Washington Wizards

In his latest column, the Washington Post's Mike Wise tries to make the case that the Wizards should trade the number 3 pick in the 2013 draft. Sure, the Wiz could land Otto Porter or Victor Oladipo, Wise reasons, but neither player is a sure bet to contribute significantly to a playoff run for Washington next season. For this reason, Wise suggests the Wiz should trade the pick for an "established veteran." I'm not opposed to trading the pick if we can get a player who can help the Wizards become a title contender, but I don't know who they could legitimately trade the pick for that could actually do that. My bigger problem with Wise's column is that he argues against acquiring an asset that can make the team better in the future in order to get a veteran who can help them make the playoffs now. "Postseason or bust," Wise writes, clarifying that this veteran should help the team reach the second round for the first time since 2005. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for reaching the second round, but only because it's necessary to stop on the way to the Conference Finals then the NBA Finals. Having the second round as a goal is idiotic. Sure, I'd much rather see the Wiz make the playoffs than land in the lottery year after year, but the ultimate goal is to take a crack at a championship, and any move that doesn't aim for that as a goal is a bad move in my book. In his latest column, the Washington Post's Mike Wise tries to make the case that the Wizards should trade the number 3 pick in the 2013 draft. Sure, the Wiz could land Otto Porter or Victor Oladipo, Wise reasons, but neither player is a sure bet to contribute significantly to a playoff run for Washington next season. For this reason, Wise suggests the Wiz should trade the pick for an "established veteran." I'm not opposed to trading the pick if we can get a player who can help the Wizards become a title contender, but I don't know who they could legitimately trade the pick for that could actually do that. My bigger problem with Wise's column is that he argues against acquiring an asset that can make the team better in the future in order to get a veteran who can help them make the playoffs now. "Postseason or bust," Wise writes, clarifying that this veteran should help the team reach the second round for the first time since 2005. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for reaching the second round, but only because it's necessary to stop on the way to the Conference Finals then the NBA Finals. Having the second round as a goal is idiotic. Sure, I'd much rather see the Wiz make the playoffs than land in the lottery year after year, but the ultimate goal is to take a crack at a championship, and any move that doesn't aim for that as a goal is a bad move in my book.

Emperor Ernie Grunfeld, more formally known as Washington’s Team President of Basketball Operations, discusses the ever-evolving process, which is more NeverEnding Story (the movie) and less Law & Order (an episode). Grunfeld also reveals that the Cleveland Cavaliers actually won twice. After winning the first pick, Cleveland also won the third pick, so they had to re-draw and Washington’s combination came up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcvktpKoJu8 Here is a secret of the NBA Draft Lottery, which, by revealing, will result in me being sequestered, along with the ping pong ball machine, for the next calendar year with only a representative from Ernst & Young for company. My general assumption was that the NBA took a commercial break before announcing the top three picks to build drama for the audience watching at home. This is true and effective to a large degree, but the real reason they take that commercial break is so that the assembled media hoard can descend three flights of stairs, run across the street under the escort of New York’s finest, and get cordoned off in the basement of the studio in which the show is taking place. It was there, surrounded by machinery lifts, cameras that have been put out to pasture, and around 100 sweating reporters, that I learned that the Wizards had won the third pick in the lottery. You are then escorted into a freight elevator and unleashed upon the stage where you push your way to your interviewee of choice. You see the weirdest sights on the draft floor, such as Flip Saunders having an extremely candid and friendly talk with Ernie Grunfeld, Damian Lillard looking for every possible escape route, and the spawn of Dan Gilbert lapping up the attention. (Other members of the Gilbert brood looked visibly annoyed that their youngest sibling has become the human horseshoe and the only thing worth talking about on draft night.) [image via Sean Fagan]I’m not sure sure if of this means anything, other than the way in which I saw the future of the Washington Wizards swing in the most surreal way possible: stuck in a basement with other men sweating through their suits. I thought about the Truth About It.net Viewing Party that was going on at the same time in D.C. and wished for a second that I was there drinking with my colleagues, rather than working through a scuffle only to have Ernie Grunfeld duck and dodge my questions. Reading through the day-after assessments, it seems that many scribes are high on the prospect of drafting Otto Porter and keeping the young Georgetown product in D.C. for the next several years. However, I couldn’t help but think back to my discussion with Bradley Beal earlier in the night about Martell Webster and Beal’s opinion that the Wizards had to resign him, not only for his basketball prowess, but also for Webster’s leadership. The takeaway from the draft is that this particular selection has put the Wizards in a situation that is going to make someone unhappy at the end of the day. If they draft Porter, they make the Georgetown faithful happy, but alienate those fans (and possibly players) who have come to love the contributions of Webster. Reach for another player, perhaps a must-needed, next generation big man, and you risk incurring the wrath of another Jan Vesely and getting the #SoWizards tag added to another acquisition in the legacy. Trade the pick and everyone over the age of 20 gets flashbacks to the ill-fated trade for Mike Miller and Randy Foye. The more I think about it, the more this particular draft position is a lose-lose for the Wizards, because someone at the end of the day is going to have the Randy Wittman Face, i.e., #WittmanFace. Or maybe that’s just the basement dust talking. ————->> Real Deal Beal? [What the world wants to know: will Bradley Beal ever wear that neck-tie again?] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvvBfAvsDPM {videos via Sean Fagan}

