There are plenty of good NBA players who came from the 2016 NBA Draft, but surprisingly, this draft class hasn't accumulated a ton of accolades. In fact, the number one overall pick in our redraft of the 2016 class hasn't even made an All-Star game yet. Still, any team would have been happy to pick near the top of this draft class if teams were allowed to do it over, especially considering there were some poor choices when teams originally drafted in the lottery. Here is a look at ClutchPoints 2016 NBA redraft.
30. Thon Maker: Golden State Warriors
Actual position: 10th
Original number 30 pick: Damian Jones
Thon Maker was a massive unknown in 2016, but his unicorn skillset at 7 foot tall was enticing enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to take him in the top 10. He was the first high school player selected in the draft since 2005, but many teams were concerned that he was older than his listed age. Regardless, Maker was extremely raw, and he was going to need time to develop, and that was worrisome for the teams that thought he was 21-23 years old. The Golden State Warriors were in the midst of a dynasty in 2016, so they didn't need an immediate contributor. A project like Maker would have been able to develop and learn on Golden State's bench.
29. Marquese Chriss: San Antonio Spurs
Actual position: 8th
Original number 29 pick: Dejounte Murray
The San Antonio Spurs found a late first-round gem back in 2016 when they took Dejounte Murray. In this redraft, they end up with a lottery pick who was a bust. San Antonio is known for great player development, and Marquese Chriss landed in a bad spot with the Phoenix Suns, so it is totally possible he would have panned out in a better context. Chriss has incredible athleticism, and the Spurs still had a number of veterans from their dynasty that could have served as mentors for the youngster at this time.
28. Yogi Ferrell: Phoenix Suns
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 28 pick: Skal Labissiere
In his first two seasons in the NBA on the Dallas Mavericks, Yogi Ferrell was one of the best backup point guards in the league. He played starter minutes in those two seasons, but teams didn't make him a priority going forward, as he struggled to find court time with the Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Clippers.
27. Damion Lee: Toronto Raptors
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 27 pick: Pascal Siakam
Damion Lee was old for a draft prospect, which caused him to go undrafted, but he came into the league and made an immediate impact. In limited action on the Atlanta Hawks as a rookie, Lee averaged 10.7 points per game. He played a bigger role for the Golden State Warriors, and he even won a championship with the team.
26. Bryn Forbes: Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 26 pick: Furkan Korkmaz
Bryn Forbes went undrafted because he doesn't provide much outside of shooting, but shooting is a trait that gets you NBA minutes. Forbes shot 41% during his career that (for now) ended last season. Forbes numbers dropped recently, and he had some off-the-court issues last season, so it is unlikely we will see him back in the NBA, but he had a three-year stretch averaging over 10 points per game, and he was a consistent starter for two of those seasons.
25. Damian Jones: Los Angeles Clippers
Actual position: 30th
Original number 25 pick: Brice Johnson
Damian Jones has only played 14 minutes per game over his career, but he is a big body and has been an effective backup center wherever he has played, and he has played just about everywhere. Jones is a journeyman who has played with seven different teams, and he even had two stints with the Los Angeles Lakers. His numbers don't jump off the page, but teams keep giving him a shot because he is reliable in the minutes he plays.
24. Danuel House: Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 24 pick: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Danuel House will never do too much, and that can be considered a good thing. House is a low-usage player who is comfortable doing the dirty work and hitting open jump shots at low volume while the superstars around him do the majority of the scoring. That is why he has worked in rotations alongside players like James Harden and Joel Embiid.
23. Juancho Hernangomez: Boston Celtics
Actual position: 15th
Original number 23 pick: Ante Zizic
Juancho Hernangomez is best known these days for playing Bo Cruz in the movie ‘Hustle,' but he has been a solid role player for most of his career. Ironically, the Boston Celtics are the team Hernangomez's fictional character ended up with, and he lands in Boston in this fictional redraft as well. Hernangomez is a stretch-four, and he was once a key piece on a young Denver Nuggets team before they became champions.
22. Furkan Korkmaz: Charlotte Hornets
Actual position: 26th
Original number 22 pick: Malachi Richardson
Furkan Korkmaz was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, and he has spent his entire career with the team. In the 2016 NBA redraft, he is taken two picks before Philadelphia has a chance to take him. Ironically, even though Korkmaz has spent his entire career with one team, he always seems to find himself in trade rumors. Regardless, he his a valuable player because of his ability to hit the outside shot.
