Does the league need a fresh look at divisions and conferences?

Let's compare two teams. The first team have played out of their skin this season, to earn an unexpected 48-34 record. The other team won 1 game in 15 attempts in February, and went on to finish with a sub .500 record.

So, who deserves the play-off place? Well, most people would go with the team with the better record. However, due to the current conference and division set-up in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks (the second team mentioned above) will make the trip to the post-season, whereas the Phoenix Suns (the team mentioned first) will have to watch the play-offs on TV.

Many fans, usually the ones who support teams who don't make it to the post-season with a good record, wonder how this system can be fair. There have been plenty of protests against the current divisions and conferences that are in place, and now it looks like the NBA board could be paying attention.

Adam Silver said in December that the NBA committee will be "taking a fresh look" at the structure of the league. He also went on to say "Historically, based on geography in terms of ways to schedule and convenience of travel, the goal was to enhance rivalries and I'm not sure if that's still what's happening."

Adam Silver said the NBA board will take another look at the divisions

Silver makes a valid point. Local rivalries are, of course, a big part of the game, I mean look at the Clippers and the Lakers or the Knicks and the Nets. But the eradication of divisions isn't going to halt these clashes. Fans of each side will still hate each other, and fixtures between the teams will still be of paramount importance. Mark Cuban made another case for keeping divisions when he said that he "actually like divisions because it helps sell tickets". Although this argument might not be popular with fans, you can never underestimate the power that NBA franchise owners have.

However, other authority figures are less keen on the idea. When asked about his feelings Mike D'Antoni, Los Angeles Lakers head coach (for now anyway), replied "Who cares? It really doesn't matter. I just check conferences." Indeed, his thoughts may be shared with fans across the globe, who would rather see their team make the playoffs than do well in their division.

Of course, there are other limiting factors to getting rid of divisions, and indeed conferences. One of which is the audience side of the debate. Although unlikely, what if all 15 teams in the West qualified. Would this rule out half of the NBA viewers from watching the playoffs?

Of course it wouldn't.

The NBA playoffs are one of the biggest sporting events in the world, drawing millions of viewers from around the world, no matter the teams participating. Fans just want to see good teams play good basketball, and there are worries that the current system is limiting that potential.

And it's not like the NBA board are afraid of changing the playoff structure.  In 2003, the board changed the first round to a best-of-seven series, rather than a best-of-five. Other changes include changing divisions around in order to fit the Charlotte Bobcats in, and guaranteeing a top 4 seed for division winners, rather than a top 3 seed that was previously up for grabs. But these changes happened during the Stern era, so it's hard to predict how Silver, a relatively new commissioner, will react to change.

David Stern wasn't afraid to make changes in his leadership

But isn't it fair to reward the teams with the best record, regardless of their location on the map? To use the example mentioned earlier, the Phoenix Suns were written off at the beginning of the season, with many "experts" predicting them to be propping up the Western conference at the end of the season (and all the way through it). The Phoenix Suns franchise was commonly mentioned in the same sentence as "tanking". But instead they have come out, played good basketball and defied their critics, fighting their way to a brilliant 48-34 record in the process. The Hawks, on the other hand, haven't been very good this season, mainly due to injuries to big men Paul Millsap and Al Horford, but have come through an appalling Eastern conference to fall into the 8th spot. If the two teams swapped their conferences, Atlanta wouldn't finish in the top ten, whereas Phoenix would be gaining home-court advantage, after qualifying joint third.

This isn't a short-term issue either. The last time the 8th placed team in the East had a better record than the 8th placed team in the West was in the 1998-99 season (which, incidentally, was a lockout season, allowing only 50 games to be played). This season, only 4 Eastern teams have had a winning record against the Western conference (Indiana, Miami, Toronto and Brooklyn). In the West, there are only 4 teams that don't have winning records against their Eastern competitors.

