2010 NBA Redraft: Looking back at how things change with hindsight
By Corey Rausch
#6 Pick: Derrick Favors (Originally: Ekpe Udoh)
Given that the Warriors took a chance on the potential of big man Ekpe Udo,h they would be even more interested in the guy who skyrocketed up draft boards for similar potential. Drafting Stephen Curry and Derrick Favors in back to back season would not have been the kind of moves that led to the dynastic Warriors that fans may be accustomed to now but would have been a very impressive young tandem nonetheless.
Favors had a strange start to his career having been drafted higher than he probably should have based on a potential-filled season at Georgia Tech. He was then traded amid his second season as part of the deal to bring Deron Williams to the Nets. Utah helped Favors grow in a clogged frontcourt that also included Al Jefferson, Enes Kanter and Paul Millsap.
Second installment of "Did You Know That..." on #Pelicans center Derrick Favors, whose hoops journey includes discovering a book, which (much later) helped to inspire unique art on his left arm: https://t.co/qhLxB5cOwr Part 1, JJ Redick's non-initials: https://t.co/WBIVEz8831 pic.twitter.com/bDgv8tsToU
— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim_Eichenhofer) March 24, 2020
He would have been thrown to the wolves quickly with the Warriors but watching him develop alongside Curry would have been fascinating. It also would have allowed the team to use the Monta Ellis trade piece for something other than Andrew Bogut.
Of all the picks so far, this has the most league-wide ramifications. This could have possibly derailed the future Warriors dynasty or turned it into a different sort of playoff contender altogether. Sometimes it is the moves you do not make that result in the biggest wins.
With the seventh pick the 2010 NBA Redraft, the Detroit Pistons select: