2005 Lottery Pick No Longer a Clipper

During the 2005 NBA Draft, three players fell further than expected: Danny Granger, Gerald Green, and Hakim Warrick. Those three ended up going 17th, 18th, and 19th, respectively.

One reason the Griz were able to snag Hak at #19 is because the Clippers fell asleep at the wheel and drafted Yaroslav Korolev at #12. Here is what the Sports Guy had to say at the time in his annual running draft diary:

8:44 – Did you enjoy the Elgin Baylor Era? The Clips took Mike Dunleavy's guy (Yaroslav Korolev) at No. 12, signifying Elgin's inevitable move upstairs that came about eight years too late. We'll remember Elgin as a Hall of Famer, a veteran of the lottery process, and the guy who said about Shaun Livingston's progress last year, "It might take a season, it might take half a season, it might take a year." Farewell, Elgin. Farewell.

(And just for the record, as a Clippers season-ticket holder, consider this my formal complaint that they passed on Granger for some Russian dude who can't help them for three to four years. I'm sending my second installment of my payment plan to the Clips right after I dip it in golden retriever urine.)

I bring this up because last week the Clippers announced they have rescinded their contracted offer on Yaroslav Korolev, the 12th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Only 2 years after being a lottery pick, Korolev will be lucky to make an NBA roster this year.

I take satisfaction in seeing other NBA teams blow a draft pick, espicially teams in the West drafting ahead of the Grizzlies. (This year the laughs on you Portland....hahaha....just kidding....sort of)

One goal I have while blogging during the upcoming NBA season is to introduce Griz fans to other blogs around the net that cover a specific NBA team. This seems like a good opportunity to do that for the Clippers. Clips Nation covers the Clippers on SBNation. Needless to say, ClipperSteve doesn't seem thrilled with what transpired with Korolev:

1. They wasted a lottery pick on a guy that no one else would have taken in the lottery
2. They wasted a roster spot on a guy who wasn't ready.
3. They did nothing to develop the guy.
4. They didn't leave him in Europe.
5. They could have drafted for immediate help.
6. They could have drafted for spectacular potential.

So, Elgin, thanks for helping Hak fall to the Grizzlies in 2005. With Brand out, I'm sure Hak could have been useful this year.