It wasn't long ago that the 2021 NBA Draft occurred and 60 players heard their names called on draft night, but busts and steals are already starting to emerge from this draft class. It is becoming clearer by the day which teams got their picks correct and which teams didn't. These players' careers are still young, so they can all still change their fate in the NBA, but because their third seasons in the league are coming to a close soon, we decided to redraft the 2021 NBA Draft class.
30. Miles McBride: Utah Jazz
Actual position: 36th
Original number 30 pick: Santi Aldama
After the top 20 picks, the 2021 NBA redraft is relatively weak. This allows Miles McBride – a former second-rounder – to sneak into the first round despite averaging only 3.8 points per game for his career. McBride only has 1,654 total minutes on the NBA hardwood to his name, but he has been solid in those minutes as a backup guard for the New York Knicks.
29. Day'ron Sharpe: Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 29th
Original number 29 pick: Day'ron Sharpe
Day'ron Sharpe is a big-bodied backup center who will likely stick in the NBA for a long time. He has a traditional big man skillset, as he gets rebounds and can body centers in the paint on defense. Sharpe hasn't shot many three-pointers in his career, but that is an attribute he can potentially develop, as he is 10-26 from deep so far in his career. He was originally drafted with this pick in 2021, but the Phoenix Suns moved Sharpe to the Brooklyn Nets on draft night.
28. Jericho Sims: Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: 58th
Original number 28 pick: Jaden Springer
Jericho Sims hasn't put up big numbers in his young career, but he has been in the public eye since he's a member of the big-market New York Knicks. Mitchell Robinson is often hurt, and Sims has filled in admirably for the center when that is the case. He has incredible hops, but his minutes are down this season because Isaiah Hartenstein has played a big role in New York.
27. Ziaire Williams: Brooklyn Nets
Actual position: 10th
Original number 27 pick: Cam Thomas
Ziaire Williams hasn't been consistent with the Memphis Grizzlies, but he has shown flashes. The Grizzlies have a deep roster, which has made it tough for the team to find minutes for Williams. In Brooklyn, he would have more opportunity to play his game. Williams' inefficiency from deep has been the biggest thing preventing him from reaching the potential Memphis saw in the Stanford product that encouraged them to draft him in the top 10.
26. Davion Mitchell: Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 9th
Original number 26 pick: Bones Hyland
Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth has prioritized drafting older, defensive-minded prospects in recent drafts to fit around the scorers already on the Denver Nuggets roster. This strategy is used in the 2021 NBA redraft as well. Davion Mitchell has been a disappointment as a top-10 pick, and he has even been out of the rotation for the Sacramento Kings at times this season.
Mitchell is an aggressive defender who is annoying to play against, though, and he likely would have found a role with the Nuggets had he been drafted by Denver.
25. Isaiah Jackson: Los Angeles Clippers
Actual position: 22nd
Original number 25 pick: Quentin Grimes
Isaiah Jackson will likely never be a starter, but he is an end-of-the-rotation player who will do all of the dirty work off of the bench. Jackson collects rebounds, protects the rim, and can score putbacks and alley-oops.
24. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl: Houston Rockets
Actual position: 32nd
Original number 24 pick: Josh Christopher
Although he hasn't done much since joining the New Orleans Pelicans, the start of Jeremiah Robinson-Earl's career was promising. He started more games than he didn't when he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it was somewhat surprising to see the team move on from the stretch four. However, Robinson-Earl's numbers have gotten worse in each season he has been in the league, and he is quickly trending in the wrong direction.
23. Moses Moody: Houston Rockets
Actual position: 14th
Original number 23 pick: Usman Garuba
The Houston Rockets messed up their back-to-back selections in 2021, as both Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba have been busts for the team. It is not a surefire thing that Robinson-Earl and Moses Moody would become solidified rotation players for the Rockets, but they are upgrades over the players they originally selected.
Golden State Warriors fans have long pleaded for Steve Kerr to give more minutes to Moody, and rightfully so. He was touted as having an NBA-ready game when he came into the league, and he has performed when he has seen time on the court. Moody has only averaged 13.6 minutes per game during his career so far, though.
22. Ayo Dosunmu: Los Angeles Lakers
Actual position: 38th
Original number 22 pick: Isaiah Jackson
Ayo Dosunmu rises up the draft board from the 38th selection all the way to the 22nd pick. Dosunmu does whatever is asked of him, and he would have been a perfect fit on the Los Angeles Lakers. The guard's scoring numbers are up this season despite playing the fewest minutes of his career because he has become more efficient.
