Ever wish you could go back in time and change the past? Ever think about how things would have turned out if your team didn’t make that terrible pick with their first rounder? Well, here at Hoops Addict, that is exactly what we’ve done.

We’re going back in time and going through the first round of each NBA Draft starting with 1998. Contributing writer Michael Tiedemann has gone through the picks and taken the following into consideration:

* Who the team already has on their roster. If they needed a center, Tiedemann gave them a center.
* What the player did in their rookie year weighed more heavily than what they did over the span of their career.
* If a player didn’t even play the year he was drafted then they slid down the board.
* The current draft being done will not take into consideration the previous Hoops Addict re-draft. They will be done on the basis that the previous NBA Draft actually took place.

You may not agree with the picks, but that is why we have the comment section. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and maybe even your version of the draft below.

1998 NBA Draft

1st - Los Angeles Clippers

Original Pick: Michael Olowokandi, C, Pacific
New Pick: Paul Pierce, G/F, Kansas

Wow, imagine if the Clippers could do this one over again. The Clippers had a gaping hole in the middle, but they hold another late first round pick to pickup a big man that could have done exactly what Olowokandi did in his first year (8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest). Pierce would have given them the cornerstone that the Celtics have had for the past decade and beyond.

2nd - Vancouver Grizzlies

Original Pick: Mike Bibby, G, Arizona
New Pick: Dirk Nowitzki, F, Germany

OK, the Grizzlies already had Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bryant Reeves, but imagine if they could have taken Nowitzki and let him play a little small forward for them? Bibby was a great pick for them at the time considering they needed a point guard, but Nowitzki would have been the better pick if they knew then what we know now. And they went 8-42 that year with Bibby. Things couldn’t have gotten much worse.

3rd - Denver Nuggets

Original Pick: Raef LaFrentz, C, Kansas
New Pick: Vince Carter, SG, North Carolina

They already had Chauncey Billups, Danny Fortson, Antonio McDyess and Nick Van Exel in town. Add Vince Carter to that team and that’s a playoff team. The Nuggets figured LaFrentz would give them size and for the most part he wasn’t bad for the team considering he averaged almost 14 points and nearly 8 rebounds in only 12 games due to tearing his ACL. But those numbers would pretty much top out right there.

4th - Toronto Raptors

Original Pick: Antawn Jamison, F, North Carolina
New Pick: Same

The Raptors wound up sending Jamison to Golden State, but in this redraft Jamison stays put. He wasn’t nearly the player he has become, but Jamison would have complimented McGrady a lot more than Vince Carter (the player he was traded for). They also already had Doug Christie, so they weren’t really in the market for a guard again. Plus, imagine the things Jamison could have picked up from Charles Oakley.

5th - Golden State Warriors

Original Pick: Vince Carter, G, North Carolina
New Pick: Mike Bibby, G, Arizona

The Warriors backcourt could be summed up in one word in 1998: old. John Starks was 33, Bimbo Coles was 30, Terry Cummings was 37 and Muggsy Bogues was 34. Bibby could have been their point guard of the future for a few years and helped out the likes of Donyell Marshall.

6th - Dallas Mavericks

Original Pick: Robert Traylor, F, Michigan
New Pick: Rashard Lewis, F, High School

No matter who I put here, the Mavericks, I’m sure, want this pick back. They took Traylor and sent him to Milwaukee for Nowitzki. Ouch. Lewis was taken in the second round this year, but as we can see now, he is much better than that. He could have played the same role as Nowitzki. He didn’t play much in his rookie year, but has since taken off and made a name for himself. Dallas had the likes of Michael Finley, Gary Trent and Cedric Ceballos, so he didn’t need to play. They also had a guy named Steve Nash stashed away on the bench. There is no doubt in my mind that Lewis would have flourished.

7th - Sacramento Kings

Original Pick: Jason Williams, G, Florida
New Pick: Same

I can’t bring myself to change this only for the reason that I loved watching J-Will throw those passes to the likes of Vlade Divac and Chris Webber. Yup, no way I’m changing this.

