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

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#5 Pick: Spencer Dinwiddie (Originally: Dante Exum)

The Jazz originally identified their biggest need with this pick accurately. Unfortunately, Dante Exum has never been able to stay healthy and live up to the potential that saw him get drafted this high.

Yes, the college-ending injury that Spencer Dinwiddie suffered would have made this a tough pick at the time and is the reason he fell as far as he did. But armed with hindsight, Dinwiddie is the easy selection here. He would have complimented the young Jazz roster perfectly, as he has shown the ability to fit whatever role is needed since being with the Brooklyn Nets.

Throw out his two mostly lost, seasons with the Detroit Pistons, where a mediocre team could not find the fit for him and he was still likely in the slow recovery phase from a career-threatening injury. He’s posted career averages of 14.4 points and 5.4 assists on 41.8 percent shooting in Brooklyn.

He has shown the ability to be a starter this season, posting his highest career scoring average while only seeing a slight dip in his efficiency. He was a lethal scorer off the bench last season, backing up D’Angelo Russell in his All-Star campaign. Dinwiddie, alongside Gordon Hayward in the backcourt, would have benefited immediately from the coaching of Quin Snyder.

With the sixth pick in the 2014 NBA Redraft, the Boston Celtics select…

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