21. Derrick Jones Jr.: Atlanta Hawks
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 21 pick: DeAndre Bembry
Derrick Jones Jr. is perhaps best known for being one of the best leapers in the NBA, and while he is a great dunker with a number of highlight alley-oop dunks, he has become a great defender in recent seasons. Jones Jr. usually gets the hardest defensive assignment for the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. While it isn't a guarantee he'd still be on the Atlanta Hawks if they drafted him in 2016, they could surely use that kind of defense, as the team has been one of the worst in the NBA on that end in recent seasons.
20. Kris Dunn: Indiana Pacers
Actual position: 5th
Original number 20 pick: Caris LeVert
Kris Dunn was originally looked at as a massive bust, and this is probably fair, considering he was drafted fifth overall. He has always been an excellent defender, though, and he has carved out a path in the NBA because of that. In fact, Dunn is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA, and he makes life miserable for opposing guards. He is having a resurgence of a season while starting on the Utah Jazz because of his lockdown abilities. Earlier in his career, the Chicago Bulls even toyed with Dunn as a forward because he can even successfully guard players that are bigger than him.
His 6-foot 3-inch frame does mean he is a guard, though, and he has had his struggles in the NBA because he doesn't bring typical guard traits. Dunn lacks as both a playmaker and as a shooter, and it makes his teams' offenses oftentimes go stagnant when they have the ball. Exceptions were high for Dunn as a top-five pick. Him going in the 20s in this redraft would have allowed him to focus on his defense with less expectations of becoming a star.
19. Taurean Prince: Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 12th
Original number 19 pick: Malik Beasley
The Denver Nuggets had three picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft, and they used them wisely as Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley, and Juancho Hernangomez all contributed to the team. While losing Jamal Murray in this redraft hurts, the team still does well for themselves and secures three players who have started a lot of games over the years. Tauren Prince is the new guy at 19, and he is a solid three-and-D player who has performed well as a role player alongside star players during his career.
18. Gary Payton II: Detroit Pistons
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 18 pick: Henry Ellenson
Gary Payton II, nicknamed “The Mitten,” isn't quite as good as his dad, “The Glove,” was. He is still a pretty darn good player, though, and he has definitely defied expectations considering he went undrafted. Payton is a great defender, and even though he is a guard, he thrives playing around the rim and in the dunker spot. Payton does all the dirty work, and he has been a perfect fit around the collection of stars on the Golden State Warriors. Additionally, Henry Ellenson only collected two starts in his NBA career.
17. Georges Niang: Memphis Grizzlies
Actual position: 50th
Original number 17 pick: Wade Baldwin
Georges Niang is the perfect complimentary player, as he is one of the best corner three-point shooters in the NBA. His talent was recently on display when he had 33 points on 13-14 shooting. It was the most efficient shooting night off the bench in NBA history for someone with as many points as he had.
16. Malik Beasley: Boston Celtics
Actual position: 19th
Original number 16 pick: Guerschon Yabusele
Few players combine athleticism and shooting ability like Malik Beasley. For that reason, it has always felt like he could be an even better player than he is. He's a pretty good player as it stands, though. Beasley is one of the highest volume deep ball shooters in the NBA, but he still hits the long ball at a 38.7% clip. This season, he is up to 47.1% from deep while benefiting playing around guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard with the Milwaukee Bucks.
15. Ivica Zubac: Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 32nd
Original number 15 pick: Juancho Hernangomez
The second of Denver's three first-rounders in the 2016 NBA redraft is used to select Ivica Zubac. The Nuggets have long needed a backup center to play behind Nikola Jokic, and Zubac is even better than a backup. The Croatian has 341 career starts to his name, and while he might not move the needle as a starter, he would likely have thrived as a backup to a fellow European hooper.
14. Caris LeVert: Chicago Bulls
Actual position: 20th
Original number 14 pick: Denzel Valentine
Caris LeVert has seven seasons averaging double figures, with his best season being one where he scored 20.2 points per game. His career average is 14.3 points per game. With that level of scoring, he is a good value selection with the 14th overall pick.
13. Dorian Finney-Smith: Phoenix Suns
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 13 pick: Georgios Papagiannis
The Phoenix Suns traded this pick to the Sacramento Kings in 2016, where they drafted Georgios Papagiannis. Neither the Suns nor the Kings had a good draft this year, but they'd fix that by getting a reliable player in Dorian Finney-Smith. The forward has good positional size, can defend well, and is a good catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. Finney-Smith is a major step up from Papagiannis, who only played in 39 total NBA games.