Goran Dragic and the Phoenix Suns have been sublime this year, yet they still missed out on a play-off spot

During David Stern's 30 year tenure as the NBA Commissioner, he made plenty of changes, such as relocating 6 teams, and creating 7 new franchises. This has allowed him to become one of the most respected men in basketball (as well as a lot of fans angry with him, obviously). Silver is yet to make any big changes to the league, with a few changes to the All-Star Weekend being the only accomplishment on his list of achievements. This could be his first real chance to get the fans on his side.

So, will anything get done about it? It would be surprising if this issue got resolved by the start of the new season. Silver himself has said that the top priority for the NBA board is to try and raise the draft age to 20 (but there will be more on that later in the season), so the board will be concentrating on that issue instead. Also, he came out and last week and told the press that he was "still in the studying stage" about the division and conference split, so he's not ready to "state it's a concern". Looks like this one could rumble on for a while.

First Round Surprise?

So, that's it. The regular season is done, and now we move onto play-offs. There are plenty of great match-ups this year, and there are so many contenders for the title.

But first the contenders have to get through their first-round matches against the lower-seeded teams left in the competition. Looking at these fixtures, there are plenty of potential banana-skins for the top teams.



Indiana Pacers (1) v Atlanta Hawks (8)

Indiana have been awful lately, only holding to the top seed through their good start to the season, and Miami's reluctance to take it off them. Atlanta on the other hand have been in fairly good form, winning 7 of their past 10 games, including a win at Indiana, where they beat them by 19 points.

In my eyes, there are two key factors to this contest. The first is whether big stars like Paul George and Lance Stephenson will turn up. Stephenson has been a bit quieter recently, and he can't do that in the post-season. George should perform well, but could struggle to bear the load on his own.

The other factor lies with the big men. Pau Millsap has had a very good season, and has been the base on which the Hawks have built their success. Roy Hibbert has also had a decent season, but has been utterly appalling recently. If this continues in the play-offs, Indy could struggle, especially with the news that Andrew Bynum is to miss the first round.

Verdict: Indy won't be counting their chickens before they've hatched, but they should hold Atlanta off. Indy in 5.

Toronto Raptors (3) v Brooklyn Nets (6)

The Raptors made their first post-season since 2008 this year, in a very impressive 3rd seed. Their reward? Playing a vastly improved Brooklyn side. Life doesn't seem fair, eh?

Since January 1st, the Nets have looked a completely different team. They have gone 35-17 (a percentage of .673). This record would have put them 2nd in the East. However, a terrible start to the year means they're languishing down in 6th place.

Toronto have had a fantastic season (their best to date based on their record) and deserve the 3rd spot. However, they do lack a bit of play-off experience, with big stars like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry never having played in the post-season. Brooklyn have no such problem with seasoned players like Deron Williams, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Verdict: Brooklyn could surprise people here. It depends on how Toronto's stars perform on the big play-off stage. Brooklyn in 6.


Oklahoma City Thunder (2) v Memphis Grizzlies (7)

Memphis only just made the play-offs this year after a thrilling 3 way battle, with the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks. OKC have been comfortably in contention all season, as expected.

To get the 7th berth, the Grizzlies went on a fantastic 6-2 run in April (whilst being undefeated at home), which earned Dave Joerger the honour of being named the Western Conference Coach of the Month. The Thunder have been struggling recently, losing 4 of their 8 games, including what should have been a gimme win against the Pelicans.

However, this lack of form could just be the Thunder coasting. Having Russell Westbrook and the scoring champ in the form of Kevin Durant is a big aid in their play-off bid.

Verdict: The Thunder's poor form can be put down to them resting their big stars. Expect them to cruise. Thunder in 5.


Los Angeles Clippers (3) v Golden State Warriors (6)

The Clippers and the Warriors are two brilliant teams to watch, and this play-off series is unlikely to disappoint. The season series is tied at 2-2, so it's guaranteed to be a close one.

