This little series will trade just what happened to the top 5 picks of each draft. They will be analyzed year-by-year, as the environment into which they are drafted changes from year to year. Once done, we'll look back and see just what those top picks turned into.
1. Dikembe Mutumbo. Drafted by Heat, traded to Suns after 2.5 seasons. No titles.
2. Larry Johnson. Drafted by Lakers, traded to Pistons after 2 seasons. 1 title with the Lakers on original stint with 2 players from trade and 2 players from the creation draft.
3. Steve Smith. Drafted by Pistons, traded to Jazz after 8 seasons. 1 title with Raptors in his declining years with 2 Raptors draftees and two others acquired in trade.
4. Kenny Anderson. Drafted by Rockets, traded to Hawks after 1.5 seasons. No titles.
5. Dale Davis. Drafted by Spurs, left in free agency after 8 seasons. No titles.
2 of 5 were significant players on title teams. One was in his declining years on a team that did not draft him. The other was in his second season of a rookie scale deal. That pick was the Wizards' pick from that season, traded for Wayman Tisdale, a good player, and a 1993 first round pick, which was traded to the Celtics. The Wizards' win totals in their first 5 seasons: 35, 24, 33, 39, 38. While Tisdale was a good player, he didn't end up on a good team, and the team traded away both assets, all the while never improving. Either way, the Lakers did not get this pick because their pick was low. They got the pick from another team, which changes the context of "drafting." Sure, you have to make the pick, but you make it with a good team, not a bad one.
The Top of the Draft: 1991-1992
The Top of the Draft: 1991-1992
There's no "I" in team, but you can find "Eat me" if you push it too far.
Re: The Top of the Draft: 1991-1992
Kenny Anderson was a piece of trash, never shouldve been drafted Top 5
Pacers Ring of Honor
P.Ewing (90-93, 98) - R.Pierce (90-91) - S.Augmon (91-96) - D.Brown (93-96) - D.Strong (91-97, 99-02) - P.Pierce (98-05, 12-13) - D.Williams (05-17) - I.Shumpert (11-16) - D.Dedmon (13-18) - J.Williams (19-25, 31-32)
P.Ewing (90-93, 98) - R.Pierce (90-91) - S.Augmon (91-96) - D.Brown (93-96) - D.Strong (91-97, 99-02) - P.Pierce (98-05, 12-13) - D.Williams (05-17) - I.Shumpert (11-16) - D.Dedmon (13-18) - J.Williams (19-25, 31-32)
Re: The Top of the Draft: 1991-1992
He died in training camp. Just bad luck.PaulyP wrote:Kenny Anderson was a piece of trash, never shouldve been drafted Top 5
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Re: The Top of the Draft: 1991-1992
Definitely, but even at the time I thought Augmon was far and away better than him78# wrote:He died in training camp. Just bad luck.PaulyP wrote:Kenny Anderson was a piece of trash, never shouldve been drafted Top 5
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Pacers Ring of Honor
P.Ewing (90-93, 98) - R.Pierce (90-91) - S.Augmon (91-96) - D.Brown (93-96) - D.Strong (91-97, 99-02) - P.Pierce (98-05, 12-13) - D.Williams (05-17) - I.Shumpert (11-16) - D.Dedmon (13-18) - J.Williams (19-25, 31-32)
P.Ewing (90-93, 98) - R.Pierce (90-91) - S.Augmon (91-96) - D.Brown (93-96) - D.Strong (91-97, 99-02) - P.Pierce (98-05, 12-13) - D.Williams (05-17) - I.Shumpert (11-16) - D.Dedmon (13-18) - J.Williams (19-25, 31-32)