Best and worst top 10 picks since 1987

[UK Peregrine]

This may get some of you fired up like it did me. This particular writer for CBS Sportsline says that AD is the worst NBA Draft pick at #4 since 1987. The author appears to be a stats only man, because championship rings nor positional considerations obviously do not weigh in on his list. But even if you are a stats only kind of person, I don't see how you can rate AD below the likes of Marcus Fizer Chris Morris and Donyell Marshall. At worst AD is on the same level with other previous #4 pick such as Chris Bosh, Drew Gooden, Eddy Curry, Lamar Odom, Jim Jackson, Dennis Scott and Reggie Williams. And it's easy to see that Antwain Jamison, Stephon Marbury, Rasheed Wallace, Dikembe Mutombo and Glen Rice all were much better #4 picks. But still AD does not deserve the worst #4 pick since 1987. I would personally give the title of worst pick to Chris Morris, but then I have orange and brown glasses on as someone will likely attempt to point out.

Worst No. 4: Antonio Daniels, 1997. After eight years he had a breakout season this past year for Seattle: 11.2 points, 4.1 assists. Not the kind of return Vancouver hoped for in 1997.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasket ... ry/8601915

[hammb]

I love AD, and I'm always happy to see him playing well. I want to see him succeed.

But if my favorite NBA team had drafted him at #4 I'd be pretty darn disappointed in what we got.

[NY-BG-FAN]

No way is Daniels on the level of Bosh, as Toronto drafted him much younger than AD and totally on potential so give that one time. And I think Curry, Gooden, and Odom, although somewhat inconsistent, have played at a pretty high level, and are probably better players than AD. Morris is obviously the worst, and although in hindsight AD probably wasn't a #4 pick caliber player, he can't exactly be called a bust either with the professionalism he brings to a team. It's more the Grizzlies fault than anyone, as this is the team that took busts such as Lawrence Moten and Bryant Reeves in the first round, and compared to them AD is Michael Jordan. Hopefully their scouting department has improved since the move to Memphis.

[jerzyboy247]

AD has some tough competion for the worst/best 4th overall pick in the NBA draft. His competion goes from Diekembe Mutombo to Rasheed Wallace to Antwan Jameson to Lamar Odom. Here are a few guys that I definitly would put behind AD-Marcus Fizer(ISU) and Eddie Curry(H.S.). Coincidently both players were drafted by the Chicago Bulls and also in back to back years. The writer for this article should be yelled at for not only putting AD on a bad spotlight but for failing to mention one of these two unproven players.

[jerzyboy247]

Who is Chris Morris? I looked on a website and he was drafted fourth overall in the 1988 nba draft by the New Jersey Nets. I don't think he really had a career son here is another player to add to the list below AD.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

AD has some tough competion for the worst/best 4th overall pick in the NBA draft. His competion goes from Diekembe Mutombo to Rasheed Wallace to Antwan Jameson to Lamar Odom. Here are a few guys that I definitly would put behind AD-Marcus Fizer(ISU) and Eddie Curry(H.S.). Coincidently both players were drafted by the Chicago Bulls and also in back to back years. The writer for this article should be yelled at for not only putting AD on a bad spotlight but for failing to mention one of these two unproven players.

Fizer definitely, but I don't think you can put curry behind AD. He seemed to finally get it this year and was dominating games before he got hurt. He was also drafted out of H.S. so he is just beginning to realize his potential while I think AD is probably hitting his ceiling. I love AD but every single GM in the league would take curry over AD now or 2 years ago when curry was still terrible.

[BGALUMNI]

I love AD, and I'm always happy to see him playing well. I want to see him succeed.

But if my favorite NBA team had drafted him at #4 I'd be pretty darn disappointed in what we got.

AD was drafted by a horrible team and was not going to be an MJ kind of player. Had there been a better supporting cast around him, he might have accomplished more.

