FAMILY & MONEY

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is expected to miss one-to-two weeks with a Grade 1 calf strain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Smart exited Boston’s 96-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday during the fourth quarter. He suffered the injury while battling for a rebound and could not put any weight on his left leg, requiring assistance to leave the court. 
Smart had four points, two rebounds and seven assists before exiting.  […]

Porter, 20, was the No. 30 overall pick in 2019. He averaged 10.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as a rookie last year, but he has had numerous off-court issues. […]

Brown does not want NBA players to take “their foot off the gas” now that Biden is officially president. […]

A player who can get buckets seemingly at will is always a great asset, but you don’t need to be Wilt Chamberlain to have at least one big scoring day. […]

At 29, my boyfriend of two and a half years turned round one day and told me he didn’t want a long-term relationship. He was living in my house and everything seemed perfect, but he was three years younger and had had an epiphany that he still wanted to travel the world. It was predictable. It was painfully unoriginal. I was crushed.
He moved out to start his new life – drinking the same pints in a hotter climate – and though I wasn’t ready for another boyfriend, after a few weeks, I craved some fun and excitement. I needed sex. I needed skin-to-skin contact and the rush of flirting.
I work a 9-5 office job for a marketing company in Brighton, which did little to get my mind off my loneliness, so I downloaded all the dating apps. But it felt hopeless. Casual dating in your mid-twenties is exhausting enough, but on the cusp of your thirties? Excruciating. There were the men I was stuck in perpetual pen pal status with, who ghosted me as soon as I applied the pressure to actually meet up. (Really, why is this a thing?) There were the men who turned up to dates looking nothing like their profile. There were others I knew I had zero sexual chemistry with from the moment we locked eyes. I felt defeated. These apps only caused me distress and one-night stands were hardly worth the next morning awkwardness on the pleasure front. Was it too much to ask to have a period of time focused on myself, having fun with friends, but also getting laid with a man I fancied, who didn’t want commitment, yet popped over to satisfy me at my every whim? It seemed so.

Zoya Kaleeva

Four months after the breakup, my friend convinced me to take a look at the escorting site Envvy. She’d worked on it as an escort herself for years and told me to consider ‘ordering’ a guy to get the sexual ball rolling. We were a few margaritas down at a bar and she assured me that people who pay for sex aren’t just losers who can’t get a shag in normal life. ‘I’ve had young clients, even quite hot ones,’ she said, ‘It’s usually about the thrill.’
Later that night, I tucked myself up in bed, vibrator at the ready for another Saturday night of solo masturbation, and paused. I decided have a quick browse of the escorting site instead. Obviously, I was curious. As I scrolled down the never-ending images of men in my local area, there were some guys I wouldn’t go near, but there were some I most definitely would. Photos ranged from mirror selfies in their underpants, to professionally edited photos that spoke of experience. Abs were plentiful.
Could I follow through with this? I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of an awkward prude, but perhaps now was the time to push myself out of my comfort zone. Albeit in the wildest way possible.

There was a commitment to my pleasure and my needs that I’d never experienced before

It was about 1am when I hit send on a message to Reece*. He was 6ft 4inch with abs you could grate a slab of granite on, never mind block of cheese. His face was nice enough and his smile friendly – if it was actually his. ‘What if these photos weren’t of him?’ I thought. ‘What if a killer con turned up at my door, or arguably worse, someone old and hideous?’ He replied the next day asking straightforward questions about time and date logistics. The exchange felt professional, as if I were booking a PT session. I got Reece* to send a selfie holding up a photo of my name and exhaled a sigh of relief. Looking into how the site vets escorts helped me relax further. He asked me about what kind of fantasies I had in mind, but I told him I’d rather we just have a drink and get to know each other as ‘normally’ as we could. Our session was set for Friday night, his rate £160 for two hours – cheaper than I expected.
I was distracted at work that day with more butterflies than your average Friday feeling. As soon as I got home, I gulped a glass of wine and got put on a dress and heels, as if I was going on a proper date. I was shaking with nerves, but mainly over worries that he’d see me and turn away. I’d heard they could do that. What if he thought I wasn’t worth the £160?
By the time he knocked at the door, I was a bottle of wine deep. I answered sheepishly, gripping onto a nearly empty wine glass. He chuckled and entered, letting me know that, ‘It’s everyone’s first time once’ and that there was no need to be nervous. ‘You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to. Let’s have a glass of wine,’ he said.
We chatted about our lives, he asked me about my job and how I’d found him. It felt very similar to an actual date, as if we’d come back to mine after a Tinder meet up – bar me slipping him cash in an envelope, of course. The intimacy happened naturally. It started with a light stroke of my arm and cheeky touch of my bum, there was nothing clinical or forced about it. He didn’t ask me for directions on how to turn me on, I just let him do his thing.

Zoya Kaleeva

The sex was incredible. It was as if he knew everything my body craved before I did. There was a commitment to my pleasure and my needs that I’d never experienced before. It felt selfless. He wasn’t expecting anything in return and he didn’t allow me to try. It was all about me. As he left, I told him his price was selling him seriously short.
Afterwards, I did feel a little dirty. But only in the way a one-time hook up always makes you feel, in the back of your mind. I still worried that it was embarrassing. Fear struck me at the thought of anyone I knew finding out. My quest for sex had gone to the utmost extreme, but this was wholly more satisfying than any bumbling idiot in a bar would be. By the second time, I felt empowered and liberated. I saw the same guy three times in total, on a monthly basis, my self-care treat as it were. Obviously, I was fully aware that our relationship was strictly business, but it was nice to feel familiar. We kept in contact and had brief chats while arranging our next meetings. It felt almost like a friendship. There was no stress over what any of it meant, I wasn’t bogged down trying to read ‘the signs’.
My fourth experience using the site was far more dramatic. Reece* was on holiday and I was disappointed, but my escort friend convinced me to give someone else ago. I chose a guy for his excellent abs, once again, but this time didn’t ask for a verification photo. I still don’t fully understand why. Partly, I thought it’d add some excitement not knowing who would show up and I think I felt silly seeing asking after how smoothly it’d gone last time. I assumed this time it’d be the same. His body seemed good enough for his face to be, but his face ended up being the biggest problem of them all.