21. Sam Hauser: New York Knicks
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 21 pick: Keon Johnson
The league needs three-point shooting role players, and that is exactly what Sam Hauser is. He has shot over 41 percent in each of his three NBA seasons, and he has done it at 6-foot 8-inches and while playing the forward spots. Hauser plays for the Boston Celtics, so he has a low usage rate. He knocks down his shots, though, and winning teams always seem to have a player like Hauser on their roster.
20. Bones Hyland: Atlanta Hawks
Actual position: 26th
Original number 20 pick: Jalen Johnson
Bones Hyland has the potential to be much higher in this redraft, as he was playing solid minutes and had an important role for a very good Nuggets team. However, he was unhappy with his role, and it forced the Nuggets to move him at the trade deadline last season before they won the championship.
Now, with the Los Angeles Clippers, Hyland has racked up DNP-CDs, and the team recently sent him home early prior to the All-Star break. His career is quickly trending in the wrong direction, and it is fair to question if Hyland will ever embrace a team-first attitude. Regardless, Hyland has already demonstrated the caliber of player he is when he is on the court. The guard plays a streetball style of play that leads to lots of highlights and fan engagement.
He has a great shot and a variety of dribble moves to go with an impressive handle, which makes him a serious threat on the offensive end. A lack of size and defense have prevented him from obtaining the kind of role that he feels he deserves, though.
19. Jose Alvarado: New York Knicks
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 19 pick: Kai Jones
Jose Alvarado has become a fan-favorite and one of the most popular players from this draft class despite originally going undrafted. His size will always limit him to being a role player, but Alvarado has found a niche in the NBA. He is most known for his “grand theft Alvarado” plays, where he hides in the corner while the other team inbounds the ball before he sneaks from behind for a steal.
His signature move is a unique way to impact the game, but it is also a great example of the hustle and effort he shows on a play-to-play basis.
18. Aaron Wiggins: Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 55th
Original number 18 pick: Tre Mann
The Oklahoma City Thunder originally used this pick on Tre Mann, and they ended up with Aaron Wiggins near the end of the second round. Mann is no longer with the team, but Wiggins is a rotation player for Mark Daigneault. Wiggins is a three-and-D player, and he fits perfectly in Oklahoma City, so why would we take that away from the Thunder?
17. Santi Aldama: Memphis Grizzlies
Actual position: 30th
Original number 17 pick: Trey Murphy III
Santi Aldama is one of many players in the 2021 redraft who ends up back with the team that originally selected him. Despite the great depth on the team, Aldama has played well enough to crack into Taylor Jenkins' rotation when the team was healthy, and he has helped keep the team afloat this season while the squad has been ravaged by injuries.
16. Quentin Grimes: Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 25th
Original number 16 pick: Alperen Sengun
The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Alperen Sengun on draft day, and that is one decision they surely wish that they could have back. They slightly make up for that mistake in the 2021 NBA redraft by selecting Quentin Grimes with the 16th overall pick, though. Grimes was recently traded to the Detroit Pistons, and while his numbers are down this season, he has proven he is a rotation-caliber three-and-D player.
15. Corey Kispert: Washington Wizards
Actual position: 15th
Original number 15 pick: Corey Kispert
Corey Kispert narrowly misses out on the lottery in the 2021 NBA redraft, just as he did in real life, but any team would love to have him because of his scheme versatility. Kispert is a great three-point shooter who shot 42.4 percent from deep last season, and he has been playing the best ball of his career post-trade deadline for the Washington Wizards.
14. Josh Giddey: Golden State Warriors
Actual position: 6th
Original number 14 pick: Moses Moody
Josh Giddey is a jack of all trades, master of none, and his play style would be complementary to the stars in Golden State. Giddey's playmaking as a jumbo guard would fit perfectly alongside a shorter player like Stephen Curry, and Giddey's lack of shooting would be less detrimental when he is surrounded by some of the best shooters of all time. Steve Kerr could perhaps develop Giddey into a role similar to that of Draymond Green.
Giddey is better than the 14th-best player from this class, but he has had some issues both off and on the court this season that have soured the way people view him. Giddey came onto the scene strong and was even the youngest player to ever record a triple-double, but poor defense and shooting have made him a weird fit with the Thunder. Those fit issues would be less worrisome with the Warriors.
13. Herbert Jones: Indiana Pacers
Actual position: 35th
Original number 13 pick: Chris Duarte
Herbert Jones is one of the best defensive players in the NBA. The Indiana Pacers have one of the worst defenses in the NBA, which makes this selection rather simple. It was widely assumed that Jones would have an immediate impact in the NBA because of his defense, but he slid to the second round in 2021 because there wasn't a lot to like on the offensive side.
While Jones is by no means elite on offense, he has actually been much better than anyone would have guessed. He is shooting over 40 percent from deep this season, which is something that few saw coming. He has shot well, in particular, as a corner three-point shooter.