The battle to watch will be between the star point guards, Chris Paul and Stephen Curry. Both have had fantastic seasons this year, and have been the natural leaders of their respective teams. Paul has the benefit of experience over Curry, but it is hard to defend Curry, a man averaging 42% from beyond the arc. This could be the key to who wins the series.

Another battle would have been between the big men of each side. However, Warriors' starting centre Andrew Bogut has been injured and likely to miss the playoffs. Jermaine O'Neal is a good replacement, but could struggle against younger, more athetlic stars like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Verdict: This could be the best first-round match-up to watch. The Clippers should get the job done, but the Warriors could spring a surprise if shooters like Curry and Thompson step up. Clippers in 6.

End of Season Award Predictions

With the end of the season coming up, I thought I would make some predictions as to who is going to win the end of season awards.

Most Valuable Player
1st - Kevin Durant (Thunder)
2nd - LeBron James (Heat)
3rd - Joakim Noah (Bulls)

Honourable Mentions : Blake Griffin (Clippers), Kevin Love (Timberwolves), Paul George (Pacers)

The pundits billed the Race to the MVP as a fight between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and what a contest it's been. But, at the end of a long, hard season, the Servant has surpassed the King. Durant has had career highs in pretty every stat, as well as breaking Michael Jordan's streak of 25+ point games. He also led his team through some tough times, when they were without their starting point guard, Russell Westbrook. LeBron hasn't exactly had a bad season, but for a long period of the season, it has looked like he has been coasting. Joakim Noah comes a distant 3rd, despite having a fantastic season for the Bulls in which he has recorded 4 triple doubles, and 43 double doubles. He has been a natural leader for a team that has had to play without Derrick Rose and Luol Deng.

Blake Griffin was a contender for the final spot as he has been a star all season, especially during Chris Paul's absence. Joakim Noah clinched 3rd because he has been a little bit more consistent. Kevin Love also had a chance as an individual, but has been let down by the Timberwolves' appalling record. Paul George has been the main reason for the Pacers' success this year, impressing on both ends of the floor.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James battled to the end, and the Servant ended up on top.

Most Improved Player
1st - Goran Dragic (Suns)
2nd - Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
3rd - Lance Stephenson (Pacers)

Honourable Mentions : Blake Griffin (Clippers), Gerald Green (Suns), Kyle Lowry (Raptors)

I easily could have given this award to entire Suns roster, with the fantastic job that Jeff Hornacek has done. However, I think that Goran Dragic has been the prime example of this improvement. He has led his team to a fantastic season, which could end up in them winning a playoff berth. Not bad considering they were written off as the worst team in the West at the beginning of the season. Anthony Davis has also become the natural leader of a poor Pelicans team. He is sublime on both ends of the court, and has shown why he was the number 1 draft pick last year. The Pacers are another team who have improved massively this year (well, at least in the first half of the season) and Lance Stephenson has been at the forefront of that. There were talks of a first All-Star appearance for him, but he was snubbed in favour of Joe Johnson. Nevertheless, he has had a very good season.

It may surprise you to see Blake Griffin in this list, but he has come on leaps and bounds since last year. He has always been seen as a great dunker, but this year he has added a jump shot to his game, as well as impressive handles, especially coming from a big man. Gerald Green is another man who is considered as one of the best dunkers in the league. In his first season with the Suns he has worked considerably on his shooting and defence, and it's clear to see the effect he has had on the team. Kyle Lowry is a very underrated point guard who is averaging 18 points per game and 7.5 assists. Compare this to last season where he averaged 11.6 and 6.4, it's clear to see Lowry's potential is sky high.

Goran Dragic has captured the essence of the Phoenix Suns' improvements.

