a respective team, so the Phoenix Suns would have loved that security and loyalty from a mid-late first-round pick, especially considering their original pick, Tyler Ennis, did very little in his career.
17. Joe Harris, Boston Celtics
Actual position: 33rd
Original number 17 pick: James Young
Picks 17-22 included players like James Young, Tyler Ennis, Bruno Caboclo, Mitch McGary, and Jordan Adams in 2014. That was a rough stretch of selections, so a redraft that sees Joe Harris going at 17 would be a major improvement. Harris is a catch-and-shoot player with a career three-point field goal percentage of 43.6.
16. Gary Harris, Chicago Bulls
Actual position: 19th
Original number 16 pick: Jusuf Nurkic
The Chicago Bulls drafted and immediately traded Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris to the Denver Nuggets on draft night. They got that trade wrong, but they fix their mistakes by holding onto Harris in this redraft. Injuries have made Harris regress and miss a lot of time in recent seasons, but he was once a great defender and scorer for the Nuggets. Before the Nuggets were champions, Harris was a key piece and an exciting part of their rebuild.
15. Kyle Anderson, Atlanta Hawks
Actual position: 30th
Original number 15 pick: Adreian Payne
Kyle Anderson is nicknamed “Slo Mo,” and his unorthodox style is tough for a lot of players to defend. Anderson doesn’t move quickly, but he is able to get to his spots, and he has great vision in a big body. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but he is the ultimate team player, and he does a little bit of everything to help contribute to winning.
14. T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 14th
Original number 14 pick: T.J. Warren
T.J. Warren’s falloff was sudden, but he doesn’t have a modern-day skill set. Warren is very reliant on the midrange jump shot, and it did lead to him scoring 19.6, 18.0, and 19.8 points per game over a three-year stretch from 2017-20. Warren looked like he would even reach a new level after the 2020 bubble when he averaged 26.6 points per game during the Pacers’ play at Walt Disney World.
Unfortunately, Warren had surgery to repair a navicular stress fracture at the start of the 2020 season, and it limited him to only four games of action over a two-season stretch. When he got back from injury, the league had moved on without him, and the forward hasn’t done much since. The start of Warren’s career would have made you believe he could go higher than he originally did in a redraft, but his regression post-injury means he actually ends up right where he originally started.
13. Bogdan Bogdanovich, Minnesota Timberwolves
Actual position: 27th
Original number 13 pick: Zach LaVine
Bogdan Bogdanovich was stashed overseas for a few seasons and didn’t make his NBA debut until his age-25 season. That holds him back a little in a redraft, but he still goes much higher than he originally did in 2014. Bogdanovich has been a double-digit scorer every year that he has been in the NBA, and he is currently one of the best sixth men in the league. The three-ball is his specialty, but Bogdanovich can score in a variety of ways.
12. Jordan Clarkson, Orlando Magic
Actual position: 46th
Original number 12 pick: Dario Saric
Although he has been a starter over the last two seasons, Jordan Clarkson has been the ultimate sixth man during his career. Clarkson is the poster boy for an off-the-bench spark plug scorer. Clarkson has been notorious for not seeing a shot he doesn’t like, but he makes a good chunk of the ones he shoots. In fact, the score-first guard averages 16 points per game for his career. While he is known for his scoring, Clarkson has developed elsewhere recently. An improvement as a passer has allowed him to become a starter in recent seasons, and it also lands him in the lottery of the 2014 NBA redraft after originally being a second-round selection.
11. Spencer Dinwiddie, Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 38th
Original number 11 pick: Doug McDermott
The Denver Nuggets had quite the 2014 NBA Draft. They originally traded Doug McDermott for Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic, and Denver obviously won that trade. The team also picked Nikola Jokic in the second round in what is arguably the greatest draft day steal of all time. Denver was never going to be able to match that success in a 2014 NBA redraft, but they actually do come out with a solid player and a player who went to college in Colorado. Spencer Dinwiddie is a starting-caliber point guard with good positional size. He is great in isolation but is also used to playing alongside other stars.
10. Clint Capela, Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: 25th
Original number 10 pick: Elfrid Payton
Clint Capela has a defined role, but he has played it well. Offensively, Capela is a play finisher. He catches alley oops and gets put backs. On defense, Capela can alter shots at the rim. His skill set isn’t very advanced, but he is a useful player in the NBA. He has always thrived with a great passing guard like James Harden and Trae Young, so it would be interesting to see how he would thrive on the 76ers. Joel Embiid doesn’t end up in Philadelphia in this redraft, so the team would need another center.
9. Jusuf Nurkic, Charlotte Hornets
Actual position: 16th
Original number 9 pick: Noah Vonleh
The Charlotte Hornets have been looking for a starting caliber center for a long time. Jusuf Nurkic would have fixed their problems in that regard in the 2014 NBA Draft. Nurkic is an above-average starter at the center position, and he was even a guy who was starting over Nikola Jokic at one point. Nurkic is advanced as a rebounder and as a passer, and he can score inside effectively.
8. Jerami Grant, Sacramento Kings
Actual position: 39th
Original number 8 pick: Nik Stauskas
In recent seasons, Jerami Grant has teetered between role player and something greater. Early in his career, he was just a role player. He was only averaging 5.5 points by year three, but he did improve by the time he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was still just a bench player during his stint with the Denver Nuggets, though, but now, Grant is a player who averages over 20 points per game. On a winning team, his statistics probably wouldn’t be as high as they have been on rebuilding Pistons and Trail Blazers teams, but Grant has proved his worth in the NBA, and he has been able to adapt to whatever role his teams need him to play.
