NBA Draft 2011: The 5 Biggest Draft Mistakes in NBA History

The 2011 NBA Draft Lottery was last night, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were the big winners, obtaining the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks.

The Timberwolves will pick No.2 and the Jazz will make the No. 3 overall selection. 

Now that the order is set in stone, it'll be up to the scouts, coaches and general managers to make the correct decision with their first-round pick.

Hit the jackpot, and you get a player like Dwyane Wade, who can turn your franchise around almost overnight.

Whiff on your pick, and you'll be selecting in the lottery for next couple of seasons, nowhere near a playoff birth. 

Let's focus on those busts, with the 5 Biggest Draft Mistakes in NBA History... 

5. Denver Nuggets Taking Nikoloz Tskitishvili

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

WASHINGTON DC - MARCH 9: Nikoloz Tskitishvili #22 of the Denver Nuggets is fouled by Lonny Baxter #35 of the Washington Wizards as the Nuggets defeated the Wizards 117-87 during NBA action on March 9, 2004 at the MCI Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by

Niko Who?

Yea, exactly. 

The Denver Nuggets had the No. 5 selection in the 2002 draft. They wanted to address their front-court. 

Remember this is during an era when foreign-players were the NBA Draft's hottest trend. 

They chose Nikoloz Tskitishvili, a 7-foot center from Russia. 

He spent three seasons in Denver before he was moved, and has career averages of 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. 

Amar'e Stoudemire went No. 9 overall. 

I rest my case. 

4. Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics Swap During 1980 Draft

Tim DeFrisco/Getty Images

1992: Center Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics walks up court during the Celtics versus Denver Nuggets game in Denver, Colorado. Mandatory Credit: Tim DeFrisco/ALLSPORT

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers were mainstays in the NBA Finals during the 1980's. 

The Golden State Warriors were not. 

It all can be traced back to the first draft of the decade, when one of the more unknown trades went down that changed the face of the NBA. 

The Warriors moved up to the No. 1 spot to draft Joe Barry Carrol out of Purdue. 

He's labeled as one of the biggest busts in NBA history, but that's quite the stretch. 

Although he only played with the Warriors until 1984, he never averaged less than 17 points or eight rebounds while he was with Golden State. 

It's what Boston did with the pick and the player they received in the trade that makes it so infamous.

The Celtics got the Warriors No. 3 overall pick in which they used to take Kevin McHale. Robert Parrish was the only NBA'er in the deal. 

Both worked wonders for Boston in the low block during their golden era. 

3. Portland Trail Blazers Pick Greg Oden, Pass on Kevin Durant

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 01: Greg Oden #52 of the Portland Trail Blazers watches from the bench as his teammates take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on November 1, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Trail Blazers 110-98. NOTE TO USER:

Greg Oden was coming off a defeat in the National Championship game at the hands of the Florida Gators. 

Kevin Durant was coming off one of the best, most jaw-dropping freshman season's we had ever seen in college basketball. 

Oden was no slouch either, and the Blazers needed a franchise presence inside. 

So, with Durant waiting, they picked Oden, and the rest is history. 

Durant has led the NBA in scoring twice, and is in the Western Conference Finals. 

Oden missed his entire rookie year with a knee injury and has played in exactly 82 games since the 07-08 season. 

His career averages are: 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. 

Sorry, Blazers fans. 

2. Charlotte Hornets Draft Kobe Bryant, Then Trade Him to Los Angeles Lakers

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

7 Nov 1997: Center Vlade Divac of the Charlotte Hornets moves the ball during a game against the Washington Wizards at the MCI Center in Washington, D. C. The Hornets won the game, 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport

Vlade Divac had a long NBA career with mild success.

Kobe Bryant has won five NBA titles, two finals MVPs, is a 13-time All-Star and is a fixture on the All-Defensive team. 

If only the Charlotte Hornets knew that before they made one of the most shameful draft-draft trades in NBA history. 

They were gutsy enough to draft Bryant at the ripe age of 17, straight out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia, but after he tried on the turquoise Hornets hat, he was traded, straight up, for Divac. 

Ouch. 

The Hornets have never made a finals appearance, and Bryant, when all is said and done, might be considered one of the Top 3 players ever. 

1. Portland Trail Blazers Picking Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan

Could this have been anymore obvious?

The Blazers have been haunted by the Bowie/Jordan mishap ever since 1984. 

Portland was looking for help inside, someone to replace the injured Bill Walton. With Hakeem Olajuwon gone, Bowie, at the time, seemed to make sense. 

Bowie averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds to make the NBA's All-Rookie Team in his first season.

His next four seasons were shortened due to injuries, and he was traded in the summer of 1989. 

Bowie retired from basketball in 1995, the same year Jordan retired to the NBA and started the Bulls second three-peat. 

This pick will forever live in infamy.

After all, Jordan turned out to be the best player in history.