Washington Wizards

First let me start by saying that when it was apparent that the Wizards weren't picking 8th nor 7th my heart began to race! Then they cut to a commercial break and the anticipation was ridiculous! When the Zards were announced at number 3 my first thoughts were OTTO! Assuming that the Cavs go with Nerlens Noel and the Magic take either Ben or Trey that means the Wizards will most likely go with Otto to fill a need at the 3 position. Now if somehow Otto gets taken before we get to pick then I can see us trying to move that 3rd pick somewhere for a star player maybe(Kevin Love or Demarcus Cousins??). But anyway Im assuming that we take Otto at the end of the day. Now it it has been rumored that we could indeed be looking to package our two second round picks to move into the late first round. If so, I see us taking a big man to fill a needed hole in the 4 or 5 position. Who would be left is beyond me but I wouldn't mind if we picked up Jeff Withey, or Gorgui Dieng. That would be a pretty solid draft from a weaker class in my eyes. It really is hard to say what exactly will go down but hopefully we can get some much needed roster upgrades on draft night. If we were to take Otto at the 3 I do think that increases the chances of Martell walking which would mean a little extra spending money. When free agency rolls around I then see us filling another need at the backup guard spot. I don't really know who would be a legitimate option but I wouldnt be surprised if that happened. In the end I hope to God EG doesn't screw this up and if he does this will without a doubt be his last season in DC (felt good typing that). What are your thoughts, outlooks, or predictions of what might go down on draft night and this off season??? First let me start by saying that when it was apparent that the Wizards weren't picking 8th nor 7th my heart began to race! Then they cut to a commercial break and the anticipation was ridiculous! When the Zards were announced at number 3 my first thoughts were OTTO! Assuming that the Cavs go with Nerlens Noel and the Magic take either Ben or Trey that means the Wizards will most likely go with Otto to fill a need at the 3 position. Now if somehow Otto gets taken before we get to pick then I can see us trying to move that 3rd pick somewhere for a star player maybe(Kevin Love or Demarcus Cousins??). But anyway Im assuming that we take Otto at the end of the day. Now it it has been rumored that we could indeed be looking to package our two second round picks to move into the late first round. If so, I see us taking a big man to fill a needed hole in the 4 or 5 position. Who would be left is beyond me but I wouldn't mind if we picked up Jeff Withey, or Gorgui Dieng. That would be a pretty solid draft from a weaker class in my eyes. It really is hard to say what exactly will go down but hopefully we can get some much needed roster upgrades on draft night. If we were to take Otto at the 3 I do think that increases the chances of Martell walking which would mean a little extra spending money. When free agency rolls around I then see us filling another need at the backup guard spot. I don't really know who would be a legitimate option but I wouldnt be surprised if that happened. In the end I hope to God EG doesn't screw this up and if he does this will without a doubt be his last season in DC (felt good typing that). What are your thoughts, outlooks, or predictions of what might go down on draft night and this off season???

Many are already penciling in Otto Porter to the Wizards as the #3 Overall pick, but there are a variety of options that will be available to the Wiz at the current draft position and Porter may not even be one of them. First off, Cleveland already likes Porter and he may be the better fit in the Cavs front court. Also, Cleveland is in a very similar position with regards to personnel as Washington. Both teams appear to have their backcourt of the future, but Cleveland has drafted Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller in the 1st round in the past 2 years and Anderson Varejao still remains on the roster as a viable starting Center. So a major question becomes if Cleveland takes Porter with the pick, then who becomes the pick at #3 for the Wizards. Noel may be available as Orlando desperately needs playmaking and scoring in the backcourt, and could end up taking Ben Mclemore or Trey Burke at #2. Noel would add the basket-protecting, and end-to-end rim running that the