2014 NBA Redraft: A tale of two big men and two missed picks
By Corey Rausch
#8 Pick: Aaron Gordon (Originally: Nik Stauskas)
This Kings’ roster is a complete mess. Figuring out what fits them best is a tough task as they have a ton of young guys at every position but most of them would not be looked back on as a success. The best player available is a center, but with DeMarcus Cousins in place, that seems like a waste of a pick. So let’s give Aaron Gordon a try.
The key to this pick working, and may have been the key to righting the Cousins era, is keeping Michael Malone as the head coach. Malone brings a sense of stability and was part of Cousins’ happiest time in Sacramento. Watching him help Gordon develop to the NBA would have been interesting and likely more successful than the alternative.
The name of the game with Gordon is potential. He reminded people of Blake Griffin coming out of college. While he is not Griffin, there is still a chance he can be a solid scorer and rebounder, averaging 15.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game since moving into the starting lineup full time. He still has potential as a passer and defender.
Consistency has killed his time in Orlando, with five head coaches in six seasons. While Sacramento has not been a picture of consistency either, but maybe getting one of their first-round picks right could have changed some of that.
With the ninth pick in the 2014 NBA Redraft, the Charlotte Hornets select…