8th - Philadelphia 76ers

Original Pick: Larry Hughes, G, St. Louis
New Pick: Brad Miller, C, Purdue

The 76ers already had Iverson and just made a mess of their team by taking Hughes. The best way for the 76ers to win in those days was to let Iverson shoot and everyone else to get rebounds. The team already had Matt Geiger and Theo Ratliff, but at least Miller, who actually went undrafted this year, could have extended the defense.

9th - Milwaukee Bucks

Original Pick: Dirk Nowitzki, F, Germany
New Pick: Raef LaFrentz, C, Kansas

This team already had it all and LaFrentz would have completed the puzzle. Sam Cassell, Terrell Brandon, Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Tim Thomas. They also had solid veterans in Dell Curry, Tyron Hill, Armen Gilliam and Chris Gatling. I know LaFrentz got hurt, but maybe he doesn’t with the Bucks. He would have given them a great compliment and another shooter on the court. It at least would have made them fun to watch.

10th - Boston Celtics

Original Pick: Paul Pierce, G/F, Kansas
New Pick: Al Harrington, F, High School

Talk about getting the raw end of a deal. However, I suppose without Pierce the Celtics would have had a shot at another marquee player down the road. Harrington is sort of the best available at this point. They already had Antoine Walker playing the same role, but eventually Harrington turned into a serviceable player. (Note: The Celtics had a guy named Garnett on their roster during this season, Marlon Garnett. I found that to be quite funny. I wonder if he was as intense as Kevin.)

11th - Detroit Pistons

Original Pick: Bonzi Wells, G, Ball State
New Pick: Matt Harpring, F, Georgia Tech

Wells was actually traded for a first round pick in 1999. So, any addition here would be a welcome one. Harpring is one of the tougher guys in the NBA and if it wasn’t for multiple knee injuries, his career could have drastically changed. Harpring could have sat behind Grant Hill and given the All-Star a breather every now and then. Or the Pistons could have went small with Harpring at the four and Laettner at the five.

12th - Orlando Magic

Original Pick: Michael Doleac, C, Utah
New Pick: Michael Olowokandi, C, Pacifici

Hear me out for a second on this one. This team already had Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson and Darrell Armstrong. And they managed to go 33-17 in the lockout shortened season. Their frontcourt consisted of Isaac Austin and Horace Grant. Austin started 49 games that year. 49! Kandi Man didn’t have a great NBA career, but his 8 and 8 in his rookie season could have helped out the team that year.

13th - Orlando Magic

Original Pick: Keon Clark, C, UNLV
New Pick: Larry Hughes, G, St. Louis

Would Hughes take shots away from his teammates? Absolutely. But bringing him off the bench would be huge for the team. Not to mention that both him and Penny on the floor at the same time would give opposing guards some trouble considering both could bring the ball up the floor and run the team.

14th - Houston Rockets

Original Pick: Michael Dickerson, G, Arizona
New Pick: Cuttino Mobley, G, Rhode Island

They wound up taking Mobley in the second round, but might as well get him sooner. Dickerson’s career was unfortunately derailed due to injuries. He was the man in NBA Live for a few seasons. The Rockets already had a championship caliber team. They could use some size, but have two more picks in the next four to grab a backup center for Hakeem.

15th - Orlando Magic

Original Pick: Matt Harpring, F, Georgia Tech
New Pick: Ruben Patterson, F, Cincinatti

Patterson barely played his rookie year, but the Magic wouldn’t need him to do too much. He eventually became a solid defender, hence the “Kobe Stopper” nickname he gave himself. He could have easily fit in on the bench there in Orlando to give them a solid draft of Olowokandi, Hughes and Patterson.