Wizards could desperately use in the front court to play with Wall and Beal. If Noel and Porter aren't available at this point, I believe that the pick should probably come down to Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, or Alex Len. Anthony Bennett has the potential to be the best player in the draft and should warrant consideration at #3 even if Porter is available. Unlike Porter, Bennett has shown the ability to create his own shot at a consistent, and at times elite, level and has flashed the ability to take over a game in just his single year at UNLV. He also already possesses an NBA body in terms of strength, runs the floor exceptionally, is a good rebounder, and is a deadly finisher around the rim. He is a bit undersized for a PF, but the NBA is trending towards a smaller front court and players like Carmelo have become adequate options at the 4 on defense while being matchup nightmares on the offensive end. Len is an obvious option becomes of his size and soft touch around the rim. The biggest issue with Len is that he may not be ready to contribute at the NBA level right away, and the Wizards desperately need a contributor for next season. Oladipo is a long-shot for the pick, but he absolutely warrants a look from the Wizards. While many project him as a two-guard, he can definitely guard small forwards in the NBA and became a knockdown spot-up 3-point shooter last year at Indiana. An uptempo backcourt of Wall, Beal, and Oladipo would make the Wizards one of the more exciting teams in terms of shear athleticism and speed. Ultimately the pick will be determined by major decisions by the Cavaliers, and performances in individual workouts. Cody Zeller may be a sleeper for the pick to keep in mind as well, as he put up great combine numbers and fits an obvious need for the Wiz. Many are already penciling in Otto Porter to the Wizards as the #3 Overall pick, but there are a variety of options that will be available to the Wiz at the current draft position and Porter may not even be one of them. First off, Cleveland already likes Porter and he may be the better fit in the Cavs front court. Also, Cleveland is in a very similar position with regards to personnel as Washington. Both teams appear to have their backcourt of the future, but Cleveland has drafted Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller in the 1st round in the past 2 years and Anderson Varejao still remains on the roster as a viable starting Center. So a major question becomes if Cleveland takes Porter with the pick, then who becomes the pick at #3 for the Wizards. Noel may be available as Orlando desperately needs playmaking and scoring in the backcourt, and could end up taking Ben Mclemore or Trey Burke at #2. Noel would add the basket-protecting, and end-to-end rim running that the Wizards could desperately use in the front court to play with Wall and Beal. If Noel and Porter aren't available at this point, I believe that the pick should probably come down to Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo,

All hail Bradley Beal! The Wizards' second-year man proved to be the good luck charm, allowing the Washington Wizards to move up to the No. 3 selection in the 2013 NBA Draft. While the Wizards lost the No. 1 pick to the soon-to-be-rival Cleveland Cavaliers, the Wizards will now have their choice of a number of blue-chip prospects in this draft. The Cavaliers will have the No. 1 pick, followed by the Orlando Magic. Here is the NBA Draft order. 1. Cleveland Cavaliers 2. Orlando Magic 3. Washington Wizards 4. Charlotte Bobcats 5. Phoenix Suns 6. New Orleans Pelicans 7. Sacramento Kings 8. Detroit Pistons 9. Minnesota Timberwolves 10. Portland Trail Blazers 11. Philadelphia 76ers 12. Oklahoma City Thunder 13. Dallas Mavericks 14. Utah Jazz The Wizards had just a 12.4-percent chance of moving into the top three, so this is a major victory. While the Wizards may not win Nerlens Noel, they have ensured that they will be able to draft one of Otto Porter, Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore, in addition to any other combination of players. Those players will help the Wizards next season. Washington also possesses the No. 37 and No. 54 picks in the second round. Let the real work begin. More BF draft coverage: • Scouting reports: Trey Burke | Anthony Bennett | Alex Len | Nerlens Noel | Otto Porter | Ben McLemore | Shabazz Muhammad. • Lessons about player development • Draft for need? • Combine takeaways • Trade the pick?

