NBA Basketball: Re-Drafting the League For Fairness After the Lockout

The NBA is not fair.

Perhaps this is one of the things that is being looked at during the lockout, but there seems to be a wide gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Year after year the same teams are in the playoffs, and close to all of the same teams are fighting for the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery.

I know that this would never happen in a million years, but here is my attempt to make things fair so that there is greater parity in the league and the same big market teams do not take all of the best players and all of the glory.

At the end of the lockout, I propose that all of the players in the league be re-drafted to other teams. The format would be similar to a fantasy basketball draft with the intent of splitting up the super teams, spreading out the talent and sharing the wealth around the league.

Most of the players would end up on other teams with some franchises happy and some upset. Imagine the superstar that your favorite team may win or lose, and which players would be your new favorites.

How does your team fare under this scenario? Which teams would be the best and the worst? Which of these teams wins the championship, and who ends up with the worst record?

Like I said, I know this would never happen but I put this together purely for entertainment and discussion.

Rules of the Draft

The rules of this mock re-draft of the NBA are simple.

Although I would have liked to use a precise and elaborate system of determining the draft order based on hundreds of statistical categories, I am a bit limited in my resources.

Unlike the fool proof system that the BCS uses in college football, I had to go with a more traditional route. For the purposes of this draft, each teams name was thrown into an old had and drawn out one by one.

The following slides are in the random order that the team names were drawn.

For the player rankings, I used the ESPN Fantasy Basketball list of player projections for 2012.

Players were selected in order of this list and assigned to teams based on team need to get a starting five for each one. I followed listed positions and tried to assign them in the right position for the most part.

For players who had multiple positions listed, I considered and placed them according to the first stated position.

The draft ran similarly to a fantasy draft. The first round was teams selecting in order 1-30, and the following rounds alternating order. At the end of the first round, the last team to select had the first pick in the next round.

If the next best player on the list plays a position that was already filled by a team, that player was skipped and a player that filled a team need was chosen.

Only the starting five for each team were chosen, leaving a lot of good players to fill in each team's bench.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

After one season on the beach in Miami, Lebron James will take his talents to Minnesota to play for the Timberwolves. He will have he chance to once again lead a team from bad to good as he already did in Cleveland. From the moment he arrives, he will be the best Timberwolves player in history, and he will bring good news to a franchise who needs to win.

Teammates who will start with LeBron James:

PG- Devin Harris

SG- Arron Afflalo

PF- Tyrus Thomas

C- Marc Gasol

2. Denver Nuggets

Oklahoma City is not going to be happy to lose him, but Nuggets fans could not feel better about landing Kevin Durant in this draft. His scoring ability will bring success to Denver for a long time. He will be the best thing to happen to this franchise and help Nugget fans to forget about that guy named Carmelo.

Teammates who will start with Kevin Durant:

PG- Kemba Walker

SG- Jimmer Fredette

PF- Kevin Garnett

C- Andrea Bargnani

3. Orlando Magic

One way or another, Chris Paul is headed out of New Orleans. Under this scenario, the Magic will pick up the explosive point guard and he will anchor the team for years to come. Paul will be a nice consolation prize for losing Superman to another franchise.

Teammates who will start with Chris Paul:

SG- Landry Fields

SF- Luol Deng

PF- DeMarcus Cousins

C- DeAndre Jordan

4. Atlanta Hawks

Even after playing there for several years, Dwyane Wade will pack up his belongings and head North to Atlanta. The Hawks will welcome him with open arms and he will be the player that will take the Hawks deep into the playoffs.

Teammates who will start with Dwyane Wade:

PG- Brandon Jennings

SF- Carlos Delfino

PF- Chuck Hayes

C- JaVale McGhee

5. San Antonio Spurs

The aging Spurs will get a great shot of youthful energy when Russell Westbrook comes to town. He will not only get the chance to lead a team, but will not have to share the ball with Kevin Durant anymore. Westbrook will become the superstar and the main guy that he wants to be.

Teammates who will start with Russell Westbrook:

SG- Ray Allen

SF- Hedo Turkoglu

PF- J.J. Hickson

C- Serge Ibaka

6. Utah Jazz

Whether he wanted out of Utah of not, this twist of fate lands Deron Williams right back onto the Jazz. He will be met by a forgiving fan base and will once again be the team's All-Star. Maybe this time around he will have a bit more help and will be able to lead his team deeper into the playoffs.

Teammates who will start with Deron Williams:

SG- Stephen Jackson

SF- Caron Butler

PF- Antawn Jamison

C- Roy Hibbert

7. Detroit Pistons

Last year's MVP Derrick Rose is leaving Chicago and headed to the Motor City. He will instantly excite the fan base there and hopefully lead the Pistons to the same success that he has had with the Bulls. Unfortunately for Detroit, Rose is bringing teammate Carlos Boozer with him as well.