Rookie of the Year
1st - Michael Carter-Williams (76ers)
2nd - Victor Oladipo (Magic)
3rd - Trey Burke (Jazz)

Honourable Mentions : Tim Hardaway Jr (Knicks), Cody Zeller (Bobcats), Mason Plumlee (Nets)

Considering he was the 11th player drafted (and the 6th guard) and is playing for the team with the second worst record in the NBA, nobody could predict the season that Michael Carter Williams was gonna have. Averaging 16.7 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists is a stat line that compares to Magic Johnson's rookie season, and Michael's done it with a worse side. I genuinely believe that this kid can go far. Another rookie with tonnes of potential is Victor Oladipo. He's been the only man who has challenged Carter-Williams for the Rookie of the Year award. His 16-4-4 stat line is a bit worse than MCW's, but he is still sure to rival him all the way through their careers. Trey Burke slides into 3rd place, despite missing the beginning of the season. He looks like he could start a bright, young Jazz side, along with Gordon Hayward.

In all honesty, the draft class this year hasn't been very good. High picks like Anthony Bennett, Otto Potter Jr. and Kelly Olynyk have failed to impress, which is why you have to go down the draft order to find honourable mentions. Tim Hardaway Jr. was drafted 24th by the Knicks, but looks like rather good value. He could be a key piece in the bid to keep Carmelo Anthony in New York. Mason Plumlee was the 22nd pick and has proved to be a valuable role player for the Nets, with his 7 points per game, and 4 rebounds. Cody Zeller hasn't exactly had a jaw-dropping season, but he's the best of a bad bunch. Being in a playoff team in his season will give him a lot of experience for his future career. 

Michael Carter-Williams has been a class act this year, but the draft class overall disappointed.

Coach of the Year
1st - Gregg Popovich (Spurs)
2nd - Tom Thibodeau (Bulls)
3rd - Jeff Hornacek (Suns)

Honourable Mentions : Dwane Casey (Raptors), Steve Clifford (Bobcats), Terry Stotts (Trailblazers)

At the beginning of the season, the Spurs were ruled out of contending for the championship for being too old (again), and then during the season, everyone said they would get tired near the end (again), and now they have the best record in the NBA (again). Of course, players like Tony Parker and Tim Duncan play a key part in this consistency, but a lot of credit has to go to Gregg Popovich. His coaching style is not liked by the NBA board, but resting his top stars is sometimes needed, especially when his roster isn't exactly getting any younger. He also sets up the Spurs based on how they can beat their opponents. This allows them to have a number of plans, and they can flow dynamically between them. Tom Thibodeau is another coach who has done wonders with a depleted roster. He has had to deal with the absence of Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, and instead had to rely on less known players, such as D.J. Augustin, and those with little experience, Tony Snell. He has based the Bulls on defence, and it has worked brilliantly, gaining them a top 4 playoff seed (which also means home court advantage). Jeff Hornacek obviously didn't get the memo about the Suns supposedly being the worst team in the West, as he has (potentially) lead them to a playoff spot. As well as that, he has improved players such as Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Gerald Green massively, and encouraged a brilliant team spirit.

The Raptors have had their best season ever, and part of this is down to Dwane Casey. He was in charge of the Raptors last year when they finished bottom in the Atlantic division, with a .382 record. But this year, they are a completely different team, clinching their division, and getting a home court playoff place as well. In his debut season as a NBA head coach, Steve Clifford has turned around the Charlotte Bobcats from the league's fall guys to genuine playoff contenders. He has most of his players' playing their best season to date, including Al Jefferson who has phenomenal campaign this year. Terry Stotts also deserves respect for taking a Trailblazers team to the playoffs so comfortably, when people reckoned they may scrape through.

Old time coaches Gregg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau were at the top of their game again this year

6th Man of the Year
1st - Jamal Crawford (Clippers)
2nd - Manu Ginobili (Spurs)
3rd - Markieff Morris (Suns)

Honourable Mentions : Taj Gibson (Bulls), Reggie Jackson (Thunder), Nick Young (Lakers)

This award is possibly the hardest one to give out, because it's hard to know what individual coaches want from a 6th man. Do they want someone who is happy to slip into that role, and doesn't challenge for a bigger place (like Ginobili) or someone who can make that step up and push the starters out of place if necessary (such as Crawford)?

