Hoops Rumors Originals

Scouting players and predicting how their skills will translate to the NBA is one of the more difficult tasks front offices have on their plates. Looking back over past drafts and how many lottery picks never evolved into stars, or even made a significant impact in the league, illustrates just how often stats, combine numbers and pure gut instinct often come up short.

Of course, we get the opportunity to critique these moves with the benefit of hindsight — a luxury that GMs don’t have on draft night. Having said that, it’s still fun to go back in time and take a theoretical look at how these drafts should have/could have gone.

We’ve been revisiting 2008 draft, which had a number of players who have gone on to post big numbers in the league. This was the year of Derrick Rose (No. 1 overall), Russell Westbrook (No. 4), Kevin Love (No. 5), Brook Lopez (No. 10) and Nicolas Batum (No. 25). Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking readers to vote on whom teams should have selected in each spot.

We’ll finish off the lottery portion of the draft with the Warriors, who held the No. 14 overall pick that year. In the “real world” draft, Golden State nabbed forward Anthony Randolph with its pick. Will he be the pick once again? That’s for you to decide. So cast your vote for who the Warriors should have selected and check back on Saturday to see the results, as well as to vote on whom the Suns should have taken with the No. 15 pick. Also, 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. If we fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and we’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

1. Bulls — Russell Westbrook [Actual Pick — Derrick Rose]
2. Heat — Kevin Love [Actual Pick — Michael Beasley]
3. Wolves — Derrick Rose [Actual Pick — O.J. Mayo]
4. Sonics/Thunder — DeAndre Jordan [Actual Pick — Russell Westbrook]
5. Grizzlies — Brook Lopez [Actual Pick — Kevin Love]
6. Knicks — Serge Ibaka  [Actual Pick — Danilo Gallinari]
7. Clippers — Nicolas Batum [Actual Pick — Eric Gordon]
8. Bucks — Goran Dragic [Actual Pick — Joe Alexander]
9. Bobcats/Hornets — Danilo Gallinari [Actual Pick — D.J. Augustin]
10. Nets — Ryan Anderson [Actual Pick — Brook Lopez]
11. Blazers (from Pacers) — Eric Gordon [Actual Pick — Jerryd Bayless]
12. Kings — George Hill  [Actual Pick — Jason Thompson]
13. Pacers (from Blazers) — Robin Lopez [Actual Pick — Brandon Rush]
14. Warriors — ?? [Actual Pick — Anthony Randolph]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here to vote.

Scouting players and predicting how their skills will translate to the NBA is one of the more difficult tasks front offices have on their plates. Looking back over past drafts and how many lottery picks never evolved into stars, or even made a significant impact in the league, illustrates just how often stats, combine numbers and pure gut instinct often come up short.

Of course, we get the opportunity to critique these moves with the benefit of hindsight — a luxury that GMs don’t have on draft night. Having said that, it’s still fun to go back in time and take a theoretical look at how these drafts should have/could have gone.

We’ve been revisiting 2008 draft, which had a number of players who have gone on to post big numbers in the league. This was the year of Derrick Rose (No. 1 overall), Russell Westbrook (No. 4), Kevin Love (No. 5), Brook Lopez (No. 10) and Nicolas Batum (No. 25). Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking readers to vote on whom teams should have selected in each spot.

In our latest poll, you chose George Hill as the Kings’ pick at No. 12 instead of their actual pick, Jason Thompson.

We’ll continue on with the Pacers, who acquired the No. 13 pick in a trade with the Trail Blazers that year. Indiana probably would have taken someone else in hindsight. They selected shooting guard Brandon Rush, who lasted three seasons with the Pacers and never averaged more than 9.4 points per game. Rush, who played college ball with Kansas, had a good run with the Warriors last season en route to the NBA Finals and is now in the Timberwolves organization.

So cast your vote for who the Pacers should have selected and check back on Friday to see the results, as well as to vote on whom the Warriors should have taken with the No. 14 pick.

Also, 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. If we fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and we’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

1. Bulls — Russell Westbrook [Actual Pick — Derrick Rose]
2. Heat — Kevin Love [Actual Pick — Michael Beasley]
3. Wolves — Derrick Rose [Actual Pick — O.J. Mayo]
4. Sonics/Thunder — DeAndre Jordan [Actual Pick — Russell Westbrook]
5. Grizzlies — Brook Lopez [Actual Pick — Kevin Love]
6. Knicks — Serge Ibaka  [Actual Pick — Danilo Gallinari]
7. Clippers — Nicolas Batum [Actual Pick — Eric Gordon]
8. Bucks — Goran Dragic [Actual Pick — Joe Alexander]
9. Bobcats/Hornets — Danilo Gallinari [Actual Pick — D.J. Augustin]
10. Nets — Ryan Anderson [Actual Pick — Brook Lopez]
11. Blazers (from Pacers) — Eric Gordon [Actual Pick — Jerryd Bayless]
12. Kings — George Hill  [Actual Pick — Jason Thompson]
13. Pacers (from Blazers) ?? [Actual Pick — Brandon Rush]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here to vote.

Scouting players and predicting how their skills will translate to the NBA is one of the more difficult tasks front offices have on their plates. Looking back over past drafts and how many lottery picks never evolved into stars, or even made a significant impact in the league, illustrates just how often stats, combine numbers and pure gut instinct often come up short.

Of course, we get the opportunity to critique these moves with the benefit of hindsight — a luxury that GMs don’t have on draft night. Having said that, it’s still fun to go back in time and take a theoretical look at how these drafts should have/could have gone.

We’ve been revisiting 2008 draft, which had a number of players who have gone on to post big numbers in the league. This was the year of Derrick Rose (No. 1 overall), Russell Westbrook (No. 4), Kevin Love (No. 5), Brook Lopez (No. 10) and Nicolas Batum (No. 25). Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking readers to vote on whom teams should have selected in each spot.

We’ll continue on with the Kings, who held the No. 12 pick that year. They took senior power forward Jason Thompson out of Rider in the “real world” draft, but may go in another direction given a second chance.

So cast your vote for who the Kings should have selected and check back on Thursday to see the results, as well as to vote on whom the Pacers should have taken with the No. 13 pick. Also, 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. If we fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and we’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

1. Bulls — Russell Westbrook [Actual Pick — Derrick Rose]
2. Heat — Kevin Love [Actual Pick — Michael Beasley]
3. Wolves — Derrick Rose [Actual Pick — O.J. Mayo]
4. Sonics/Thunder — DeAndre Jordan [Actual Pick — Russell Westbrook]
5. Grizzlies — Brook Lopez [Actual Pick — Kevin Love]
6. Knicks — Serge Ibaka  [Actual Pick — Danilo Gallinari]
7. Clippers — Nicolas Batum [Actual Pick — Eric Gordon]
8. Bucks — Goran Dragic [Actual Pick — Joe Alexander]
9. Bobcats/Hornets — Danilo Gallinari [Actual Pick — D.J. Augustin]
10. Nets — Ryan Anderson [Actual Pick — Brook Lopez]
11. Blazers (from Pacers) — Eric Gordon [Actual Pick — Jerryd Bayless]
12. Kings — ??  [Actual Pick — Jason Thompson]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here to vote.