Factory Of Sadness
FanSided

4 of the worst times the Cleveland Cavalier picked the wrong player in the modern era

By Chad Porto

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 11: General manager Trajan Langdon of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during a preseason game against the Utah Jazz at the Smoothie King Center on October 11, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 11: General manager Trajan Langdon of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during a preseason game against the Utah Jazz at the Smoothie King Center on October 11, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 19: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers fouls Joe Johnson #7 of the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on December 19, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 95-91. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 19: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers fouls Joe Johnson #7 of the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on December 19, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 95-91. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Picked: DeSagana Diop (2001)/ Passed: Joe Johnson

The Cleveland Cavaliers may have messed up the 2001 draft selection as bad as anyone. DeSagana Diop was taken 8th overall, and while he lasted 11 years in the leagues, he just didn’t do anything at all besides warm the bench. He averaged less than 15 minutes per game, and around two points and four rebounds for his career.

Diop just never developed and that’s the sad truth of the situation. Diop is a solid mind in the sport, as he’s a current assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, so he knows the game, he just didn’t have the skillset.

So while his career is far from a failure, the Cavs passed on him for Joe Johnson, and could you imagine Johnson with Carlos Boozer and LeBron James? Johnson is a borderline Hall of Famer, who will likely never make it but has had a very impressive career.

His best years were in Phoenix and Atlanta and was one of Steve Nash’s best options in Phoenix and then being moved to Atlanta where he became the go-to scorer for the Hawks. Johnson’s career far surpassed that of Diop’s.

The saddest part is that Diop was the third center the Cavs had acquired around this time, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Chris Mihm being other first-round picks on the team. Johnson was clearly a need but wasn’t given a shot.

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