So, with Tom Benson, the owner of the team formerly known as the New Orleans Hornets recently changing their name to the Pelicans, Charlotte Bobcats owner and the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan is now applying to change his team's name back to the Hornets for the start of the 2014-2015 season. Besides the marketing buzz this provides, I do think it's a great idea for them. Many Charlotte fans really identified with the Hornets back during their time, and not so much the Bobcats. I know there have been a lot of us Wizards fans who've been championing a return of the Bullets name and it's been said in a number of posts and comments. After all, just two years ago, the colors of the team have changed from the teal and gold to the red white and navy scheme that matches the Washington Capitals. The uniforms are also reminiscent of the striped jerseys that the 1978 championship team wore. The Bullet hand is back in the DC logo too. I really became an avid Wizards fan when they were the Wizards, soon after the name change and when the then MCI Center opened, so I'm not all that passionate for changing the name back to Bullets. However, I know many of you want to see that name return and if the name changed, it's certainly not changing my fandom. I just want to see this team get to the playoffs next year with John Wall, Bradley Beal, a re-signed Martell Webster, Nene, Emeka Okafor, and of course, our new first round draft pick (who will be the third overall), whoever that ends up being. But still, it would be pretty cool to see them play in Bullets uniforms for what it's worth. Going back to Charlotte for a second, I don't really know how much of a fan friendly owner Michael Jordan is for Bobcats fans as compared to how Ted is for us. But this one quote in the Cats' press release on the issue struck me: This is a monumental moment for our organization. After undergoing an elaborate research process, we recognize that this is what our fans want. We believe that making this change would not only re-establish one of the most recognized brands in sports but would also unify our fan base by bringing together our loyal Bobcats fans with those who have fond memories of our city’s NBA predecessor. Our fans spoke and we listened. From this quote, it seems that Charlotte wanted the Hornets back and this opportunity, meaning the name change of th Hornets to the Pelicans certainly made it great timing too to get this done as soon as possible. Ted certainly has been an owner that has been more open to fan feedback, at least when he was emailing fans on a daily basis. However, let's say Ted does similar research to what MJ did for the Bobcats. If our city really wants the Bullets back as bad as Charlotte wants the Hornets, should that be enough for it to happen? Even if Ted does try to get the old team name back, there could be some push back from some who believe that this is agains Mr. Pollin's wishes. But his widow Irene said she was fine with it back in 2011. And then another team in our city, the Washington Redskins are under pressure to change their name because it can be considered a racial slur to the Native American community, though Dan Snyder has said that he'd never change the name to anything else. So if Ted was considering it seriously, would the Redskins situation be a reason for him not to? I don't think it should because they're two different situations. I have a poll on whether MJ's announcement earlier today is a good case why as to whether Ted should do the same with the Wizards. Just want to see if what happened in New Orleans and now Charlotte could be influencing folks on what happens in DC. So, with Tom Benson, the owner of the team formerly known as the New Orleans Hornets recently changing their name to the Pelicans, Charlotte Bobcats owner and the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan is now applying to change his team's name back to the Hornets for the start of the 2

[Bradley Beal 2012 draft night suit -- original image via Getty]The NBA Lottery drawing is perhaps the last informal event left in the NBA this season. The set-up consists of three floors of conference rooms in the Millenium Hotel in New York City—you have to continously run up and down the stairs in hopes of getting the person you want to interview to speak on the record. This is how I found myself pushing past Monty Williams, who was bemoaning the summer heat in New Orleans, and making my way over to Bradley Beal, who was passing up on eating dinner until us pesky reporters were done asking our questions. Draft Lottery night is also an evening for dumb questions, such as the requisite “did you bring anything for good luck?” Beal did not bring anything for good luck, he says, but indicated he was wearing the same burnt umber tie that he wore the night 2012. He also didn’t voice an opinion on whether the Wizards should keep the pick, stating that “it was up to Ernie and the front office, but you can see that we were doing better at the end of the year.” More interesting news is Beal’s injury status, which remains uncertain. Beal told me that he was going in for another x-ray next week, but wasn’t particularly worried about the timetable or how he was healing. After talking to the Washington Post‘s Michael Lee, the reality is that the original recovery schedule may have been a tad agressive; waiting another four weeks till Beal is back and engaged in basketball related activities would not be entirely surprising. Beal, however, was incredibly candid when it came to the resigning of Martell Webster: “Gotta resign Martell. Love that guy. Hits down open shots, high energy, court and locker room leader … love him, you gotta resign him.” This should be music to the ears of Webster, who is positioned to eat up the Wizards’ MLE. Thus far, the highlight of the night has been David Stern, as this is one of his last opportunities to harangue and bully the press. During his short time on the podium, Stern lit into reporters with relish, noting that all four teams currently left competing for the NBA Finals were from the bottom 50 percent television markets in the league. He also bragged that dress code policies have led to NBA players appearing in GQ. The swagger is such that I almost fear that Stern will not be stepping down in nine months, and instead pull a Bloomberg (or a Jay Leno) and stay for just a bit longer (sorry, Adam Silver, perhaps). Now, the media has been locked up in our tiny media room with requisite poor Internet to wait for the cards to be revealed. I’m not sure if Wizards PR knows that I have a G-Wiz doll and an Antonio Daniels jersey in my bag, but someone has to make up for Beal’s good luck charm tie snafu.