The sex was incredible. It was as if he knew everything my body craved before I did

It was my ex. Our jaws dropped. I asked him what the hell he was doing here and he said, ‘I’m Tom,’ in disbelief. He was using a fake name and though I’d used my real name on the site, it was generic and I’d moved flats since we last saw each other, so he didn’t recognise the address. It couldn’t have been more awkward, but we started hysterically laughing and I told him to come in. I still had a box of his belongings left behind during the break up, so I gave it to him. This made us laugh more. We caught up and he told me about his brief stint around Asia. Then he asked if he was staying or going. ‘Well, you’re here now, aren’t you?’ I replied.
We had sensational sex, one of our best, and he told me not to pay him, but I felt bad about using one of his slots and wanted to keep this strictly business. He was charging £70 an hour so I insisted on giving him £50, deducting money he owed me from our last gas bill, as a joke. The experience was entirely unexpected and hilarious, but afterwards, I was in a blind panic worrying about how easy it’d be for my secret to get out. I swore Tom* to keep this between us, but the fear that it could slip out to any one of our mutual friends still haunts me.
I’ve obviously told my escort friend about these experiences, but no one else close to me. The thought of it getting out to my friends, family or colleagues makes me feel sick. I may feel empowered, but I know what they’d think. I don’t want their pity, questions or judgements. It might change their entire perception of me. I want this to remain my own thrilling secret.
Tom* ended up being the last guy I managed to ‘order’ before Covid-19 hit. Right now, I’m missing any human contact, never mind the best sex of my life. I’m having to trust that my secret will stay safe and that it’ll be old news by the time we’re ‘released’. Still, the inner turmoil has never once made me seriously consider stopping. There have been too many hassle free orgasms for that. I’m counting down the days till I can get my next fix.
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The 2014 NBA Draft is a memorable one because it featured two superstar centers, one of which (Nikola Jokic) wasn’t drafted until the middle of the second round. The rest of the first round consisted of a number of high-level role players along with some players with loads of potential, but inconsistent production. There were also a couple of huge busts like Dante Exum and Nik Stauskas, so this draft a had a bit of everything.
Let’s see how things would shake out if we redrafted things today.

 

© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Original Pick: Andrew Wiggins
This may come off as a surprise given Joel Embiid’s otherworldly talent, but Nikola Jokic is simply a better, more reliable NBA player. Yes, Embiid is, by far, a more impactful defender. He can also dominate opponents in the post in ways only the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and other Hall of Fame big men could. However, Jokic can dominate basketball games too – look no further than his career playoff averages (24.7 ppg., 11.7 rpg., 6.8 apg. with 51-42-84 shooting splits in 33 career playoff games) – it just involves less brute force, and more skill. In fact, the Joker is arguably the best passing big man ever (7.1 apg. over the past two season). And the final separator for the no. 1 redraft choice: reliability is the best ability. Jokic, unlike Embiid, never misses games. He’s played an average of 76.2 games per season during his five year career (he spent 2014-15 overseas) whereas Embiid has only played 52.3 games per season during his four year career (and that doesn’t even take into account the two FULL seasons Embiid missed with injuries to start his career). 

 

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Original Pick: Jabari Parker
With the Joker off the board, Joel Embiid is the obvious choice here at no. 2 for the Bucks, who passed on him for Jabari Parker back in 2014. When he’s on the court, Embiid is a Hall of Fame level player. His career averages are 23.9 ppg., 11.5 rpg., 3.1 apg. and 1.8 bpg. with a 24.8 PER. His On/Off numbers (how his team performs when he’s on the court vs. off the court) have been greater than plus-10 in three of his four seasons. In fact, in the 2018-19 playoffs, the 76ers were plus-20.5 with Embiid on the court and minus-21.1 with him off the court – a preposterous 41.6 points per 100 possessions difference!! If you’re the Bucks, you take Embiid without any reservation and you reap the rewards when he and Giannis (drafted in 2013) start to hit their respective primes around the same time.

 

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Original Pick: Joel Embiid
With the two All-NBA level guys off the board, a typical team drafting third would need to weigh both potential and fit. Fortunately, this was the beginning of “The Process” for Philly, so all they really worried about is potential. Enter Aaron Gordon. Stuck playing small forward for the poorly run Magic through his first six seasons, Gordon has barely scratched the surface of his abilities as a small-ball four in the NBA. Despite playing off of position, Gordon has managed to average 16.0 ppg., 7.6 rpg. and 3.3 apg. the past three seasons for Orlando. At some point – and you’d hope that that point would be much earlier in his career if the Sixers had drafted him – a smart team is going to turn Gordon into a hyper-athletic version of Draymond Green. While he doesn’t have the playmaking chops Green possesses, he can pass well enough to be a great roll man off of pick-and-rolls, and his crazy athleticism will be enough to overcome any shortcomings he might have on either end of the court.

 

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Original Pick: Aaron Gordon
The Magic haven’t had adequate spacing for modern-day basketball since Dwight Howard left. So we know that they’d most likely choose a big man, which means they’d be choosing between Jusuf Nurkic and Clint Capela – both good big men, but each has a vastly different skill set. Nurkic is the choice here because he offers more offensive versatility than Capela. Despite having a terrible leg injury late last season, Nurkic has returned to his pre-injury form and averaged 17.6 ppg., 10.3 rpg., and 4.0 apg. in eight regular season games and similar numbers in the playoffs. 

 

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Original Pick: Dante Exum
At pick no. 6, the Jazz make amends on their Dante Exum pick by selecting a better overseas prospect, Clint Capela. Capela became a full-time starter in his third season and has averaged 14.3 ppg., 11.1 rpg., and 1.6 bpg. and shot 64.5 percent from the field. He’s an above-average rim-runner and rim-protector, and would be a great centerpiece for the Jazz to build their defense around for the rest of the decade.

