The 30 most painful NBA Draft pass-ups since 2000

NBA Draft Mistake #17: Charlotte drafting Frank Kaminsky instead of acquiring six picks from Miami.

Former Wisconsin star Frank Kaminsky is one of several four-year players who make the list despite standout college careers. Although Kaminsky was a college standout, there were some serious questions about his game. He was slow-footed and unathletic, leading to concerns that he couldn’t defend at the next level.

Then there were the concerns that his breakout season at Wisconsin had more to do with him dominating against younger players than being an offensive weapon. Those concerns turned out to be completely warranted, but leave it to Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets to take him anyway.

This despite them being offered six draft picks, including four future first-round picks, by the Boston Celtics in order to move up in the draft just to select Justise Winslow. Jordan and the Hornets reportedly hadn’t done scouting for players projected to fall out of the lottery, leading to them debating the deal only for time to run out and then having to take Kaminsky.

Trying to trade the farm for Winslow doesn’t make Boston look good, but turning down four firsts to draft a player who was clearly not going to be a star at the NBA level is pretty bad for Charlotte. Kaminsky would go on to play four seasons with the Hornets, then bounce around the NBA. Had they been better prepared, Charlotte could have avoided wasting a top-10 pick.