Sports Illustrated redrafts the 2013 NBA Lottery

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With the All-Star break fast approaching Rob Mahoney of the Point Forward on SI.com took a look back at the 2013 NBA draft and redrafted based on what we’ve seen so far this season.

Not surprisingly in Mahoney’s redraft the Cavaliers decided to go a different direction than much maligned Anthony Bennett, opting instead for a player many casual NBA fans are not familiar with. Mahoney doesn’t have Chris Grant selecting Victor Oladipo, Michael Carter-Williams, or Nerlens Noel with the top slot, but instead has the Cavs’ GM going with young and long Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo was selected by Milwaukee with the 15th pick in last year’s draft and has been a rare bright spot for the cellar dwelling Bucks.

Here’s what Mahoney had to say regarding Cleveland’s re-do at the top spot.

1. Cavaliers – Giannis Antetokounmpo, SG
Original pick: Anthony Bennett

By no means am I ready for initiation into the Cult of Giannis, but such a remarkable 19-year-old prospect at a position of weakness for the Cavs might be too good to pass up. Anteotkounmpo clearly benefits from substandard competition. There aren’t any immediate stars of this bunch, and thus it seems prudent for Cleveland to make a play for a young, versatile contributor who could well become the best talent of this class.

As for the real number one pick in the 2013 draft, Mahoney has Anthony Bennett sliding down to the Jazz at number nine.

9. Jazz (via Timberwolves) – Anthony Bennett, SF
Original pick: Trey Burke

Bennett’s play hasn’t justified being the ninth pick. But he possesses talent and skill, buried beneath a tough start, a crisis of confidence and poor conditioning. Utah, far more so than Cleveland, is in a position to put Bennett on the floor and allow him to play through his mistakes in hopes that he could turn out to be a nice complement to Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter in the frontcourt. It’s hard to imagine Bennett’s rookie season going much worse than it has, but the guy has played 380 NBA minutes. That’s not enough precedent to doom his career or overwrite the promise he showed in college.

Bennett’s struggles have been well documented, but the remainder of this rookie class has yet to blow anyone away. The rookies having the most success are ones that are ball dominant and free to make mistakes such as Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo, and Trey Burke. Unlike that trio of guards, Bennett has been on a short leash and had a lack of opportunities.

While it’s impossible to undo the past, it’s hard not to dream about what could have been if Grant and his staff had decided to go in a different direction with the top pick. In hind sight almost any direction besides Bennett looks appealing.

[Related: Anthony Bennett has one big need]