The worst NBA Draft picks for every team

PORTLAND, OR - 1985: Sam Bowie #31 of the Portland Trailblazers warms up prior to a game played circa 1985 at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1985 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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22. Boston Celtics: Michael Smith

I know, I know…there’s a world in which the Celtics — a supposedly forward-thinking organization always looking to pounce when other teams are asleep — could have ended up with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2013 draft.

I can’t put it here. Technically, the Mavs picked Kelly Olynyk before the Celtics traded up from 16 to get his rights. Even if the trade was agreed upon before the pick was made, who knows if it would have transpired that way if Boston planned to take the Greek Freak. Maybe Dallas only made the deal thinking Giannis would fall to them at 16. We just don’t know.

So we’re going with an error that there’s no question about. With 17 banners, there have been a lot more hits than misses, but there’s also an alternate timeline in which the one down period in Celtics history — the 90’s — could have been avoided.

The tragedy of Len Bias is well documented, but even with that sad occurrence, there was still a world where the Celtics didn’t have to have a decade of futility. In 1989, they had the 13th pick in the draft and selected Michael Smith, who averaged under five points over two Boston seasons before going to play overseas.

The next five picks included some decent talent: Tim Hardaway at 14, Dana Barros at 16, Shawn Kemp at 17 and B.J. Armstrong at 18. All made at least one All-Star team over their careers.

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