12. Alex Caruso: Utah Jazz
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 12 pick: Taurean Prince
It is very impressive to rise from being undrafted all the way into the lottery in a redraft. Alex Caruso became a fan favorite in his early days with the Los Angeles Lakers because of his unique look, but he has developed into truly one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Players rarely get shots up when guarded by Caruso, and when they do, they are very likely to miss it. In addition, Caruso is an elite hustle player who grinds for extra possessions.
11. Jakob Poeltl: Orlando Magic
Actual position: 9th
Original number 11 pick: Domantas Sabonis
Jakob Poeltl was a late bloomer, as he didn't do much in his first four seasons in the NBA. Since then, though, he has been one of the best rim protectors and rebounders in the NBA.
10. Buddy Hield: Milwaukee Bucks
Actual position: 6th
Original number 10 pick: Thon Maker
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are in a world of their own when it comes to three-point shooting, but many fans might not realize that Buddy Hield is also a historically good three-point shooter. In fact, he is 22nd all-time in three-point makes with 1,832. This is despite playing half or fewer total games than the majority of the players ahead of him. He does it at an efficient clip, too, as Hield has hit 40.1% of his long balls. Hield's shooting would work perfectly with a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has tremendous gravity. Hield always seems to find himself in trade rumors, but this is more an indication of how much he is coveted around the league and how easily he could fit on any team rather than anything negative about him as a player.
9. Malcolm Brogdon: Toronto Raptors
Actual position: 36th
Original number 9 pick: Jakob Poeltl
Malcolm Brogdon is the only second-round pick (since the NBA switched to a two-round format) to win the Rookie of the Year Award. He did in a year where Dario Saric and Joel Embiid were eligible for the award as older players despite not being in this draft class. Many players from this class developed later, and Brogdon won the award while only averaging 10.2 points per game while starting only 28 games. He in fact, averaged the fewest points ever for a Rookie of the Year winner, which really shows you that the rookies from the 2016 class didn't thrive from day one.
Brogdon has remained a consistent player since his first year, and he even averaged as many as 21.2 points per game in his best season with the Indiana Pacers. Brogdon is now eight years in, and he has averaged double-digit scoring figures in every season, but he has missed a good chunk of every year besides his rookie season because of injuries.
8. Fred VanVleet: Sacramento Kings
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 8 pick: Marquese Chriss
Rarely do undrafted players even make NBA rosters, let alone become All-Star caliber players. Fred VanVleet has defied all expectations, and after originally not hearing his name called in 2016, he lands with the Sacramento Kings as the eighth overall pick in this NBA redraft. VanVleet is a career 14.8 point per game scorer, he helped the Toronto Raptors win a championship, and he now is playing under a hefty contract while turning the Houston Rockets around. The point guard's efficiency has dipped in recent seasons, but defenses still regard him as a massive threat with the ball in his hands.
7. Ben Simmons: Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 1st
Original number 7 pick: Jamal Murray
After being advertised as one of the best draft prospects since LeBron James, Ben Simmons has not quite lived up to expectations. He missed the entirety of his first season with an injury, and injuries have been a problem ever since. Even so, he still started his career off relatively well. Simmons made the All-Star game in each of his second, third, and fourth healthy seasons.
He missed the entirety of 2021-22 and the majority of his last two seasons in Brooklyn, though. Additionally, he is a non-threat as a shooter, and it has allowed defenses to sag off of him, which, in turn, has prevented him from using his strengths (driving/playmaking/finishing). Despite the frustrations with Simmons, his three All-Star appearances are still tied for the most from the 2016 draft class. His playmaking for someone his size is special, and with the Denver Nuggets, he would form a towering duo of excellent passers alongside Nikola Jokic. It would give the Nuggets a unique look, and his teammates would likely have plenty of open shots. Simmons also brings defense, and his play style is somewhat comparable to Aaron Gordon's. Gordon has thrived on the Nuggets, so there would be hope Simmons would, too.
Simmons' recent disappointing seasons cause him to fall all the way to seventh in the 2016 NBA redraft, but he still has both proven production and tons of potential. He needs to get healthy and turn things around quickly, but it is almost surprising to see him fall this far in a redraft.
6. Dejounte Murray: New Orleans Pelicans
Actual position: 29th
Original number 6 pick: Buddy Hield
The San Antonio Spurs have always been great at finding value in the back end of the first round, and Dejounte Murray was a prime example. The Washington product wasn't drafted until the second-to-last pick in the first round, but he has turned into a triple-double threat with a knack for playing defense. Murray was somewhat recently traded for by the Atlanta Hawks for three first-round picks and a pick swap. He now finds his name in trade rumors again, as his pairing with Trae Young hasn't been perfect because both players are best with the ball in their hands. In this redraft, the New Orleans Pelicans are willing to gamble on his talent with the sixth overall pick, but they must keep a buyer-beware mentality because of how his Atlanta stint has gone.