12. Cam Thomas: San Antonio Spurs
Actual position: 27th
Original number 12 pick: Joshua Primo
The selection of Joshua Primo, the youngest player from this class, was a nightmare. The San Antonio Spurs let go of Primo after only 54 games with the team because of indecent exposure allegations. In this redraft, Giddey is the best player left on the board, but because hindsight is allowed in this redraft, the team passes on him as well because he also was accused of sexual misconduct. Giddey had an alleged relationship with a minor, but he will not be facing charges. Even though Giddey will not be getting in trouble, the Spurs decide to go in a different direction and add Cam Thomas instead.
At times, Thomas has looked like a superstar because his scoring truly is next level. Defensive contests don't seem to bother Thomas, and his multiple stretches of high scoring forced the Brooklyn Nets to finally try him as a full-time starter earlier in the 2023-24 season. Thomas is lacking on defense and as a playmaker, though, so the Nets moved him back to the bench.
Going forward, Thomas will likely be a spark plug scorer off the bench, but it is possible that multiple Sixth Man of the Year Awards are in his future. It doesn't seem likely that his defense and passing will improve enough to warrant becoming a full-time starter, but if they do, Thomas will be a major problem for the rest of the league.
11. Jalen Johnson: Charlotte Hornets
Actual position: 20th
Original number 11 pick: James Bouknight
Jalen Johnson has emerged in a big way in year three. After seeing limited time on the court in his first two seasons, Johnson has become arguably the second most important player on the Atlanta Hawks. His combination of athleticism and playmaking is impressive for a power forward, and he was the only player besides Trae Young that the Hawks considered untouchable at the NBA trade deadline this season.
10. Trey Murphy III: New Orleans Pelicans
Actual position: 17th
Original number 10 pick: Ziaire Williams
Trey Murphy III would be a starter on a lot of teams around the NBA. He is not only an elite three-point shooter, but he is someone with enough athletic abilities that he competed in the Slam Dunk Contest. As a 6-foot 8-inch shooter, he would fit on any team, but he especially fits on the New Orleans Pelicans.
On draft night, the Pelicans traded out of this spot and moved back to pick up Murphy. The deal also included swapping Steven Adams for Jonas Valanciunas. It is fair to say that the Pelicans got the better end of the deal with both of those players. In this redraft, they aren't afforded the opportunity to bring in Valanciunas, but they still walk away with Murphy.
9. Austin Reaves: Sacramento Kings
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 9 pick: Davion Mitchell
Austin Reaves was undrafted, but he has already earned the trust of LeBron James and the Lakers, and that says a lot. While his defense could use a little work, Reaves saw a massive jump from real life to the 2021 NBA redraft because of his shotmaking and playmaking abilities, and he has already proved his worth in the playoffs during big moments for the NBA's biggest team. This season, he is averaging 15.8 points and 5.4 assists per game.
8. Jalen Suggs: Orlando Magic
Actual position: 5th
Original number 8 pick: Franz Wagner
Jalen Suggs is really coming into his own in year three. He has always been a pest on defense who makes life miserable for opposing guards. He just needed to hit the three-point shot to get more respect from opposing defenses on the other end. Suggs is now doing that, and he is a big reason the Orlando Magic have improved dramatically this year. They originally took Suggs fifth, but in this redraft, they are able to wait a few picks and still snag their blossoming young guard.
7. Jonathan Kuminga: Golden State Warriors
Actual position: 7th
Original number 7 pick: Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga came into the league a little bit raw. In 2021, he was viewed as the future to connect to an aging Golden State Warriors core. In the 2021 NBA redraft, the Warriors stick with that philosophy and again select Kuminga. The youngster didn't come out of the gates hot, but he still contributed to an NBA Finals victory for Golden State.
A year-two breakout was expected but didn't really happen, and in year three, many fans were upset with Steve Kerr for not giving Kuminga more of a chance. The forward even came out and said himself that he was losing faith in his coach and his ability to blossom under Kerr. Since then, Kerr has made Kuminga a key part of the Warriors' plans, and the team has reaped the rewards.
Kuminga has taken his game to new heights in 2024, as he is up to 15.5 points on the season, but he is scoring 20.1 points since calling out Kerr. Kuminga is freakishly athletic and nearly impossible to defend when he is attacking the rim. In a year or two, he might even end up higher on a 2021 NBA redraft.
6. Jalen Green: Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 2nd
Original number 6 pick: Josh Giddey
Jalen Green is the hardest player to rank in this draft class, but he ends up going sixth overall, which means G-League Ignite teammates go back-to-back in the 2021 NBA redraft. Many thought that he had the most superstar potential in this class before the draft, but his star power has started to fade some this season.