 

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Original Pick: Marcus Smart
Certain players and teams – like Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics – just seemed destined to be together. Smart is the heart and sole of the Celtics, and he’s coming off the best season of his career where he averaged 12.9 ppg. and 4.9 apg. and made First Team All-Defense. His impact on the game goes beyond the stat sheet, however. His ability to guard (and agitate the hell out of) any position from point guard to power forward makes him as valuable as an All-Star level player to a team like the Celtics.

 

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7. LA Lakers – Andrew Wiggins (1)

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Original Pick: Julius Randle
Coming off of an Achilles tear in 2013, Kobe Bryant was only able to play six games in the 2013-14 season. His rapid decline in production had begun as had his urge to be great at other endeavors in life, so he spent little time with the team the next two seasons. But what if the Lakers had had the opportunity to draft Andrew Wiggins? It’s not impossible to think that Kobe would have taken an interest in mentoring the Canadian basketball prodigy. Imagine the player he could have developed into had he been supplemented with some Mamba Mentality. There aren’t many people blessed with the kind of God-given ability Wiggins possesses, but Kobe Bryant was surely one of them. Maybe he could have helped Wiggins get a little more out of himself.

 

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Original Pick: Nik Stauskas
Having signed Zach LaVine to a big contract as a restricted free agent (which the Bulls surprisingly matched), it’s clear that the Kings organization covets Zach LaVine. Fortunately for them, they’ll get a reprieve after drafting a bust in Nik Stauskas back in 2014 and select the high-flying guard out of UCLA instead. LaVine, much like Andrew Wiggins, is blessed with the kind of vertical athleticism you only see in a handful of NBA players and utilizes it well on offense (averaged 25.5 ppg. last season). Unfortunately, that athleticism hasn’t translated much to the defensive end of the court, so the Kings will need to play him alongside some strong defenders, or else they’ll never go far.

 

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Original Pick: Noah Vonleh
Had we done this exercise a year or two ago, TJ Warren probably goes outside the lottery. Hell, even before the Bubble, Warren probably doesn’t go this high. However, in his first six bubble games, Warren averaged 31.0 ppg. and 6.3 rpg. on 58-52-89 shooting. This incandescent stretch seemed to justify, or at least make us think twice about glossing the fact that he’s averaged 19.3 ppg. the past three seasons. Blessed with this knowledge, the Hornets take Warren and try to develop him into a big-time scorer earlier in his career. 

 

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Original Pick: Elfrid Payton
After selecting the uber-athletic Aaron Gordon with the third pick in the redraft, they’ll select the exact opposite at pick no. 10: Joe Harris. But don’t roll your eyes, Harris can play. He’s one of the most effective three-and-D players in the league and has averaged 12.9 ppg. and shot 43.9 percent from three the past three seasons. With the direction basketball moved the past decade, Harris would develop into an ideal starter on any team.

 

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Original Pick: Doug McDermott
After tearing his ACL in college, Spencer Dinwiddie fell a bit on draft night, landing at no. 38. It took him a few seasons to develop, but last season he averaged 20.6 ppg. and dished out 6.8 apg. for the Nets. Although they traded the no. 11 pick back in 2014, the Nuggets will keep the pick here and grab the overlooked Dinwiddie and hope to make him their point guard of the future. 

 

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12. Orlando Magic – Bogdan Bogdanovic (27)

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Original Pick: Dario Saric
Although he won’t make it over to the NBA until the 2017-18 season, Bogdan Bogdanovic would be well worth the wait for the Magic here at no. 12. The Serbian playmaker can light it up from deep (career 37.2 percent three-point shooter) and make plays in the pick-and-roll. He’d be a less expensive, better version of what the Magic currently have in Evan Fournier. 

 

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Original Pick: Zach LaVine

 

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Original Pick: T.J. Warren
This seems like a bit of a draft day slide for Julius Randle, who has averaged 16.1 ppg. and 9.0 rpg. in his career, but if you assume that today’s data and advanced analytics are available in the redraft, then this slide makes more sense. Whether it’s a product of being on bad teams or not, Randle just isn’t a winning player in the NBA thus far in his career. Hopefully, going to a slightly better situation than the Lakers were in 2014 would help Randle’s early-career development, especially on the defensive end of the court.

 

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Original Pick: Adreian Payne
Believe it or not, Dwight Powell is actually third in Win Shares in the draft class of 2014, trailing only Nikola Jokic and Clint Capela. If it weren’t for his torn Achilles this past season, he might be more of a household name because he was one of the more effective pick-and-roll players in the league with Luka Doncic. The Hawks select Powell at no. 15 and fortify their front line alongside Al Horford and Paul Millsap.

 

© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Original Pick: Jusuf Nurkic
Ironically, the Bulls actually selected Gary Harris with the 19th pick in 2014, but then traded Harris along with the Nurkic to the Nuggets for Doug McDermott (whoops!). They’ll keep Harris this time around and hope that he develops into the player that averaged 17.5 ppg. in 2017-18 and defended at an above-average rate. 

 

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17. Boston Celtics – Elfrid Payton (10)

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Original Pick: James Young
Elfrid Payton never developed into the Rajon Rondo-type point guard that his ceiling suggested he might be when he was drafted in 2014. However, he’s still a solid guard in the NBA and can make set up teammates fairly well (7.2 apg. last season) and make some plays on defense. The Celtics take him at no. 17 and turn he and Marcus Smart loose on defense.

 

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18. Phoenix Suns – Dario Saric (12)

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Original Pick: Tyler Ennis
Though his development was tripped up a bit when he was traded twice in the past two seasons, Dario Saric seems to have regained his footing in Phoenix, so we’ll expedite the situation a bit here and have the Suns select him in 2014. With Saric, they’re getting a nice stretch four who has averaged 12.2 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. over four seasons in the NBA.