No matter what people look for, it's undeniable that Jamal Crawford has had a very good season. Despite being 34, he is still averaging 30 minutes per game, a high number for a 6th man, particularly at his age. He has had to step into the Clippers' starting 5, when both J.J Redick and Chris Paul have been injured. He's also scoring a very respectable 18.5 points per game, which rivals some starters at other teams. A man playing a very different 6th man role is Manu Ginobili. He is only averaging 23 minutes, but he's making the most of them, scoring 12.4 points per game, and 4.3 assists. He can't play as many minutes due to his age but he is still making a massive impact on the Spurs side. Gibson has become a much more pivotal part of the Bulls, especially on the offensive end, where he's always a threat. 13 points per game and 7 rebounds is a good figure for anybody, especially when they're a 6th man. He could be moved up to a starting spot next season, if Carlos Boozer leaves in the post-season.

Both Markieff Morris and Reggie Jackson have had fantastic seasons, and in any other year, they would be battling for the 1st and 2nd spots. Morris could have easily made the running for Most Improved Player, but I decided to put him in this category to award his efforts off the bench. He hasn't had a mind-blowing career so far, but has dealt very well with the responsibilities that Jeff Hornacek has given him. Getting 14 points a game from 26 minutes is a very impressive stat, especially from Morris, who has struggled on the offensive side of his game in past seasons. Reggie Jackson had a brilliant spell as a starter at the beginning of the season, replacing the injured Russell Westbrook at point guard. Since Westbrook's return, Jackson has dropped down to 6th man, but is still impressing in his 3rd season as a pro. Whether you love him or hate him, Nick Young has been one of the better players for the Los Angeles Lakers in an awful season. There are still questions about his defence, but on offence, he is a very good pure scorer. 

The 6th Man of the Year award was closely contested this year, with several great candidates.

Defensive Player of the Year
1st - Joakim Noah (Bulls)
2nd - Serge Ibaka (Thunder)
3rd - Anthony Davis (Pelicans)

Honourable Mentions : Andre Drummond (Pistons), Dwight Howard (Rockets), Roy Hibbert (Pacers)

This was another tough award to decide as there are so many great candidates, from all over the league. I think I have picked the top six players here (all centers incidentally) who have provided on an individual basis, and helped their team as a whole.

Joakim Noah is the favourite to take this award officially, and it's easy to see why. The Chicago Bulls are often seen as the best defensive team in the league, and Noah is seen as the epitome of that solid defence set up by Tom Thibodeau. 7.7 defensive rebounds and 1.5 blocks show that skill and leadership he was naturally blessed with. He could be described as the most part of the Bulls' playoffs bid. It may surprise you to see Serge Ibaka so far up this list, but let me talk you through my decision to give him second. I will admit, for a 6'10" power forward, to only average 6 defensive boards a game isn't award worthy. However, averaging 2.7 blocks per game (which puts him 2nd on the list this season) and the fact that the Thunder are one of the best defensive teams in the league, with their opponents field goal percentage being the 3rd lowest in the league. This balance of individual prowess and team defence puts Ibaka in a firm second place. Anthony Davis is in a bit of a different situation to the aforementioned players. The 21 year old power forward is having a sublime season, recording a very impressive 7 defensive rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. However, the Pelicans are having a bad season on the defensive end (and on every other end as well really). If this award was awarded purely on individual effort, then he would run away with it.