Teammates who will start with Derrick Rose:

SG- Gerald Henderson

SF- Trevor Ariza

PF- Carlos Boozer

C- Marcin Gortat

8. Indiana Pacers

Superman is out in Orlando and will now fly over the streets of Indiana. In this draft the Pacers land the best player since Reggie Miller, and a guy that can lead them back to the Finals to get that elusive championship. It may take him some time to adjust, but he will learn to adapt from life in Florida to living in the Mid-West.

Teammates who will start with Dwight Howard:

PG- Kyrie Irving

SG- Rudy Fernandez

SF- Thaddeus Young

PF- Luis Scola

9. Sacramento Kings

Kevin Love is going to inspire the team in Sacramento and bring back the excitement they had in the days of Chris Webber. The Kings will be more than happy to have the double-double machine, and Love will be more than happy to have LeBron James take his place in Minnesota.

Teammates who will start with Kevin Love:

PG- Mike Conley

SG- Kirk Hinrich

SF- Andrei Kirilenko

C- Andrew Bogut

10. Washington Wizards

Now that he just got another piece of his super team together, Amare Stoudemire is again on the move. This time he heads to Washington to make the Wizards relevant again. He will anchor a good team that has good talent and a veteran who would like to win one more championship.

Teammates who will start with Amare Stoudemire:

PG- Ty Lawson

SG- Brandon Roy

SF- Chase Budinger

PF- Tim Duncan

11. New Orleans Hornets

Stephen Curry is the scorer that the Hornets need in New Orleans. He will be the anchor of a young team who will all grow and get better together. Maybe his scoring ability from the point guard position will bring back memories of "Pistol" Pete Maravich and help New Orleans to not lose a second NBA team.

Teammates who will start with Stephen Curry:

SG- J.R. Smith

SF- Wesley Johnson

PF- Andray Blatche

C- Greg Monroe

12. Philadelphia 76ers

Many fans around the league have waited for the day to see the Lakers split up. Believe it or not, Pau Gasol is the first to go instead of Kobe Bryant. Gasol is headed to a new home in Philadelphia where he will once again become the best player on his team. He will do well with the 76ers unless he finds a way to be traded for his brother again.

Teammates who will start with Pau Gasol:

PG- Jason Kidd

SG- Wesley Matthews

SF- John Salmons

C- Darko Milicic

13. Oklahoma City Thunder

While he is no Kevin Durant, there is a new scorer in Oklahoma City. Monta Ellis and his scoring ability will help ease the pain of losing the franchise's best ever player, and one of the top players in the league. Ellis still needs to learn some discipline with his shot selection, but is more than capable of lighting up teams from the floor.

Teammates who will start with Monta Ellis:

PG- Tony Parker

SF- Joe Johnson

PF- Boris Diaw

C- DeJuan Blair

14. Los Angeles Lakers

From New York to Los Angeles. The Lakers lose Kobe but pick up Carmelo Anthony. Perhaps he is the player that will help the Lakers to continue the success they have had in the league over the years. With the exciting young players he has around him, Anthony should lead the Lakers on to good things.

Teammates who will start with Carmelo Anthony:

PG- George Hill

SG- OJ Mayo

PF- Derrick Williams

C- Brook Lopez

15. Phoenix Suns

Not sure how Dirk Nowitzki drops this far into the draft, but the Phoenix Suns are not about to complain. Nowitzki showed why he is one of the premier players in the NBA today as he led his team to the NBA Championship over the Miami Heat. Suns fans are hoping last year's history can repeat himself and he can do it again.

Teammates who will start with Dirk Nowitzki:

PG- Lou Williams

SG- Tony Allen

SF- Danilo Gallinari

C- Nene

16. Memphis Grizzlies

Electrifying point guard John Wall brings his speed and talent to the Memphis Grizzlies. Perhaps the redraft is most unfair to this team who was building and climbing into the playoffs on their own before the lockout. Nevertheless, Wall will be a great player on a team that will look only to get better.

Teammates who will start with John Wall:

SF- James Harden

SF- Jeff Green

PF- David West

C- Samuel Dalembert

17. Charlotte Bobcats

Of all of the players in this scenario, Kobe Bryant falls the farthest down the draft board. Maybe it is Karma that he end up playing for the team in the city that he should have played for in the first place. Even though it is a different team in Charlotte, he had a good chance of staying with the Hornets years ago. How many titles would he have won in Charlotte? How many can he win now?

Teammates who will start with Kobe Bryant:

PG- Baron Davis

SF- C.J. Miles

PF- Paul Millsap

C- Tyson Chandler

18. Los Angeles Clippers

Just when the Clippers had an NBA superstar, Blake Griffin gets taken away. Al Jefferson joins the other team in Los Angeles and brings with him some solid low post scoring ability. He will be the focal point of an interesting team made up of a mix of veterans and young guys.

Teammates who will start with Al Jefferson:

PG- Chauncey Billups

SG- Jason Terry

SF- Jared Dudley

C- Ed Davis

19. New York Knicks

Josh Smith is ready to lead a team, and is ready to play on the big stage in New York. He will take his athleticism with him to help the Knicks continue to go in the right direction. Smith will not be a forgotten player in New York and fortunately will have some help to lead the Knicks.