There are a number of reasons for that. He has been extremely inconsistent and has, at times, struggled with shooting efficiency. Additionally, his defense hasn't been great, which isn't helped by the fact that he is a little undersized for a shooting guard, but doesn't have typical point guard playmaking traits.
While that seems like a lot of flaws, there is no doubting that Green is still clearly one of the most talented players from this class. He truly can make any shot from the floor, and it has led to a career scoring mark of 19.4 points per game, which is the most from this draft class. While some have questioned his role going forward, there is no doubt that he is going to have a long career in the NBA. There still might even be a superstar-level player somewhere in there.
5. Evan Mobley: Orlando Magic
Actual position: 3rd
Original number 5 pick: Jalen Suggs
The Magic nailed the 2021 NBA Draft with the selections of Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. You can make an argument that they got better in this redraft, but we are going to say they got slightly worse, as Franz Wagner goes even higher in this draft than he did in real life. Evan Mobley isn't a bad option, though, and he would make a dominant defense even scarier.
Mobley is a unicorn player in that he can block shots but also has a perimeter game on offense. At times, people have called Mobley the best player from this draft class. If it wasn't for the recency bias associated with him missing a lot of time this season, many would likely still feel that way. Mobley actually has the most win shares from this draft class so far during their limited time in the league.
4. Cade Cunningham: Toronto Raptors
Actual position: 1st
Original number 4 pick: Scottie Barnes
The original number one pick from the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham, falls to fourth in this redraft. The Oklahoma State product does have a legitimate case as the best player from this class, and he isn't undeserving of the number one slot.
He falls, though, because he missed the majority of his second season because of a shin injury and his Detroit Pistons are historically bad this season. Cunningham hasn't necessarily been the problem for Detroit, but he hasn't led the team to many victories either, and that is the expectation for number-one draft picks.
Cunningham would have surely thrived on almost any other team, though. That is especially true with the Toronto Raptors, as he fits the mold of the type of player they like. He has great positional size and the length to cause problems for opposing teams' offenses. Cunningham is extremely versatile, and he could do a little bit of everything for the Raptors, similar to how Scottie Barnes has thrived for the team.
3. Scottie Barnes: Cleveland Cavaliers
Actual position: 4th
Original number 3 pick: Evan Mobley
Scottie Barnes is an unorthodox player. At times, he makes you wonder how he is in the NBA, like when he recently nearly shot a jump shot over the backboard or when he dribbled the ball off of his leg in the Skills Challenge. Don't let his moments of weirdness fool you, though; Barnes is a beast on the basketball court.
Barnes was originally drafted fourth overall, and that was a surprise to some, as it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Jalen Suggs was going to be taken with that pick. The Raptors' draft choice has exceeded expectations and goes even higher in this redraft, though. Barnes is an elite defender with a point-forward game on offense. He was the Rookie of the Year winner, and his scoring has even improved to 20.1 points per game this season.
Barnes may run a little funny, but he is emerging as one of the best players in the NBA. He even became the first (and only) player from this class to make an All-Star appearance. Because of that, Barnes has a legitimate case for the top pick in the 2021 NBA redraft. He only falls to three because the two players above him have a little more knack for self-creation, which is an important trait for star players.
2. Franz Wagner: Houston Rockets
Actual position: 8th
Original number 2 pick: Jalen Green
Despite averaging 15.2 points per game as a rookie, Franz Wagner was only fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. That shows you how impressive the top six players from this class have been, and you really couldn't go wrong with any of those six at any point in the top six. Wagner gets the nod over Green, Mobley, Cunningham, and Barnes.
Wagner is great as an isolation scorer, and he is up to 21.1 points per game this season, as the Magic have taken a significant leap forward. He plays on both ends, too, as his defense has been very impressive during his young NBA career.
1. Alperen Sengun: Detroit Pistons
Actual position: 16th
Original number 1 pick: Cade Cunningham
Alperen Sengun was the steal of the draft for the Houston Rockets. He went 16th in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he shoots all the way up to the top pick in the redraft. Sengun is a budding star who has drawn comparisons to Nikola Jokic because he has a similar playstyle to the two-time MVP.
Neither player has great athleticism, speed, or leaping abilities, but their feel for the game, exceptional passing skills, and incredible touch are all leaps and bounds above their peers, though. This style of a European center with non-center skills has ushered in a new era for the position, and passing bigs might be the newly desired archetype going forward.
Sengun is the cornerstone player for the Rockets, and the Pistons might be in a better position had they taken the center back in 2021. Considering how late he went in the draft, that obviously wasn't in the cards, but Sengun would have fixed the Pistons big man problem, as they have tried out a number of different centers in recent seasons.
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