 

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19. Chicago Bulls – Jabari Parker (2)

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Original Pick: Gary Harris 
Once upon a time, Jabari Parker was arguably the most promising player in this draft class. Hell, before he blew out his ACL, he’d averaged 20.1 ppg. in 2016-17, and looked like he might develop into a Carmelo Anthony-lite. Unfortunately, his career didn’t play out the way people expected it to, and Parker is now a slightly above-average scorer who stinks on defense – there aren’t a ton of NBA teams looking for that player these days. The Bulls will select the Chicago-prodigy and pray that his knees hold up.

 

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Original Pick: Bruno Caboclo
In a different world where he didn’t get so unlucky with injuries, Exum could have been a two-way force in the NBA as he’s blessed with great size and athleticism at the guard position. Unfortunately, due to those injuries and a lack of playing time, Exum had his growth as a player permanently stunted. In this redraft reality, perhaps the Raptors give him more minutes a little sooner than the Jazz did and Exum turns into the player everyone thought he would be.

 

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21. OKC Thunder – Doug McDermott (11)

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Original Pick: Mitch McGary
As has been well-documented over the years, the Thunder lacked three-point shooting and floor spacing during the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook era. I’m thinking Dougie McBuckets could have helped on that front as he’s a career 41.2 percent three-point shooter. He doesn’t have the athleticism to score like he did in college, but he would have been an important contributor for OKC – much more important than Mitch McGary ever was.

 

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Original Pick: Jordan Adams
Kyle “Slo Mo” Anderson seems to have carved out a decent niche with the Grizzlies as a playmaking forward, so let’s get him to Memphis a little earlier in his career. A jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none (especially shooting), Anderson is a poor man’s Boris Diaw and makes for a nice second unit player who can help run an offense with his advanced ball-handling and passing skills.

 

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Original Pick: Rodney Hood
We’ve got another player going to his current team sooner via the redraft as Jordan Clarkson heads to the Jazz at no. 23. Clarkson is a microwave scorer off the bench who plays every game with a pickup hooper’s mentality. Before a very nice stretch with the Jazz last season where he averaged 15.6 ppg. on 46-37-79 shooting, Clarkson was usually viewed as a ball hog who was detrimental to his team’s success. Was last season an anomaly? Or has Clarkson truly turned a corner as a contributor?

 

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24. Charlotte Hornets – Rodney Hood (23)

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Original Pick: Shabazz Napier
Ah, the infamous Shabazz Napier pick…recall, that the Heat actually dealt for Napier in an attempt to appease LeBron James a few weeks before he went home to Cleveland. This time around, the Hornets keep the pick and take this draft’s Jeff Green in Rodney Hood – a player who flashes spurts of immense talent, but is maddeningly inconsistent and, ultimately, nothing more than a high ceiling role player. Hood has averaged 12.5 ppg. for his career.

 

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Original Pick: Clint Capela
Noah Vonleh, a highly-touted prospect from hailing from Indiana University, looked like he was going to be a bust early in his career with Charlotte and Portland. However, he turned things around and developed into a good defender. He goes to the Rockets in the redraft and perhaps is encouraged to shoot more three-pointers early in his career so he can adapt to the modern game.

 

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Original Pick: PJ Hairston
GR3 finally flashed some of the three-and-D potential we’d been waiting for this past season when he averaged 11.7 ppg. on 39.1 percent three-point shooting for the Warriors and 76ers. He’s dealt with some injuries early in his career, but the Heat will hope that he stays healthy this time around and turns into one of those rangy wings the Miami Mafia is known for developing.

 

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27. Phoenix Suns – Shabazz Napier (24)

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Original Pick: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Largely forgotten about after the Heat dealt him following a blah rookie season, UConn’s two-time champion, Shabazz Napier, has quietly become a decent backup point guard in the NBA. He averaged 10.3 ppg. and 4.7 apg. for the T’Wolves and Wizards this past season. The Suns select him here and hope that he’s ready to provide some stability in their guard rotation.

 

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28. LA Clippers – Jordan McRae (58)

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Original Pick: CJ Wilcox
It’s slim pickings at this point in the draft, so teams are basically just looking for an occasional contributor. Jordan McRae essentially has one skill: scoring. In fact, despite only appearing in 123 career games, McRae has score 35 or more on four separate occasions. The Clippers snag him here and see if he can provide a scoring punch off the bench once or twice a month.

 

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29. OKC Thunder – Khem Birch (Undrafted)

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Original Pick: Josh Huestis
Khem Birch becomes the first and only undrafted player to hear his name called on the redraft. He’s a backup center who has played well enough on defense to steal minutes from Mo Bamba in Orlando the past two seasons, so he should be able to give Steven Adams a blow here and there for the Thunder.

 

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Original Pick: Kyle Anderson
Originally selected by the Kings (“Stauskas? Stauskas.”), Nik Stauskas was a complete bust for Sacramento and probably doesn’t deserve to get redrafted. Then again, what if a player blessed with his shooting touch was drafted by the Spurs? Think they’d figure out a way to turn him into a solid NBA rotation player? My guess is yes.  […]

The 2011 NBA Draft class will go down as one of the greatest in NBA history. As many as five players will make the Hall of Fame. A number of other players made All-Star teams and/or major contributions to championship teams. Above all else, with one unfortunate exception (Isaiah Thomas), most of this class got PAID. 
Ironically, this draft class also had some spectacular busts in the top-10 and some impactful late-round sleepers. Here’s how this fascinating draft class should have panned out.

 

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Original Pick: Kyrie Irving
As great as this draft class is, the first pick is an absolute no-brainer: Kawhi Leonard. The two-time Finals MVP is the obvious pick here because he’s the one true superstar whose presence alone guarantees that your team will be a contender as he has the best winning percentage in NBA history for players who have appeared in at least 150 games. This re-draft presents the Cavs with a fascinating “what if” as well: What if they’d drafted Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving with pick nos. 1 and 4 instead of Kyrie and Tristan Thompson?