Another young man in a similar position to Davis is Andre Drummond. He's posting a very good 7.8 defensive rebounds per game (which puts him 7th on the NBA list this year), but the Pistons are having an absolutely shocking season. They are one of the worst teams in the league, with their points conceded total being the 3rd worst in the league, with only Philly and the Lakers below them. Dwight Howard has had a quietly good debut season out in Houston. He is usually in the running for this award (having a 12'6" vertical reach probably helps with that quite a bit) and has only slipped away from contention this year due to Houston not being fantastic defensively as a whole. Roy Hibbert was an early frontrunner in this category but his charge has slowed dramatically as recently, he has been putting up some awful numbers. In April, he has been averaging 3.2 rebounds, meaning he has been out rebounded by his much shorter team mates such as Lance Stephenson and Paul George. Not good for a center who stands at 7'2".

Joakim Noah hasn't stood out massively individually, but his team's success has lead to him being awarded.

 

Wild Wild West

The race to play-offs is heating up in both conferences, but it's the battle in the West that is grabbing the headlines.

This is because there are 3 teams, the Dallas Mavericks (47 wins-31 losses), the Phoenix Suns (46-31) and the Memphis Grizzlies (45-32), competing for 2 spots left in the post-season.

To add to this already close fight, all three teams still have to play each other. The Mavs are home to the Suns before travelling out to Memphis to face the Grizzlies in the last fixture of the season. Memphis and Phoenix meet in Phoenix for the penultimate match in the 2013-14 campaign.

The Mavs have one less game left, with matches against the Jazz and the Spurs to add to the games named above. The Suns also have to face the Spurs with winnable games against the Kings and the Pelicans filling out their schedule. The Grizzlies also have two "easy" games left, with a trip to Philadelphia preceding a visit from the Lakers. They also have to face the Eastern Conference topping Miami Heat.

It looks like the games against the Spurs could be the key to who gets the places. With Gregg Popovich's managerial style of resting some older key players for certain games, one of their competitors could catch a lucky break. The Grizzlies couldn't, as their 20 point defeat at the hands of the Spurs last night proved.

As the other fixtures go, it looks pretty clear cut as to who will win. However, the Suns beat the Thunder last night, so it is feasible that a similar upset could happen in the Grizzlies-Heat match-up, especially with Miami's stuttering form. Also, they could be saving stars like LeBron James and Dwayne Wade for the play-offs.

If Grizzlies are tied with any of the teams when the season's done, they will be guaranteed a play-off spot, as they are 3-0 against both the Mavericks and the Suns. If the Mavs and Suns tie, whoever wins the last remaining fixture between the sides will make the play-offs.

Dirk Nowitzki, Goran Dragic and Zach Randolph have all been pivotal to their team's play-offs chances this year.

Looking at the fixtures still to be played, here are my predicted records.

7 - Dallas Mavericks (50-32)
8 - Phoenix Suns (49-31)
9 - Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)

I made quite a bold prediction, saying that the Suns would beat the Spurs. I said this because the Spurs have to play their rivals Rockets after this game. This means they may rest some stars such as Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, in the hope that they can defeat Houston. Despite making my play-offs, I have the Suns down as losing both crunch matches. But due to the Grizzlies losing to both the Mavs and the Heat, they miss the cut.

With all these uncertainties, it's almost impossible to guess who will make the post-season out West. But one thing is for sure. Fans around the world will be thrilled by this race to the playoffs.


Out East, the play-off battle is much less entertaining, but still worth writing about. There are two teams in the running, the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a mathematical chance, but it's about as slight as the chances of Anthony Bennett winning Rookie of the Year. The Knicks are two games back with two games in hand over the Hawks. It seems that New York blew their best chance to catch Atlanta last night when they lost to the Heat (not helped by J.R. Smith's 22 3-point attempts). This loss was made worse by the fact that the Hawks defeated a poor Pacers team on the same night.

The Knicks have the harder schedule, having to play 4 teams already in the play-offs (Nets, Raptors twice and the Bulls) whereas the Hawks have to play "easier" sides with games against the Pistons, Celtics and the Bucks. It's hard to see a way for the Knicks to make their way into play-offs, a sentence that shouldn't be said when you look at their roster for this year.