16th - Houston Rockets

Original Pick: Bryce Drew, G, Valpo
New Pick: Nazr Mohammed, C, Kentucky

This is more of a need pick. The Rockets were in the middle of the pack in defense and that’s probably due to the fact they didn’t have a lot of guys coming off the bench with size and that weren’t named Stanley Roberts. Mohammed would have at least been able to give Olajuwon about 10 minutes a night to take a seat.

17th - Minnesota Timberwolves

Original Pick: Rasho Nesterovic, C, Slovenia
New Pick: Pat Garrity, F, Notre Dame

Kind of a tough spot here. The Wolves had Garnet and Smith on their roster, so a forward isn’t really a need. The only guards left are really me first. Garrity wasn’t great at anything, but he was OK at some things. Back handed compliment?

18th - Houston Rockets

Original Pick: Mirsad Turckan, F, Turkey
New Pick: Robert Traylor, F, Michigan

Maybe Barkley could have taught him a few things? That’s really what you would have to hope for. Traylor’s career got sidetracked because he could never really control his weight. Who better to teach him than Barkley. If not, that would have been one hefty frontcourt.

19th - Milwaukee Bucks

Original Pick: Pat Garrity, F, Notre Dame
New Pick: Ricky Davis, G, Iowa

Best available. That’s really what it comes down to.

20th - Atlanta Hawks

Original Pick: Roshown McLeod, F, Duke
New Pick: Michael Dickerson, G, Arizona

The Hawks were kind of slight on guards this year other than Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith. Even if for only a few seasons, Dickerson might have given the Hawks a better chance against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

21st - Charlotte Hornets

Original Pick: Ricky Davis, G, Iowa
New Pick: Earl Boykins, G, Eastern Washington

The second coming of Muggsy.

22nd - Los Angeles Clippers

Original Pick: Brian Skinner, F, Baylor
New Pick: Rafer Alston, G, Fresno St.

Alston didn’t play his rookie year and no one quite knew what he was going to become hence the slide.

23rd - Denver Nuggets

Original Pick: Tyronn Lue, G, Nebraska
New Pick: Michael Doleac, C, Utah

The Nuggets already took Carter with their third pick and can take a backup center with this late selection. Doleac wasn’t flashy but he at least could have taken up space and given the Nuggets another six fouls.

24th - San Antonio Spurs

Original Pick: Felipe Lopez, G, St. John’s
New Pick: Greg Buckner, G, Clemson

If Buckner isn’t the prototypical Spurs player then I don’t know who is. The original selection of Lopez wound up netting them Antonio Daniels and the backup guard was a key part to getting the Spurs their first of three NBA Titles with Tim Duncan. I’m sure the Spurs would have solved that problem and Buckner could have found a role somewhere on that team.

25th - Indiana Pacers

Original Pick: Al Harrington, F, High School
New Pick: Bonzi Wells, G, Nebraska

Talk about getting a raw deal. Harrington rarely played for a team that lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he turned into a valuable piece for them. Maybe Reggie Miller could have kept Wells in check. For as talented of a player Wells is, it seems like he has been more of a headache than anything else.

26th - Los Angeles Lakers

Original Pick: Sam Jacobsen, G, Minnesota
New Pick: Tyronn Lue, G, Nebraska

Weird. Lue wound up getting traded to the Lakers, so I guess this all worked out, huh?

27th - Seattle Sonics

Original Pick: Vladimir Stepania, C, Slovenia
New Pick: Jahidi White, C, Georgetown

Drafted a center, take a center. Again, things are working out here.

28th - Chicago Bulls

Original Pick: Corey Benjamin, G, Oregon St.
New Pick: Anthony Carter, G, Hawai’i

Anthony Carter is taken to forget that guy they called MJ. Or not.

29th - Utah Jazz

Original Pick: Nazr Mohammed, C, Kentucky
New Pick: Brian Skinner, F, Baylor

Mr. Irrelevant of 1998! The Jazz didn’t need much else. They were still holding out hope Stockton and Malone could win them a title.

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