 

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Original Pick: Derrick Williams
Though a case can be made here for Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson is the better choice for the T’Wolves at no. 2. Back in 2011, Thompson was a perfect player for the coming three-point revolution that was about to take the NBA by storm (career 41.9 percent three-point shooter). He’s also been an excellent defender, especially against some of the league’s most elite point guards. Thompson and Kevin Love were almost traded for one another in 2014 – they would have made for great teammates in Minnesota. 

 

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Original Pick: Enes Kanter
Fresh off an incredible playoff run that saw him submit two of the finest Finals performances in recent memory, Butler is an easy choice over Kyrie Irving for the Jazz here at no. 3. Why? Because, unlike Mr. Irving , Butler drives winning. He may rub people the wrong way at times with his crazy work ethic and “win at all costs” mentality, but the proof is in the pudding for the five-time All-Star. Imagine where the Jazz would be now had they selected Butler the year after they drafted Gordon Hayward.

 

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4. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving (1)

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Original Pick: Tristan Thompson
In this alternate reality (Kyrie would love talking about that), the Cavs end up with Irving yet again – only this time, he’s accompanied by Kawhi Leonard. Three summers later, LeBron James would have returned to Cleveland with a young roster ready to dominate the NBA for years to come. Hell, the Cavs might still be winning titles today if they’d selected Leonard and Irving in 2011. 

 

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Original Pick: Jonas Valanciunas
Possibly the fifth Hall of Fame member of the draft class of 2011, Kemba Walker is the clearcut choice for the Raptors at no. 5. In nine NBA seasons, the UConn star has averaged 19.9 ppg. and 5.4 apg. on 42-36-84 shooting. Unfortunately for Kemba, eight of those seasons were spent with the miserable Bobcats/Hornets franchise. Here, he gets to go to a well-run organization in Toronto and presumably becomes what Kyle Lowry is presently to the Raptors. 

 

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Original Pick: Jan Vesely
Although IT, Vucevic, Tobias Harris are all on the board, Tristan Thompson was the guy for the Wizards to pair with then-second year blur of a point guard, John Wall. Thompson is everything the Wizards thought they were getting with Vesely, and then some. As he proved in the 2016 NBA Finals, Thompson was athletic enough to help swing the Finals with his energy on the boards and ability to switch out onto the perimeter. He was never a star (career averages of 9.4 ppg., 8.7 rpg.), but he was a star in his role. At pick no. 6 of any draft, that’s good value. 

 

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Original Pick: Bismack Biyombo
Though the Kings traded the rights of Biyombo to the Bobcats as part of a three-team deal that landed them Jimmer Fredette (whoops!), we’re going to presume that they keep this pick for re-drafting purposes. Though it’d be tempting to select Isaiah Thomas – the future All-NBA guard the Kings selected with the 60th pick back in 2011 – Sacramento goes with the ever-consistent big man, Nikola Vucevic. Over his past six seasons, the USC product has averaged 18.2 ppg. and 10.5 rpg. Vucevic’s availability edges him over IT, whose career has been hampered by injuries. 

 

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Original Pick: Brandon Knight
The IT-Detroit Redux!! One of the ultimate chip on his shoulder players, Isaiah Thomas jumps from being Mr. Irrelevant (pick no. 60) to the top-10. Had he not suffered a career-altering hip injury in the 2016-17 season, he may have gone even higher in the re-draft as he was good enough to finish fifth in the 2016-17 MVP vote (28.9 ppg. and 5.9 apg. on 46-38-91 shooting). 

 

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Original Pick: Kemba Walker
The Hornets end up getting Harris, a player they originally drafted in 2011 (but was rerouted to Milwaukee as part of a three-way deal). Harris is a good, not great wing, who can get buckets (18.6 ppg. and 48-38-84 shooting splits the past four seasons) as a secondary scorer. He’ll always leave you wanting a little more out of him, but not every player has the mentality necessary to be a star in the NBA. 

 

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Original Pick: Jimmer Fredette
Although he’s never been a true needle-mover, Valanciunas has put together a very solid career in the NBA, averaging 12.4 ppg. and 8.9 rpg. in 559 career games with an impressive 20.2 PER. He’s only 28 years old, so he should submit another couple of prime years – especially if he continues to extend his shooting range to the three-point line (he attempted a career high 1.3 three-pointers per game last season). The Bucks, who swapped this pick in 2011, sending Jimmer Fredette to the Kings, land themselves a consistent big man for their future. 

 

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Original Pick: Klay Thompson
The Warriors don’t get so lucky this time around with Klay Thompson having gone no. 2 overall in the re-draft. While the Morris twins and Enes Kanter are decent value here, neither would fit into the Warriors culture, but Bojan Bogdanovic sure would. Bogdanovic would probably have gone in the top-10 if it weren’t for the fact that he spent the next three seasons after being drafted in Turkey before coming to the NBA in 2014-15. His underrated offensive ability (20.2 ppg. last season) and deadeye three-point shooting ability (39.4 percent for his career) would make him worth the wait. 

 

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12. Utah Jazz – Marcus Morris (14)

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Original Pick: Alec Burks
Just like in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Morris Twins go back-to-back in the re-draft, only this time, Marcus Morris goes first as he’s had a slightly better statistical career. After a slower start, Morris has averaged a very solid 14.4 ppg. and 5.2 rpg. with 42-37-80 shooting splits since 2016. He’s the ideal bigger three-and-D player who can slide between small forwards and power forwards on defense. This re-draft bodes much better for Utah than 2011 did – they walk away with Jimmy Butler and Marcus Morris instead of Enes Kanter and Alec Burks.

 

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Original Pick: Markieff Morris
Keef Morris winds up in the same spot that he was drafted in 2011, landing in Phoenix with the 13th overall pick. While things ended on a sour note with the Suns, Markieff enjoyed arguably the best season of his career there in 2014-15, when he averaged 15.3 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. In this re-draft alternate reality, perhaps the Suns never acquire Marcus Morris from the Rockets, and thus, never have an opportunity to screw over the Morris twins by negotiating a combo contract, only to trade both shortly thereafter.