5. Domantas Sabonis: Minnesota Timberwolves
Actual position: 11th
Original number 5 pick: Kris Dunn
What the ideal center looks like has changed a lot over the years. Old school centers were often immobile but had to be able to score inside with their back to the basket as post-up threats. Then, the NBA needed better rim protection and play finishing from the big men. Recently, centers have started to be able to shoot three-pointers. The success of Nikola Jokic has created a new type of big man archetype.
Playmaking centers with advanced passing skills and vision are a rarity, but they are highly sought after, and Domantas Sabonis has often been called a poor man's Nikola Jokic. Sabonis started out as a power forward, but he has taken his game to new heights in recent seasons as a center. Sabonis' dad, Arvydas Sabonis, was also a great passing center, and he was truly ahead of his time. The Sacramento Kings thrive in transition, but when they settle into the half court offense, Domanta Sabonis is the man who makes things work.
4. Pascal Siakam: Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 27th
Original number 4 pick: Dragan Bender
The Phoenix Suns had a disastrous 2016 NBA Draft when it came to selecting power forwards. The team took Dragan Bender with this pick before double dipping at the position with Marquese Chriss in the eight-slot. Clearly, power forward was a need for the team in 2016, but missing on both of their lottery picks set the team back years. In the 2016 NBA redraft, the team selects the correct power forward, as Pascal Siakam is the best player at the four position from this class. This season, he was recently traded to the Indiana Pacers to give the team a dynamic offensive duo with Tyrese Haliburton.
3. Brandon Ingram: Boston Celtics
Actual position: 2nd
Original number 3 pick: Jaylen Brown
Brandon Ingram was viewed at as a Kevin Durant-like prospect coming out of college because of his skinny frame and ability to get buckets from any spot on the floor. He has never come close to reaching Durant's level, but Ingram is still an effective bucket-getter at the NBA level, with his specialty being in the midrange. Ingram has averaged 19.4 points per game for his career, but his last five seasons have all been above 20 points per game. Ingram only has one All-Star appearance to his name, but more are likely on the way.
After going second overall in 2016, he and Jaylen Brown swap places in the redraft. The Celtics provided more stability for Brown than the Lakers did for Ingram, so it is very possible he would have developed into an even better player had the 2016 NBA draft gone the way this redraft did.
2. Jaylen Brown: Los Angeles Lakers
Actual position: 3rd
Original number 2 pick: Brandon Ingram
At times during his career, Jaylen Brown has looked like by far the best player from the 2016 NBA Draft class. There have also been times when his limitations have been glaring and cost his team. His lack of a handle, in particular, is worrisome, and he doesn't seem to be showing any sign of improving in that regard. Still, Brown is a tremendous defender who can also score like a lead option on the other end, although he has always been a second option for the Boston Celtics.
Two-way superstars are hard to find, and Brown fits the description. His athleticism allows him to thrive when scoring inside, but he also has the shooting touch to hit jumpers in both the mid-range and from beyond the arc. Brown probably could be a top dog elsewhere, but he seems best as a really good second or third option, considering his ball handling and playmaking are lacking.
1. Jamal Murray: Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: 7th
Original number 1 pick: Ben Simmons
It is bizarre that the number one overall pick in the 2016 NBA redraft has zero All-Star appearances. Jamal Murray has proved his worth, though, and he is already going down as one of the best players ever without an All-Star appearance. A stacked collection of guards in the Western Conference and an untimely ACL injury are the only reasons he is without an All-Star nod to his name, and that accolade seems sure to come in the near future. Besides, being named an All-Star is a regular season award, but the postseason is what really matters, and Jamal Murray always steps up his game in the postseason/biggest moments. In fact, Murray has the biggest increase in scoring production from the regular season to the postseason in the history of the NBA.
There isn't a shot that Jamal Murray can't hit, and his self-creation is among the best in the NBA. That, along with his two-man game with Nikola Jokic, helped the Denver Nuggets win the NBA Finals last season. Murray and Jokic will always be remembered together, but this redraft allows him to prove himself with a different megastar center. Murray being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers would pair the guard with Joel Embiid, and he would have been a much cleaner fit next to the MVP than Ben Simmons was.
The former seventh-overall pick has thrived next to an MVP center on the Nuggets, so he would surely do so as well on the 76ers. Murray's numbers (17.2 points per game for his career) may not be the stuff of a typical number-one pick, but the league is all about winning and shining in the biggest moments, and few have a better claim to those traits than Jamal Murray does.
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