NBA Draft: Re-Drafting the Lottery of the 2005 Class

The 2005 NBA draft class is often scrutinized because of the variance in talent within the group.

I'm a firm believer that teams should draft talent ahead of need, and although there were several busts in the first round of the original selection process, there were some gems when combing through all 60 picks.

Some of those picked in the first 14 slots had considerable hype surrounding them when entering the draft, but the NBA game proved to be a tough transition from the collegiate platform.

With all of that in mind, let's re-construct the lottery.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves: Hakim Warrick, PF

Original Pick: No. 19, Memphis

Warrick looked like a solid prospect coming out of Syracuse, and that was largely in part due to his combination of impressive size and athleticism.

With his original draft position actually five slots lower, his slotting in the re-draft speaks more to the large number of first-round picks that haven't worked out from this class more than anything else.

While he's always been somewhat intriguing, Warrick simply hasn't been able to put it all together at the NBA level, but it would be very interesting to see what he'd be capable of doing if given 30-plus minutes regularly.

13. Charlotte Bobcats (Via Trade): Marcin Gortat, C

Original Pick: No. 57, Phoenix (traded to Orlando)

It's pretty funny that the Suns actually originally drafted Gortat before dealing him to the Magic for cash considerations, as he's now looking like the center of the future in the desert.

Although it was admittedly tough to predict Gortat's ability to flourish in the league as he showed during his short tenure in Phoenix last season, the idea that he was just three picks away from not being drafted at all is simply incredible.

Now that he's back in Phoenix and looking like an absolute steal for the Suns in the team's recent deal with Orlando, perhaps the club doesn't feel as bad about initially trading him.

12. Los Angeles Clippers: Marvin Williams, SF

Original Pick: No. 2, Atlanta

It's incredible to conceptualize the idea that Williams was drafted ahead of both Chris Paul and Deron Williams, and it certainly doesn't help that his career hasn't even come close to either of the point guards taken after him.

Coming out of North Carolina with sizable expectations upon his shoulders, the Hawks pulled the trigger despite a need for a point guard, and the team still hasn't found a long-term fix at the position since.

The Clippers would have been a lot better off with Williams than Yaroslav Korolev, but it remains absolutely astounding that he was taken second overall.

11. Orlando Magic: Charlie Villanueva, F

Original Pick: No. 7, Toronto

Villanueva's recent performance in Detroit has really soured his stock around the league, but there was a solid market for him at the time he signed his deal with the Pistons, an indication that he's more talented than he's shown thus far.

He spent just a single season in Toronto before moving onto Milwaukee, and if the Raptors weren't ready to see what he could do after a rookie season where he averaged 13 points and 6.4 rebounds, it doesn't make a ton of sense to invest a top 10 pick in him.

While he shouldn't have been selected where he was, it wasn't all that far off, and the Magic could have had a player capable of stretching the floor along the front line next to Dwight Howard.

10. Los Angeles Lakers: Channing Frye, PF/C

Original Pick: No. 8, New York

The Knicks didn't really get what the team might have been hoping for upon taking Frye out of Arizona, but two years is a rather small sample size for a big man's development.

A very talented shooter for someone of his size, it's not surprising that Frye has found a home in Phoenix, where his ability to stretch the floor and hit the jumper is viewed as a strong asset.

There's no doubt that the Lakers were in the market for a big man at the time of this draft, and Frye would have been the best bet left on the board should Bynum have already been taken.

9. Golden State Warriors: Andray Blatche, PF

Original Pick: No. 49, Washington

Blatche has seemingly fallen out of favor in Washington, but his skills to impact a game are undeniable when he's giving it his full effort.

While there has been some speculation as to how he approaches his career in basketball, his numbers don't lie, and Blatche had his best season last year for the Wizards when he averaged 16.8 ppg and 8.2 rebounds.

Coming straight out of high school, Blatche slipped very late in into the second round before he was nabbed by the Wizards, but the Warriors could have definitely used his services and likely would have played him a lot more early on in his career.

8. New York Knicks: David Lee, PF

Original Pick: No. 30, New York

It's coincidental that Lee was drafted with the last pick of the first round by the team that winds up with him once again in a re-done lottery, and it may be further evidence that the big man should have never left.