 

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Original Pick: Marcus Morris
Had we done this re-draft at any point through 2016, Chandler Parsons would have gone as high as no. 6 as he averaged 14.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 3.0 apg. with 47-38-71 shooting splits. Unfortunately, Parsons promising career fell apart due to a number of knee injuries, and, most recently, a scary car accident that may have ended his career for good. The Rockets nabbed Parsons in the second round back in 2011, they’ll draft him here at the end of the lottery, and likely be able to retain for a few more years than they did the first time around.

 

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Original Pick: Kawhi Leonard
The Pacers ended up trading the rights to Kawhi Leonard to the Spurs for George Hill. With Kawhi off the board, let’s assume the Spurs aren’t willing to make that deal again, so instead, the Pacers will select the best point guard available, Brandon Knight. For those that just did a double-take, remember that Knight was considered a decent prospect the first five years of his career before injuries got in the way (he averaged 15.9 ppg. and 4.6 apg. from 2012 through 2016). Much like Hill, Knight could have provided the soon-to-be contending Pacers some solid offensive play and steady production for a number of years so long as he stayed healthy. 

 

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Original Pick: Nikola Vucevic
Philly gets a more one-dimensional version of Nikola Vucevic in the re-draft with Enes Kanter. But don’t feel bad for the 76ers, they didn’t realize what they had in Vucevic as they traded him after his rookie season. In Kanter, the Sixers get an excellent offensive player (Kanter’s career per-36 stats: 19.2 ppg. and 12.6 rpg., including 4.9 offensive boards a game), but an awful defensive player. Who can ever forget Billy Donovan’s infamous “Can’t play Kanter” remark to himself on the sidelines in 2017?

 

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Original Pick: Iman Shumpert
Kenneth Faried, Markieff Morris and Chandler Parsons have all had similar career arcs – they all started out looking like high-level role players, or even future All-Stars, and all have largely disappointed in recent years. Faried’s drop-off from age 27 to 30 has been pretty staggering, though it mostly relates to his poor defense. Through his first five seasons, Faried averaged 12.3 ppg. and 8.7 rpg.; the next three seasons, he averaged 8.9 ppg. and 6.7 rpg. Last season, he played in China. At least he’d give the Knicks fans some thrills for a handful of years with his frenetic, hustle plays. 

 

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18. Washington Wizards – Derrick Williams (2)

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Original Pick: Chris Singleton
Instead of going zero for two with their 2011 draft, the Wizards get a sure thing at pick no. 6 with Tristan Thompson, and take a home run swing at pick no. 18 with Derrick Williams, a top prospect whose career may have turned out a lot differently had he not gone to such a poorly run organization in Minnesota.

 

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19. Charlotte Bobcats – Reggie Jackson (24)

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Original Pick: Tobias Harris
Instead of ending up with Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo, the Bobcats come away with Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson. I’d rather have Kemba, but that’s not the worst trade off in the world. Early in his career, especially after some big playoff performances off the bench for the Thunder, it appeared that Jackson was destined to become an All-Star. However, when given the opportunity to shine in Detroit, he never quite got there, topping out at an above-average point guard in his first full year in MoTown (18.8 ppg., 6.2 apg.), but then declining ever since. 

 

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Original Pick: Donatas Motiejunas
Two things keep this sweet-shooting stretch-four from going higher in the re-draft: for one, he didn’t make his way to the NBA until 2014 (recall that he was one of the Bulls’ best assets between 2011 and 2014); and second, he went back to Europe for big money after only five NBA seasons. Even though they’d only get Mirotic for a few seasons, five years of 12.3 ppg. and 5.9 rpg. on 42-36-81 shooting is about the best you can do if you’re Minnesota at pick no. 20.

 

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Original Pick: Nolan Smith
Shumpert’s career numbers aren’t all that impressive (7.2 ppg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.8 apg. with 39-34-76 shooting splits), but his value was more on the defensive side of the ball. A good athlete, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 215 pounds, Shumpert was able guard small forwards, shooting guards, and point guards, including guys like Steph Curry in high-pressure playoff games. That skill alone justifies this pick at no. 21 for the Blazers, who would ironically go on to face Steph Curry countless times in the playoffs between 2011 and today.

 

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Original Pick: Kenneth Faried
Although he won’t start his NBA career until 2016, Bertans’ ability to space the floor (career 41.1 percent three-point shooter) make him worth the wait for the Nuggets, a team that could have used his three-point accuracy in the 2020 bubble playoffs against the Lakers. Bertans is proving to be a decent scorer in the NBA as well (15.4 ppg. last season), so there is also some upside for the soon-to-be 28 year old Latvian power forward. Denver happily takes that at pick no. 22.

 

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23. Houston Rockets – Alec Burks (12)

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Original Pick: Nikola Mirotic
Burks always had the potential to be an above-average starting two guard in the NBA (career average of 10.3 ppg. on 42-36-79 shooting). However, injuries always kept him from reaching his ceiling and developing into that player – he’s averaged playing only 55 games per year over his nine year career. The Rockets snag Burks here, and hope that that he can develop into an Eric Gordon-lite alongside James Harden during the mid-to-late 2010s.

 

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Original Pick: Reggie Jackson
Holiday becomes the first undrafted player to hear his name called in the re-draft, landing with the Thunder at no. 24. Holiday’s nice three-point stroke (40.5 from three last season) and competitive spirit on the defensive end will make him a good role player for the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook-led Thunder. While we’re rewriting Thunder history, let’s hope they don’t bother trading James Harden while they’re at it. 

 

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Original Pick: MarShon Brooks
Save for a nice playoff run in 2016, Biyombo never delivered on his lofty lottery pick status. He’s basically been a backup center who can block some shots, grab some rebounds and intimidate smaller players in the paint. The Celtics select him here at pick no. 25 and hope that he can provide some of the defensive presence Kendrick Perkins once provided for them before they traded him in the 2010-11 season. 