For the cards he was dealt, Daniels did okay. He for sure wasn't the worst pick at #4.

EDIT: I don't think even the BEST #4 ever could have helped Vancouver back then. Don't buy apples and expect to make Orange juice out them is all I am saying. And my guess is that this reporter probably doesn't want a team he hates (Miami I guess) to get a hold of him. This reporter is probably an LA Laker fan and knows that Miami could challenge with all the right pieces.

[hammb]

This reporter is probably an LA Laker fan and knows that Miami could challenge with all the right pieces.

HUH? The Lakers are horrible and Miami is already much better than them?


No, AD was not going to be a save the franchise type of player, but he wasn't even that. Look at his career, he's been below average for most of it. He has a career average of 7.8 points per game and 3.3 assists per game. I realize he hasn't played a lot of minutes for a number of years, but that is likely because he didn't earn them. For a #4 pick he has been disappointing.

I wouldn't call him the biggest bust, because when I think of a bust I think of players who are so horrid they're out of the league in a couple years. AD has at least found his niche as an off the bench PG who will protect the ball and distribute.

Like I said, I love it when he plays well, but as a #4 pick I'd be disappointed if it had been my team who drafted him. Of course they traded him after his rookie season anyway, so its hard to say...

[Metz]

I realize he hasn't played a lot of minutes for a number of years, but that is likely because he didn't earn them.

I wouldn't say he didn't earn them. He has had some bad injuries to his knees and back which has caused him to sit a lot as well.

Vancouver wanted AD to come in and take their team to the top by himself. That's going to be tough for any player unless they are of Lebron callibur. They immediately traded him and took Bibby to do the same. Looking back though, they gave Bibby a few more years to try. AD was not going to bust into the league and average triple doubles, we all knew that. But because he didn't, he was traded away without having time to show his skills.

Since then, he's played behind some very very strong PGs and I'm sure he has learned a lot. Was he a good #4 pick at the time? Probably not. If you still had him on your team and he was playing like he did this past year would he be a good #4 pick? That's still iffy cause this was his 8th or 9th season in the NBA. However, he has turned into one heck of a player and I do believe he is underrated now.

He has yet played for a team that has given him the chance to start at PG (besides his first year) and show everyone what he really can do. That is what he needs before I can say he was a legitimate 4th round pick.

[Flipper]

There's two ways to look at AD's career. You can say he's been a dissapointment because a lot of number #4 picks have had more noteworthy careers statistically.

You could also say that anyone who's been able to fashion a career that's approaching a decade in the NBA has been a successful basketball player.
Given the amount of talent that passes through the league each year with barely a notice, a guy who hangs around as long as AD has must be doing something right.

[hammb]

There's two ways to look at AD's career. You can say he's been a dissapointment because a lot of number #4 picks have had more noteworthy careers statistically.

You could also say that anyone who's been able to fashion a career that's approaching a decade in the NBA has been a successful basketball player.
Given the amount of talent that passes through the league each year with barely a notice, a guy who hangs around as long as AD has must be doing something right.

That's pretty much why I said I wouldn't consider him a bust. He's been good enough to stick in the league for awhile now, and that's saying something.

He's also one of the best 6th men/backup PGs in the league nowadays. He really is a valuable asset to a team that is trying to win. My only point was that when you take a guy at #4 you expect more than a legit backup.

It'd be interesting to see AD as a starter again, and see if he can translate his better numbers into more numbers as his minutes went up. I'd love to see him in Cleveland, because they could desperately use a solid PG.

I'm not hatin' on AD, just merely stating that if my team took him #4 I'd be disappointed. I don't think I'd rank him the worst bust of #4 picks, though, because he's still been worthy of a roster spot and some minutes for almost a decade now. Like Flip said, that ain't too shabby.

Looking at who the Cavs have taken with their recent lottery picks (LeBron excluded), AD would be a vast improvement. (Diop!? Wagner!? YUK!)