J.Ross: NBA’s Recent Draft History

Mar 2, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:24 am

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 08: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings handles the ball against the Lo...

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

There is so much talk around the NBA right now about teams trying to lose to improve their draft chances.  The league has a perception problem with this.  Teams near the bottom of the NBA standing appear to be in a race for the league’s worst record.  The benefit is the best odds of winning the NBA draft lottery in May.  Hopefully then you can turn your organizations fortunes around with a franchise player.  So with that said I took it upon myself to work on a little project for our show The Lo-Down (weekdays 12-3 on KHTK).

The project was to see if the draft is the end all be all for team building.  We know that you can get better through the draft, free agency and via trades.  I am strictly focusing on the draft.  So what I did was take every player that is in the league now and see which team drafted him.  I then made that list to see which teams are doing this right and how some of the league’s best teams have been built.  The catch to this is that I did not incorporate draft day trades.  So for example, the Kings this last season technically drafted Zach Collins and then moved him for Justin Jackson and Harry Giles.  Instead of going through all the draft day trades I keep Collins on the Kings and Jackson and Giles on the Blazers.

So here is what I found.  Some teams have really made it a point of emphasis to collect draft picks, others not so much.  The Philadelphia 76ers have 19 players that they drafted that are still in the NBA.  That is the most of any current team in the NBA.  For Philadelphia the 76ers still have 5 of those players currently on their team.  The Dallas Mavericks are on the other end of the spectrum with only 4 players that they have drafted that are still in the NBA.  Some of the top teams in the East and West right now include the Warriors, Rockets, T-Wolves, Raptors, Celtics and Cavs.  I wanted to see how well they have drafted over the years and how many of those draft picks are still on their team.  The Warriors have 5 players that they drafted still on their team but the Rockets and T-Wolves have just 1.  Toronto has 7, Boston with 5 and Cleveland has 2.  So what did I learn?  I actually might even be more confused.  You do need some luck with the draft, you need to get your trades right and hit on free agency to build a great franchise.  All of those are difficult to do.  I do believe though if you draft right it really can help the other options quite a bit.

Here is a list of a few teams that have drafted very well, so which do you think has done it best?

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Igoudala, Lou Williams, Thabo Sefalosha, Thaddeus Young, Mo Speights, Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Mo Harkless, Nicola Vucevic, Michael Carter-Williams, Jerami Grant, Elfrid Payton, Joel Embiid, Richaun Holmes, Willy Hernangomez, Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons, Timothe Luwawu, Markelle Fultz

Cleveland Cavaliers: Jamal Crawford, LeBron James, Danny Green, Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters, Jae Crowder, Allen Crabbe, Joe Harris, Andrew Wiggins, Tyus Jones

Golden State Warriors:  Marco Belinelli, Steph Curry, Epke Udoh, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Kevon Looney, Damion Jones

New Orleans Pelicans:  David West, JR Smith, Chris Paul, Darrell Arthur, Darren Collison, Cole Aldrich, Darius Miller, Austin Rivers, Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel, Buddy Hield

Oklahoma City Thunder:  Nick Collison, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, James Harden, Eric Bledsoe, Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams, Alex Abrines, Josh Huestis, Cameron Payne, Terrence Ferguson

Newsletter

Basketball

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors argues with a referee before being ejected during a...

Field Level Media

Warriors’ Draymond Green on most recent ejection: ‘It just can’t happen’

Draymond Green said on his podcast that he deserved to be ejected for his actions in his team's game against the Orlando Magic.

5 hours ago

De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings guards Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks in the first...

Joseph Jarosz

Sam Amick on where the Sacramento Kings will be at the end of the season

With 10 games left in the season, the Sacramento Kings find themselves in an arms race for the sixth and final playoff spot. Where will they end the year?

5 hours ago

Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks go for a ...

Brenden Nunes

Sacramento Kings need to limit turnovers and increased physicality in Friday’s rematch

Sacramento Kings need to improve turnovers and physicality Friday After suffering a costly 132-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, the Sacramento Kings get a chance for redemption on Friday.

7 hours ago

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball over Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Ki...

Joseph Jarosz

Jason Anderson: The final playoff spot will come down to the Kings or Mavs

Jason Anderson, Sacramento Kings reporter for the Sacramento Bee, joined The Drive Guys to discuss the final push for the playoffs, another matchup with the Mavericks looming after Tuesday's loss, and more.

10 hours ago

Jalen Suggs #4 of the Orlando Magic drives on Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors du...

Field Level Media

Warriors complete back-to-back sweep, hold off Magic 101-93 Wednesday night

Gary Payton II stalled an Orlando run with an interior hoop, Stephen Curry saved his only two fourth-quarter baskets for the final 1:09 and the Golden State Warriors overcame the early ejection of Draymond Green to hold off the host Magic 101-93 on Wednesday night.

23 hours ago

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a game against th...

Joseph Jarosz

Watch: Draymond Green ejected less than four minutes into Warriors vs Magic

It took Golden State Warriors' forward Draymond Green less than five minutes to get tossed from Wednesday's game against the Magic.

1 day ago

J.Ross: NBA’s Recent Draft History