7. Marcus Smart, Los Angeles Lakers
Actual position: 6th
Original number 7 pick: Julius Randle
Marcus Smart is the ultimate team player, and the Los Angeles Lakers would be thrilled to get him as low as seventh in a draft do-over, as he has a case for going as high as fourth. A number of Lakers picks during this time frame struggled in Los Angeles before succeeding elsewhere, but Smart would have likely thrived for a historic team like the Lakers right away, as he did for the Boston Celtics. Defense is Smart’s calling card, and he even became only the second point guard to ever be named the Defensive Player of the Year. Shooting was not a strength of Smart’s in his early days, but he has since become a reliable shooter from deep.
6. Andrew Wiggins, Boston Celtics
Actual position: 1st
Original number 6 pick: Marcus Smart
Andrew Wiggins is one of the hardest players to measure. You can’t necessarily call him a bust because he has averaged 18.7 points per game for his career, but he also hasn’t lived up to expectations, considering he was viewed as one of the best draft prospects this century. Wiggins was somewhat of an inefficient shot-chucker in his early days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he still put up big numbers, even winning the Rookie of the Year Award in a class that ended up having a lot of star power.
Now, Wiggins is more of a three-and-D player with the Golden State Warriors, but he is having his worst season to date in 2023-24. This comes after only two seasons removed from being an All-Star and champion. Regardless, Wiggins didn’t produce on the level that experts thought he would, but he has transformed into a nice role player who was a little better than a role player at his peak.
5. Aaron Gordon, Utah Jazz
Actual position: 4th
Original number 5 pick: Dante Exum
Aaron Gordon is a lockdown defender, has some of the best dunking ability in the NBA, and is an advanced passer for a forward. While he isn’t a superstar, those traits are all highly desirable, and they land him in the top five of the 2014 NBA redraft. Gordon is perhaps best known for his high-flying ability, but his defense really is his calling card. His talents on that end just helped the Denver Nuggets win a championship, and he is one of the few players who truly can guard 1-5.
4. Julius Randle, Orlando Magic
Actual position: 7th
Original number 4 pick: Aaron Gordon
Julius Randle has plenty of flaws, and he is often criticized by the tough New York media/fanbase, but there is no denying that his production warrants a spot in the top four of the 2014 NBA redraft. Randle has career averages of 19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, and while he is a little bit of a shot chucker, he is still a two-time All-Star who has, at times, been the best player on a New York Knicks team that is incredibly important to the NBA. Efficiency is not Randle’s strength, but his bully ball style of play has its benefits, as few defenders enjoy guarding the 250-pounder.
3. Zach LaVine, Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: 13th
Original number 3 pick: Joel Embiid
Zach LaVine was considered by many to be somewhat of a reach when he was taken 13th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. He has clearly exceeded those expectations, but he also isn’t a perfect player. LaVine is a trade candidate these days because his defense is lacking and he hasn’t found much team success with the Chicago Bulls’ big three. Regardless, LaVine is one of the best scorers in the league. His combination of shooting and athleticism is rare, and it has led to six straight seasons of scoring more than 20 points per game. The guard even scored 27.4 points per game in 2020-21.
2. Joel Embiid, Milwaukee Bucks
Actual position: 3rd
Original number 2 pick: Jabari Parker
While Joel Embiid is not taken with the top pick in the 2014 NBA redraft, he would be one of the best number two picks ever. Embiid and Jokic have been battling for years, and they are both undisputed top-five players in the NBA. While Jokic does have an edge on Embiid because of playoff success and the fact that he has played over 200 more games than Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers big man has had a pretty good career himself.
Embiid won the MVP last season, and it is possible he will do so again this year. He is even on pace to win the scoring title for the third straight season. Embiid has been unstoppable when he has been on the floor, but injuries have always been his weakness. He missed the entirety of his first two seasons, and he has missed significant time in the seasons since. He is always dominant on the hardwood, though, and his skill set is a rare one for a big man, considering his outside scoring and ball handling abilities. As good as Embiid is offensively, he is also a beast on the defensive end. Embiid averages 27.8 points per game for his career, but he is up to 35 points per game this season.
1. Nikola Jokic, Cleveland Cavaliers
Actual position: 41st
Original number 1 pick: Andrew Wiggins
Nikola Jokic has a case as the greatest draft pick in NBA history, and the 2014 NBA redraft reflects that. Jokic was originally drafted 41st overall. People don’t usually expect too much from a second-round pick, and a number of second-rounders make little to no impact in the NBA. Nikola Jokic was not an example of that, though. He was notoriously drafted during a Taco Bell commercial, but he went on to win two MVPs and a Finals MVP award, and he is a five-time All-Star. With 117 triple-doubles, Jokic is already fourth all-time in that category.
He truly can do everything at an elite level. His shooting touch is unmatched, and his passing is not only the best we have ever seen from a center but among the best we have ever seen from anyone, regardless of position. Jokic’s impact on the Denver Nuggets is so great, and he would have thrived just as much with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The center is legitimately on pace to becoming a top 15 player of all time, and he actually just surpassed Michael Jordan – the greatest player of all time – for the number one spot ever for PER. In 2014, the entire league missed on Nikola Jokic, but there is no doubt who would go first overall in a redraft of that class.
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