 

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Original Pick: Jordan Hamilton
Even in a draft as deep at the 2011 draft, it gets to be slim pickings after about 20-25 picks. In a handful of his best seasons, like 2016-17 where he averaged 9.3 ppg. and 3.3 apg., Joseph was an above-average backup point guard. That will have to do at no. 26 for the Mavericks, who were fresh off of their shocking championship victory over the Heat. 

 

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27. New Jersey Nets – E’Twaun Moore (55)

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Original Pick: JaJuan Johnson
Moore gets the call here at no. 27, replacing his former college teammate from Purdue, JaJuan Johnson. Though he’s never had a super memorable moment in the league, Moore is a backup guard who can come in and get you some buckets – career average of 8.1 ppg. on 39 percent three-point shooting. He’ll land on the Nets a year before their infamous Paul Pierce and KG trade. 

 

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Original Pick: Norris Cole
Although this pick eventually ended up with the Miami Heat, we’re not doing any trades in the re-draft, so Cole goes in the same position, but ends up with the Heat’s biggest rival in 2011, the Chicago Bulls. Cole would have made for a nice backup point guard to Derrick Rose, which could have been very helpful as we all know how coach Tom Thibodeau drove Rose into the ground, eventually leading to him tearing his ACL in the 2012. 

 

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Original Pick: Cory Joseph
Wanamaker has had one of the more unique voyages to the NBA – going undrafted out of Pitt, playing overseas through 2017-18, and becoming a 29-year-old rookie in 2018-19 for the Celtics. In this re-draft reality, we’re going to assume that Wanamaker’s NBA skills get developed at a more expedited rate by Gregg Popovich and the Spurs, so we’d probably see the current version of Wanamaker (6.5 ppg., 2.5 apg., 2.0 rpg. with 45-38-93 shooting splits this past season) a lot sooner.

 

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30. Chicago Bulls – DJ Kennedy (Undrafted)

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Original Pick: Jimmy Butler
Who? This pick is admittedly a bit of a stretch, but it’s pick no. 30 – do you think the Bulls really want to run-back MarShon Brooks’ career here? For those that watch The Basketball Tournament every summer, Kennedy is its most decorated player, winning four straight championships with Overseas Elite and taking home the tournament MVP honors in 2015. At 6-foot-6, Kennedy possessed nice size and athleticism for the positionless direction the NBA was going after his four years at St. Johns. Sadly, he missed out on a chance at being drafted after he tore his ACL shortly before March Madness in 2011. He gets his NBA reprieve in the re-draft.  […]

The game between the Wizards and Bucks that was scheduled to be played on Friday in Milwaukee has been postponed, the NBA announced tonight (Twitter link).
It’s the sixth consecutive postponement for the Wizards, who haven’t played since January 11. The team was cleared to return to the court to practice on Wednesday, but remains significantly shorthanded.
Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, Troy Brown, Rui Hachimura, Ish Smith, and Moritz Wagner are out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, while Thomas Bryant (ACL) and Russell Westbrook (quad) are sidelined due to injuries, leaving just eight available players on the roster (Twitter link).
According to the NBA’s announcement, the game is being postponed due to the number of unavailable players for the Wizards, contact tracing affecting players on the roster, and the club’s lengthy layoff from practicing.
As Fred Katz of The Athletic wrote earlier tonight, Bradley Beal and the Wizards had been planning to lobby for a postponement of Friday’s game, since they felt that potentially playing with the league-mandated minimum of eight players after not practicing for the last week would result in a high risk of injury for the active players.
The next game on Washington’s schedule is Sunday in San Antonio. The hope is that the Wizards will have enough available players – and enough practice time between now and then – to be ready to play that game.
The NBA has now postponed 17 contests this season. The full list is here. […]

The NBA still doesn’t know how the Wizards‘ COVID-19 outbreak started, with six players testing positive and four games recently being postponed, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports writes.
The outbreak, which is considered to be the worst of the season to date, has left the Wizards unable to produce the league-required eight players needed to play. As Hughes notes, the team is still unsure of how it started despite an extensive contract tracing process.
“We have players that are out on the floor unmasked during the games,” general manager Tommy Sheppard said. “That’s an obvious thing. They have exposure to each other. Sometimes on the bench, players will pull their masks down and talk to each other, things like that. The contact tracing is very necessary, but it’s also difficult because it could have been anywhere at any time. The fact it hasn’t jumped the wall and it hasn’t extended past players kind of makes you, at least common sense-wise, would make you believe it’s happening in contact out on the court.”
The Wizards’ games against the Cavaliers on Sunday and Monday have also been postponed because of the virus.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
The Hawks are listing Danilo Gallinari as doubtful to play in Monday’s game against the Wolves, with the veteran forward last seeing action on Dec. 30 due to a right ankle sprain. Gallinari has progressed to half-court individual activities and is now being re-introduced to contact activity, the team announced (Twitter link).
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer examines how much the Hornets truly trust LaMelo Ball and what the team is currently missing. Ball, drafted third overall by the team in the fall, is currently averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game off the bench.
Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel explores whether the Rockets could still entice the Heat with a potential trade, only this time with Victor Oladipo. Oladipo and Miami have long been linked to one another, with the 28-year-old set to enter unrestricted free agency at season’s end. […]

