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Boston Celtics: Top 10 “Could Have Been’s” Since 1996

By Jamie Gallagher

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Number 5: Chauncey Billups

Career Averages: 15.2 Points/5.4 Assists/1.0 Steals

Awards: 2003-04 NBA Finals MVP/5x NBA All Star/2x NBA All Defensive Second Team/2x All NBA Third Team/1x All NBA Second Team

4 years before the Celtics made the mistake of trading away Joe Johnson too early, the team made the same mistake with Chauncey Billups.

The Celtics selected Billups with the 3rd pick in the 1997 NBA Draft behind Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn. Billups a.k.a Mr. Big Shot, came out of the University of Colorado as one of the best players in the nation and a sure fire top 5 pick.

Billups played in just 51 games for the Boston Celtics before being traded to the Raptors for Kenny Anderson, Popeye Jones, and Zan Tabak.

Anderson had a solid career as a pro at the Point Guard position, but with all due respect Anderson and Billups are incomparable. Billups was no slouch in his rookie season for the C’s. Before being traded he was averaging over 11 Points Per Game to go along with 4 assists. Anderson, after being picked up by the Celtics in exchange for Billups, averaged 11.6 Points Per Game and right around 6 assists.

The Celtics once again gave up on a top pick way too early. They traded away the number 3 pick in the draft, a player who still had so much potential, for a veteran who was virtually putting up the same numbers.

Chauncey led the Detroit Pistons to an NBA Championship in 2004 in which he was named the Finals MVP. He then went on to appear in 5 straight All Star Games from 2006 to 2010. In addition to his All Star appearances and his All-NBA awards, Billups also ranks in the top 10 all time for three pointers made.

The Celtics drafted Paul Pierce a year later in the 98′ Draft. Had the Celtics kept Billups, he and Pierce could have been one of the best young duos in the NBA and the Celtics may have seen some more success in the late 90’s.

Next: Yet Another 2001 Miss

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