Teammates who will start with Josh Smith:

PG- Darren Collison

SG- Jamal Crawford

SF- Corey Maggette

C- Andrew Bynum

20. Dallas Mavericks

Blake Griffin has just gotten started in his NBA career but has already become a great player. He also found a way to get away from the Clippers. Griffin will have big shoes to fill with the Dallas Mavericks, but perhaps he can lead his team back to the NBA Finals for a back-to-back championship.

Teammates who will start with Blake Griffin:

PG- Raymond Felton

SG- Jason Richardson

SF- Shawn Marion

C- Anderson Varejao

21. Chicago Bulls

Although he is often overlooked while playing in Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the best young power forwards in the league. He will fit nicely in the windy city, and will turn into a quality player for the Bulls. By virtue of being in Chicago, he will get more exposure, more recognition around the league and will continue his play that is deserving of an All-Star selection.

Teammates who will start with LaMarcus Aldridge:

PG- Jose Calderon

SG- Ben Gordon

SF- Dorrell Wright

C- Marcus Camby

22. Miami Heat

Even though he missed the Grizzlies historic playoff run last season, Rudy Gay will return from his injury and be a great player for the Heat. Miami will be the team that is most affected by this redraft when they lose all three superstar players. Gay is set to have a big season next year. His athleticism and ability will be a big asset to the Heat.  

Teammates who will start with Rudy Gay:

PG- Andre Miller

SG- Manu Ginobili

PF- Elton Brand

C- Andris Biedrins

23. Portland Trailblazers

Eric Gordon headlines the new team in Portland. Gordon, who is a bit underrated, now has the chance to get away from the Clippers and show off his talents in a new city. He will lead a team that has a good mix of veterans and young players and will help make up an exciting team.

Teammates who will start with Eric Gordon:

PG- Jrue Holiday

SF- Wilson Chandler

PF- Lamar Odom

C- Kendrick Perkins

24. Cleveland Cavaliers

Unlike the real draft last summer, the Cleveland Cavaliers are not the big winners. Something tells me though that if they would have had the first pick, they would have passed on LeBron James coming back to the team. Instead, the Cavaliers pick up an athletic young center in Al Horford who becomes the center piece of a young and athletic team that could surprise a lot of teams in this new league.

Teammates who will start with Al Horford:

PG- Kyle Lowry

SG- Marcus Thornton

SF- Marvin Williams

PF- Channing Frye

25. Boston Celtics

It must be some type of destiny, but Rajon Rondo is the only top 30 player who is staying with his same team. Rondo will remain with the Celtics but will have a whole new set of running mates. Now that the big three are gone, Rondo will have more of an opportunity to become a superstar on his own. Hopefully he can get his center on the court to help him out.

Teammates who will start with Rajon Rondo:

SG- DeMar DeRozan

SF- Nicolas Batum

PF- David Lee

C- Greg Oden

26. New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets

After playing in Indiana, Danny Granger is ready to take his game to a bigger stage with the Nets. He will have a lot of pressure, as the Nets move into a new stadium, and he tries to keep up with the hype that Jay-Z is putting on the team. He becomes the face of the newly named Brooklyn Nets.

Teammates who will start with Danny Granger:

PG- Mo Williams

SG- Nick Young

PF- Amir Johnson

C- Joakim Noah

27. Toronto Raptors

Despite bouncing around the league over the last several years, Zach Randolph will find a great home in Toronto. His scoring and rebounding have been solid throughout his career and he will bring a needed toughness to the Canadian team. Check out this teams center who is returning to the Raptors. Maybe this time around will be better for him.

Teammates who will start with Zach Randolph:

PG- Rodney Stuckey

SG- Jordan Crawford

SF- Shane Battier

C- Chris Bosh

28. Milwuakee Bucks

After being overlooked by most teams in the draft during the year he entered the league, Kevin Martin has established himself as one of the most dangerous scorers in the league. His shooting ability will be welcomed in Milwaukee who will need him to lead this team.

Teammates who will start with Kevin Martin:

PG- D.J. Augustin

SF- Gerald Wallace 

PF- Tyler Hansbrough

C- Chris Kaman

29. Houston Rockets

After spending his entire career in Boston, it just won't seem right to see Paul Pierce in another uniform. I hope he likes the color red, as he is headed to play for the Rockets in Houston. He once again becomes the go-to guy on a team that will help support him. He leads a talented team that could do well if they figure out a way to all play together.

Teammates who will start with Paul Pierce:

PG- Jameer Nelson

SG- Andre Igoudala

PF- Michael Beasley

C- Mehmet Okur

30. Golden State Warriors

The ageless Steve Nash joins his third team in pursuit of the NBA title that he has not yet won. He will take his skills to the Bay Area and will be the leader of a team that could do well together. The Warriors will once again have a good backcourt duo, but the frontcourt players could help them to continue to be on the outside of NBA greatness.

Teammates who will start with Steve Nash:

SG- Tyreke Evans

SF- Tayshaun Prince

PF- Kris Humphries

C- Emeka Okafor