I’m going to go out on (a very short) limb and say that, if you’ve been working on your fitness, you’ve probably heard the term resistance training by now. You’ve probs even heard it used interchangeably with strength training perhaps. They are, in fact, very similar to the whole rectangle and square sitch you learned about in geometry class.
That is to say, strength training is a type of resistance training, but not all resistance training is going to help you get stronger. “So, you can think of strength training as a subset of resistance training, in which you have a specific goal in mind,” says Sohee Lee, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and Women’s Health advisory board member.
What is resistance training, then? Simply put: Resistance training encompasses any type of exercise in which your muscles have to overcome some sort of oppositional force, whether from equipment (like dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands) or even just your bodyweight, Lee explains. That means HIIT, plyometrics, Pilates, and yoga all count as resistance training, too.
Some types can help you get stronger, while others will aid in improving your muscular endurance, speed, agility, power, or reaction times.
4 Big Benefits You’ll Reap From Resistance Training
Resistance training can help you improve your health and fitness in a number of different ways. “With resistance training, you can change your body composition (i.e. your ratio of lean muscle mass to body fat), improve your cardio fitness level, boost your mental health, and just have fun,” says Lee.
Yes—you heard that right. Exercise. Fun. (And as someone who adopted powerlifting, I can fully attest that there is no more exciting adrenaline rush than picking up and slamming a barbell. Promise.)
In case you need some more convincing, though, here are five of the most prominent benefits you’ll see from a resistance training routine.
1. It’ll make your heart and bones stronger.
Less than an hour of lifting weights per week may reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by upwards of 40 to 70 percent, according to one Similarly, Iowa State University study.
What’s more: Weight bearing exercises improve bone density and prevents bone loss, which is a key factor in preventing age-related fractures down the line, according to research published in the journal Endocrinology and Metabolism.
2. You’ll reduce your risk of injury.
Stronger muscles don’t just mean extra strength and power. Resistance training actually increases your ligaments’ flexibility and promotes balance among your muscles, which help you avoid common movement-related injuries, according to a British Journal of Medicine study.
3. You’ll increase your lean muscle mass
If one your fitness goals is to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, then adding resistance training to your workout routine is essential, according to experts. “Building muscle is actually quite difficult,” says Lee.
And, good news for beginners: “The less experience you have, the faster your gains will be in the beginning,” Lee says. Basically, you’ll see a satisfying change in your body composition (how much muscle versus fat you have) straight away after embarking on a resistance training program.
For more advanced exercisers, the key is to consistent with your workouts and continue to progressively challenge your bod. This could mean lifting with heavier weights, working at different tempos, or increasing your rep volume or intensity level on the regular.
Build your booty with this dumbbell workout from Kelsey Wells:

4. It can help boost your mental health
While improved body composition, heart and bone protection, and injury prevention are obviously worthy reasons to start resistance training, the biggest, possibly most important benefit is a bit more intangible.
People with mild to moderate depression who resistance trained at least two days per week experienced a significant reduction in symptoms, according to one 2018 JAMA Psychiatry study. And in people who weren’t flagged for depression beforehand? A single workout equaled a substantial mood boost.
4 Major Types of Resistance Training
1. Bodyweight
Not only is this the most accessible form of resistance training, but it’s the ideal place for beginners to start getting familiar with common movement patters so that they can perfect their form and avoid injuries later when they start lifting heavier loads.
Start with this ultimate, 4-week bodyweight challenge to sculpt yourself from head to toe.
Pro tip: Make bodyweight exercises harder by slowing down their eccentric, or lowering, phase.
2. Resistance Bands
“Resistance bands are easily portable, low-cost, can be used anywhere, and are ideal for beginners,” explains trainer Norma Lowe, CPT. “They offer a very safe level of resistance.” Plus, they’re a great alternative to free weights because the added instability they supply increases muscle activation, making them as effective as dumbbells for upper-body moves, in particular, per recent research published in the Journal of Human Kinetics.
Start with the 22 best resistance band exercises for a total-body workout. Enjoy!
3. Free Weights
This is Lee’s fav type of resistance—for good reason. “Using weights offers you a straightforward way to measure your progress overtime,” she notes. “As you add more weight, you know you’re getting stronger. If you’re looking to achieve a toned look, weights should be your go-to.”
Don’t feel like you need dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells, either. Household objects like filled backpacks and gallon jugs work just as well. Medicine balls, ankle weights, and weighted vests also fit the bill.
Start with any of these at-home workouts.
4. Machines
If you’re going to the gym and don’t want to rely on a spotter to help you resistance train, learning to lift with machines is your best bet.
Your go-to machines: Hamstring extension machine, quad extension machine, lat pull-down machine, back row machine, and cable machines (for triceps extensions or chest flys).
How To Get Started With Resistance Training
Now that you’re sold on resistance training, I’ve got more encouraging news for you: There’s no right or wrong approach. Depending on whether you have access to a gym or equipment, your work schedule, or any other uncontrollable external factors, you might only have time (and space) for 10 minutes of bodyweight squats every other day. And that’s perfectly fine, Lee and Lowe agree.
If you want to get started with a bit more structured, regimented approach, though, Lowe’s got some advice for you: Don’t worry about how long you train for. More important than your total workout time is the tension put on your muscles. In other words, worry about hitting a certain number of repetitions or sets, instead of working out for, say, an hour.
With that in mind, get started with this sample strategy:
During weeks 1 through 4, do mostly compound movements. These exercises incorporate multiple muscles at once (think squats, lunges, pushups, and chest presses) and offer the most benefits. Aim for 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each move. When 15 repetitions feels easy, increase your weight or resistance. (Periodically upping your workload, called progressive overload, is the key to results.)
Then, during weeks 5 through 8, alternative between upper-and lower-body exercises. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions. Once 12 repetitions feels light, increase your resistance.
Next, during weeks 9 through 12, aim to work your back, chest and core, legs and core, shoulders, and arms on separate days. Complete 4 to 5 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions. When 10 repetitions feels light, up your resistance.
Progressing your approach in this way ensures you’ll continue to see results, Lowe says. Of course, though, it’s important to listen to your body (and to keep in mind that your muscles need about 48 hours of recovery time between intense workouts).
The bottom line: You can do resistance training with your bodyweight, resistance bands, weights, or machines—and reap benefits like a more-toned bod, stronger bones, a healthier heart, and a boosted-mood.

Julia Sullivan, CPT Julia Sullivan, CPT, is a New York City-based writer, indoor rowing instructor, outdoor enthusiast, newbie powerlifter, and devoted cat mother.

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