Have Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks left it too late to make a playoff run? On the other hand, Paul Millsap and the Hawks look like they are going to make it into their 7th consecutive post-season.

Best (or is that Worst?) Draft Day Trades

Draft Day is known for it's trades. If a team picks a player they don't necessarily need, or want, they can try to do business with the other franchises. Most of the time, it is mutually beneficial for both sides, but sometimes it can go horribly, horribly wrong.

5 - Kevin Love Grizzlies to Timberwolves

Kevin Love is one of my favourite players and in 2008, he was involved in a big eight-player trade between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Along with the main event of Love and O.J Mayo switching teams, Memphis traded Mike Miller, Jason Collins and Brian Cardinal. Making the opposite journey were Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric and Antonie Walker.

Since then Love has gone on to establish himself as one of the best big men in the game, showing Memphis what they missed out on. At the minute, we have to watch Love's talents being wasted on a below par T'Wolves, when we could have seen him teaming with Marc Gasol in the frontcourt.

4 - Scottie Pippen Sonics to Bulls

Before setting up one of the biggest "Big Threes" of all time, Scottie Pippen was a member of the now obsolete Seattle Supersonics.

The small forward was then moved out to Chicago, with the centre Olden Polynice going in the other direction. Polynice averaged 7.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in his playing days, a solid career, but nothing to write home about.

Pippen, on the other hand, formed a dynasty with Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, and went on to win 6 rings. Without Pippen, it's likely that Jordan wouldn't have won his titles, and wouldn't be considered as one of the greats. Funny how things work out, isn't it ?


3 - Dirk Nowitzki Bucks to Mavericks

The best Mavericks player of all time, Dirk Nowitzki, started his career as a Milwaukee Buck. However, he was soon switching conferences to join a Dallas side who were stuck in a rut.

Since then, he has lead the Mavs to 12 post-season campaigns, with one of them resulting in a ring, in 2011. Individually, he has won an MVP award, 12 All-Star Appearances and a place in the 50-40-90 club.

In the other direction went Robert Traylor, who was touted to be the best big man in the draft. However, he struggled with injury problems and obesity in his respectable, but not sparkling career.

2 - Kobe Bryant Hornets to Lakers
Kobe entered the draft in 1996, as a fresh-faced 17 year-old straight out of high school. He was selected 13th by the Charlotte Hornets. However, Bryant wanted to play for one team, and one team only.

The Los Angeles Lakers.

Amazingly, the Hornets managed to work out a trade for the unproven "kid" of the NBA to his dream side. Centre Vlade Divac was sacrificed from the Lakers roster, despite being a good player for them and being on the back of his best season ever.

Looking back, the Lakers did a very good bit of business. Divac played a couple of seasons in Charlotte before moving out to Sacramento to lead their play-off run.

As for Kobe ? Well, you know the rest...

1 - Bill Russell St.Louis Hawks to Celtics

One of basketball's biggest risks ended up being a brilliant move by the Celtics head coach, Red Auberbach.

In the 1956 draft, Bill Russell was selected second by the St.Louis Hawks. Auberbach was so keen on the 6'10" centre, he was prepared to trade away Ed McCauley, the team's best player.

Although his plan seemed radical at the time, it panned out to be one of the best trades of all time. As well as acquiring Russell, the Celtics drafted Tom Heinsohn and K.C Jones on that night, two more staple parts in the most successful dynasty of all time.

McCauley still had a very successful career, picking up numerous All-Star appearances, and even a ring in a Hall of Fame career. But his success was no match for Russell who went on to win 11 rings in 13 years, as well as 5 MVP championships and 12 All-Star games. He is now considered one of the greatest centres, if not players, of all time.

If Russell didn't trade teams on that night, we could be sat here talking about the dynasty of the St.Louis Hawks.