Of the projected top 10 picks, there's a 7 footer that's 3rd in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, and 1st in PER amongst the group and will be available when we pick. Cody Zeller is really being over-analyzed. He is the best combination of size, skill, athleticism, hustle, and smarts. He's a selfless player and not a knucklehead. The only reason he's been picked apart like this is because he was the leading candidate to go #1, but clearly has no chance of being Lebron or Derrick Rose. Zeller is the safe candidate for those who want immediate impact, but has a lot of potential as a long, athletic PF for the upside crowd. He's more productive, ready and sure than Len. He is bigger than Bennett, scored and rebounded more against better competition. He was the centerpiece in Indiana and outproduced Oladipo. Victor was much more exciting and infectious. He only scored 0.2 ppg less than Shabazz, but did it in 4.5 less shots, and is a better rebounder and passer. With a stat line of 17 ppg, 8 rpg, 1 apg, 1 bpg, and 8th in the nation in PER, Zeller is a player that performed all year at a high level despite facing as much, if not more, scrutiny as any prospect. I understand the dislike for him. He isn't an above the rim player who dominates the paint the way you want from a 7 footer. It seemed like he can get overpowered. His wingspan isn't freakishly small like many claimed, but it is still short. IMO, those are all products of him being a center. I actually view things from the perspective that its a positive that he could be so productive in the paint despite his long term career probably being PF. He hasn't shot much from outside, but his FT (75%) indicates that he can likely develop a jumper. He also seems to recognize his need to develop that skill since Chad Ford said his team is talking up his perimeter game. Zeller really brings everything to the table that we need. If he were brought in as a franchise savior, he'd be set up for failure. As the big man to complement Wall and Beal, he has the right skills, work ethic, and personality to be the perfect fit. Of the projected top 10 picks, there's a 7 footer that's 3rd in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, and 1st in PER amongst the group and will be available when we pick. Cody Zeller is really being over-analyzed. He is the best combination of size, skill, athleticism, hustle, and smarts. He's a selfless player and not a knucklehead. The only reason he's been picked apart like this is because he was the leading candidate to go #1, but clearly has no chance of being Lebron or Derrick Rose. Zeller is the safe candidate for those who want immediate impact, but has a lot of potential as a long, athletic PF for the upside crowd. He's more productive, ready and sure than Len. He is bigger than Bennett, scored and rebounded more against better competition. He was the centerpiece in Indiana and outproduced Oladipo. Victor was much more exciting and infectious. He only scored 0.2 ppg less than Shabazz, but did it in 4.5 less shots, and is a better rebounder and passer. With a stat line of 17 ppg, 8 rpg, 1 apg, 1 bpg, and 8th in the nation in PER, Zeller is a player that performed all year at a high level despite facing as much, if not more, scrutiny as any prospect. I understand the dislike for him. He isn't an above the rim player who dominates the paint the way you want from a 7 footer. It seemed like he can get overpowered. His wingspan isn't freakishly small like many claimed, but it is still short. IMO, those are all products of him being a center. I actually view things from the perspective that its a positive that he could be so productive in the paint despite his long term career probably being PF. He hasn't shot much from outside, but his FT (75%) indicates that he can likely develop a jumper. He also seems to recognize his need to develop that skill since Chad Ford said his team is talking up his perimeter game. Zeller really bring