While he was seeking a bigger contract than the Knicks may have felt comfortable handing him, there is no questioning the success Lee enjoyed in New York despite several doubters constantly ripping him for being undersized.

Although he had a better initial first season with Golden State than many seemingly believe, it's hard to imagine him being the nightly 20 and 10 guy he was with the Knicks.

7. Toronto Raptors: Raymond Felton, PG

Original Pick: No. 5, Charlotte

With a re-draft, everything can be viewed in hindsight, and with that in mind, Felton really didn't have any business going inside the top five.

Despite being a skilled player coming out of North Carolina, there were more intriguing overall talents on the board, and the Bobcats likely overvalued him because he played the position the team was looking to fill.

He had to do too many things on his own with the Bobcats without a lot of help which led to his inefficiency from time-to-time, and it could have done alongside Chris Bosh.

6. Portland Trail Blazers: Danny Granger, SF

Original Pick: No. 17, Indiana

It's certainly not everyday that we hear about a player emerging from New Mexico as a talented baller, and it's possible that it could've impacted his draft stock for some teams.

No matter what was the case, Granger clearly had no business falling outside of the lottery altogether, and there are a number of teams that could've used his services immediately.

Although Portland had some swingmen already on the roster at the time of the draft, Granger's talent overrides need, and if the club was ready to roll the dice on a high school senior in Martell Webster, why not a more polished Granger instead?

5. Charlotte Bobcats: Monta Ellis, SG

Original Pick: No. 40, Golden State

In a draft where fellow high school prospect Martell Webster went sixth overall, how Ellis fell to 40th overall is something that will make jaws drop to the floor.

Although there was some uncertainty around what Ellis would turn into after he was labeled as somewhat of a tweener, it's clear that he's thoroughly outplayed his original draft position by leaps and bounds.

Charlotte has been searching for a scorer and franchise face for an extended period of time, and Ellis could have served as both for a team that would've kept him closer to home.

4. New Orleans Hornets: Andrew Bynum, C

Original Pick: No. 10, Los Angeles Lakers

"You can't teach size" is a popular adage used when describing the position of a big man in the draft, and that was certainly the case when it came Andrew Bynum.

Bynum was the youngest player to ever play in an NBA game, and there was plenty of time to carefully plan and plot his development for a Hornets team that lacked a legitimate presence in the middle.

Nobody could have predicted his persistent injury issues, but the fact remains that in his career as a starter, Bynum is averaging 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks and is under 25 years old.

3. Utah Jazz: Deron Williams, PG

Original Pick: No. 3, Utah

Another team that winds up with its original selection from the 2005 class, Williams was the right pick for the Jazz at the time the team made it, and he remains the obvious choice now.

Despite Utah subsequently undergoing a rebuilding process that wound up with Williams being dealt to New Jersey, D-Will did great work for the Jazz during his time with the team and served as the leader on a team that failed to surround him with the necessary talent to sustain success.

His unique ability to score and facilitate the flow has him rated as a top point guard in the league on a yearly basis, and he's simply amazing to watch with the rock in his hands.

2. Atlanta Hawks: Andrew Bogut, C

Original Pick: No. 1, Milwaukee

The Bucks clearly went with the philosophy of taking the legitimate seven-footer first overall, and thankfully it's worked out better than Portland's utilization of that philosophy with Greg Oden.

Despite sustaining a gruesome elbow injury that has hampered him over the last couple of seasons, Bogut's talent is very obvious with career averages 12.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

Although size is awfully tantalizing and tough to pass up, there was one prospect ahead of Bogut who had greatness written all over him.

1. Milwaukee Bucks: Chris Paul, PG

Original Pick: No. 4, New Orleans

There are a lot of Bucks fans who are very happy with Brandon Jennings and his future, but Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA.

It's not just about the stats that Paul racks up or his ability to dictate an offense, but he's one of the few players currently in the league who actually makes his teammates better.

There's no questioning that CP3 should've been the consensus No. 1 coming out of Wake Forest even if it meant passing up a seven-footer, as there aren't point guards with his basketball IQ and passion for the game coming around very often.