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2014 NBA Redraft: A tale of two big men and two missed picks

By Corey Rausch

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on December 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Nuggets 97-92, NBA MVP Ladder: Top 5 MVP candidates at the All-Star break. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on December 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Nuggets 97-92, NBA MVP Ladder: Top 5 MVP candidates at the All-Star break. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

#17 Pick: Jordan Clarkson (Originally: James Young)

We have already replaced Marcus Smart in Boston with Clint Capela. This time, with one of the many picks the Celtics received from the Brooklyn Nets, there is nowhere to go but up. James Young seemed to have potential when coming out of Kentucky but ultimately only played in 95 games over four seasons and is out of the league.

Considering we took a solid guard away from the Celtics earlier, replacing that choice with another guard makes a lot of sense. Jordan Clarkson is not the defensive master and culture-setter that Smart has been for the Celtics, but he would be able to run Brad Stevens offense nonetheless.

Clarkson is a semi-efficient scorer who is again showing this season that when on a playoff team, he can contribute in a meaningful way. Just two years later, the NBA would see how Isaiah Thomas could thrive in that role and it is not hard to imagine Clarkson seeing similar success. Stevens works wonders with offensive-minded point guards and this is the perfect fit for Clarkson.

Imagining the pairing of Clarkson and Capela in this system from the start shows that Boston has developed such a culture of development that even taking away an identity-maker like Marcus Smart could be overcome. The Celtics would look very different from these changes but they would certainly still be a formidable team.

With the eighteenth pick in the 2014 NBA Redraft, the Phoenix Suns select…

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