Can the Wizards get lucky tonight? We'll find out at the NBA Draft lottery. The 2013 NBA Draft lottery is tonight, and chances are, the Washington Wizards will land exactly where they started the night. The Wizards finished in a tie for the seventh-worst record in the league and lost a tiebreaker with the Detroit Pistons, so they'll enter the night with the eighth-most ping-pong combinations. But there is still a chance that something better happens. Two years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were armed with the Los Angeles Clippers' unprotected No. 1 pick thanks to taking on Baron Davis' gargantuan contract. The Clippers finished with the league's eighth-worst record that season. A month later, the Cavaliers had won Kyrie Irving from that Clippers pick. Of course, given the Wizards' lottery luck outside of the two years they won the No. 1 pick, there's always a chance things end up worse than expected. Even last year, they finished lower than their draft position to select Bradley Beal. We don't need to go through all the other times things ended up even worse than that. To get you ready for tonight, here are the numbers you should keep in mind: 35: That's the number of ping-pong combinations, out of 1,000, that the Wizards have. The machine has 14 balls numbered 1-14, which are drawn one-by-one. Once four are taken out, the combination is read to determine who gets the No. 1 pick. After that, the same process repeats itself for the No. 2 and No. 3 pick. (If a combination assigned to a team is drawn for the second time, it is tossed out and the drawing occurs again). Intrepid mathematical minds would note that gives Washington a 3.5 percent chance to win the No. 1 overall selection. 12.4: That's the percentage chance the Wizards end up with a top-three pick. Normally, the chances would be a bit slimmer, but because the Wizards tied with the Pistons for seventh, they essentially get the same odds. The Pistons have a slightly higher chance (12.7 percent) at moving up. 70.2: That's the percentage chance the Wizards stay at No. 8. Like I said, chances are the Wizards will stay right where they are. 17.4: This is the chance something bad happens and the Wizards move down in the draft order. This would require 1-3 of the following teams to move up: Minnesota, Portland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Dallas and/or Utah. There's less than a one percent chance that more than one of those teams gets into the top three, so realistically, the worst-case scenario for the Wizards is ninth. 2: That's the number of times, based on my research, that a team that had a current player as their representative won the lottery. The Blazers sent Brandon Roy in 2007 when they won the Greg Oden sweepstakes, and the Rockets sent Steve Francis when they won Yao Ming in 2002. (I couldn't figure out who the Kings sent in 1989 or the Hornets sent in 1991). The Wizards will be sending Bradley Beal, so hopefully they can buck the trend. 58: The number of times it took me playing ESPN's draft lottery simulator to get the above screenshot. Hopefully the Wizards have better luck tomorrow. All this will be decided at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Good luck, More BF draft coverage: • Scouting reports: Anthony Bennett | Alex Len | Nerlens Noel | Otto Porter | Ben McLemore | Shabazz Muhammad. • Lessons about player development • Draft for need? • Combine takeaways • Trade the pick?

OK folks, it's time. Time to see if the same lucky charms that have consistently eluded the Washington Wizards in the NBA Draft lottery will grant them an unlikely top-three pick. This is your open thread for the 2013 NBA Draft lottery. Here is everything you need to know about tonight's festivities: Time: 8:30 p.m. ET. The coverage window begins at 7:30. Channel: ESPN. Odds: The Wizards have a 3.5-percent chance at the No. 1 pick and a 12.4-percent chance to sneak into the top three. The most likely scenario (70.2 percent) is that they stay at No. 8. Here's our breakdown that details their chances in full. History: The Wizards have been in the lottery a whopping 16 times since it began in 1985. They have outperformed their expected finish just twice, when they won the lottery in 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall). They have finished according to expectations five times: 1989 (ninth), 1991 (eighth), 1994 (fifth), 2002 (11th) and 2003 (10th). They have finished below expectations nine times. Of those nine times, only once (last year) did they remain in the top three. Representative: The Wizards are sending Bradley Beal this time. Their representatives in the last four years: Zach Leonsis, Ted's son (2012), John Wall (2011), Irene Pollin (2010, the year they won) and Flip Saunders (2009). Conspiracy theory? Tom Ziller has one for all 14 teams. Other picks: The Wizards will also have the No. 37 and No. 54 picks in the second round, the latter of which came from the 2012 trade with the Knicks for Ronny Turiaf. Ernie Grunfeld has indicated that the team doesn't want to have three rookies on next year's roster. OK guys, let's do this.

I hope all of you have worn your lucky socks today, since Christmas time has arrived for every NBA team which didn’t qualify for the playoffs. The NBA lottery is filled with hope, but unfortunately only one team will prevail amongst the others, all of which desperately cling to their chance in hopes of adding more young talent to their struggling club. So what are the odds your not-so-good favorite basketball team wins the luck of the draw? Orlando Magic: 25% Charlotte Bobcats: 19.9% Cleveland Cavaliers: 15.6% Phoenix Suns: 11.9% New Orleans Pelicans: 8.8% Sacramento Kings: 6.3% Detroit Pistons: 3.6% Washington Wizards: 3.5% Minnesota Timberwolves: 1.7% Portland Trail Blazers: 1.1% Philadelphia 76ers: 0.8% Toronto Raptors: 0.7% Dallas Mavericks: 0.6% Utah Jazz: 0.5% It’s been quite some time since the projected team with the highest odds has won the NBA Draft Lottery, but with that said, it would take some major luck for the Washington Wizards to move up in the draft. There is approximately a 70% chance that the Wizards will remain in the 8th spot, so don’t be overly optimistic. Bradley Beal will be representing the Wizards tonight. A number of NBA Draft prospects will also be attending the lottery, possibly even seeing where their fate will be determined. The lottery will be taking place at 8:30 PM on ESPN.

So, here's the thing about the idea that the Washington Wizards should trade their draft pick to receive some immediate help, an idea promoted by several of their players ... King said it was difficult to give up the pick, but "in meeting with our scouts, we felt the player that we may draft beyond the protection would be somebody that would probably take a couple years (to develop), and at this point, we're trying to speed the process up a bit and start winning (more). "I can understand the fanbase (wanting us to keep the pick), but I'd rather try to balance the roster, add a piece and still have cap flexibility," King said. A team source told ESPN.com's Chad Ford the Nets were willing to part with their top-3 protected pick because there are only three players in the upcoming draft the Nets covet -- Kentucky'sAnthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Kansas' Thomas Robinson. That's ESPN.com on the now-Brooklyn Nets' decision to trade a top draft pick for Gerald Wallace. That pick could have become Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes or Andre Drummond. And, of course, there was the Wizards' transparent desire to trade the No. 5 pick in 2009 for veteran help, which landed them Randy Foye and Mke Miller. I bring these up not to rule out trading the pick. If I were Ernie Grunfeld, I'd be open to pretty much any means to improve the team. I bring these up because those are the kinds of decisions that get made when a team makes an assumption about a draft class and seeks out trading the pick. The default position for any team should be to keep their draft pick and use any other scenarios as alternatives, not the other way around. No matter how deep the draft class may be, it still offers clubs their best chance to receive cheap talent with upside that can be molded into core players. Prospects have a clean slate and rookie contracts. Players already in the league often don't. More importantly, every time someone telegraphs their interest in a trade, it devalues the pick as an asset. To be fair, based on Grunfeld's appropriately-vague comments to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, that appears to be how the Wizards are handling things this time around: When asked whether he feels as compelled to keep the pick as in past seasons, Grunfeld said: "Everything is on the table. We're going to explore our options and prepare for any scenario. I think it's a little bit different [this year]. We'll see what's out there for us. But at the same time, regardless of where we end up, we'll be prepared to make a pick." Grunfeld also said that while you can never "depend" on a rookie having an immediate impact, the Wizards will "try" to get a player that can "help us down the road, if not next year." Back in 2009, Grunfeld was using that rhetoric as a reason not to make a pick. Here, it does seem a little different. Nevertheless, I do hope the Wizards continue to assume they will be using whatever pick they get unless something better comes along. There are a lot of reasons why more young talent is needed on this roster. Namely: Outside of John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards lack any building blocks for the future. The 2011 draft appears to have been a disaster, and the frontcourt is getting older. When the Wizards think about their future by the time Wall and Beal both are on their second contracts, who else will be joining them? There isn't anyone on the roster that can stand side-by-side with them as an additional core piece. Draft picks are cheaper, which matters because the Wizards are right at the level of the salary cap, likely need to save a big chunk of their mid-level exception if they want to keep Martell Webster and have an owner that has publicly stated he has "no intention" of going over the luxury tax. While this draft is weak in high-level talent, there isn't a huge difference between picks 3 and 8. A lot depends on development, finding the right fit and the like, but there's no reason the No. 8