[A No. 3 Buoy - image via flickr/mikebaird]It’s commonplace for the fan to get entrenched in ‘what ifs’—it simply has to be ingrained into DNA by now. What if the Wizards didn’t win the pre-lottery coin flip tie-breaker against the Los Angeles Clippers after the 2008-09 season? Both teams finished with identical 19-63 records, and even though the Wizards got a single extra combination in the ’09 lottery after winning that coin flip (so, a 17.8 percent chance of getting the top pick instead of LA’s 17.7 percent), the Clippers won the prize, i.e., Blake Griffin. Not only that, but two other teams, Memphis and Oklahoma City, jumped into the top three, bumping Washington to five. But what if the Wizards, who sent Flip Saunders as their lottery representative in 2009, had been part of the winning combination? They likely would have elected to not trade the fifth overall pick (for Mike Miller, Randy Foye and a money-save) and would have instead drafted (and kept) Griffin. [To note: Saunders was Minnesota’s rep at the 1995 lottery and also returned to his team with the fifth overall pick, but that turned out to be Kevin Garnett—the Timberwolves finished tied with the Wizards for the second-worst NBA record that season, 21-61. Washington, holding the tie-breaker in odds to win No. 1 (18.3 percent to 18.2), landed the fourth pick and took Rasheed Wallace. Both teams were jumped by Golden State (Joe Smith, No. 1), and Philadelphia (Jerry Stackhouse, No. 3).] Surely, with Blake Griffin missing his entire first season with the Clippers due to a broken kneecap sustained during the preseason, the Wizards, being themselves, likely would have been bad enough to land a high pick again, i.e., John Wall in 2010. The what ifs… Wall, Lob City-ing, or whatever, to Griffin in the Verizon Center—the return of “Fun Street.” Speaking of… What if Washington had won the coin flip against the Golden State Warriors in 2010? The Wizards found themselves tied with the Warriors for the fourth-worst record in the NBA after the 2009-10 season, but with one less combination (10.3 percent instead of 10.4 percent) after losing the coin flip. Washington ended up with the first overall selection, and Wall, and Golden State slipped to sixth with Ekpe Udoh as the reward. What if? Would the Wizards be struggling through an Evan Turner rebuild instead? (Or would they have drafted Greg Monroe, who went seventh to the Pistons?) What ifs aplenty… “The Wizards lost to the Detroit Pistons once again. As if suffering a four-game regular-season sweep to the equally lowly Pistons wasn’t enough…” began a Washington Post article after the local franchise lost another tie-breaker on April 19, this time between two teams of a 29-53 ilk, tied for the seventh-worst NBA record in 2012-13. (Good thing the Wizards didn’t reach that 30-win goal, we ‘spose.) Here we go again. The Wizards came up short on another coin toss. But when it’s between seventh and eighth place, no one cares so much. Except for… the most exciting, unexpected, inconsequential, irreverent, and #SoWizards lottery win ever. Yes, in winning the 2013 third overall pick, the Washington Wizards franchise, for just the third time in team history (since it all began with the 1985 Patrick Ewing “envelope” lottery), has jumped UP in draft position (the Wiz have been lottery players 20 out of 28 times). Nope, the Wizards didn’t move up when they selected Bradley Beal with the third overall pick in 2012. Cleveland and Washington were each bumped back by New Orleans’ jump forward to Anthony Davis. In 2010, the Wizards had a 10.3 percent chance to land the first pick. They did, jumping over the Nets, Timberwolves, Kings, and the coin flip victor Warriors. Roll out the red carpet for Wall. In 2001, solely holding onto the NBA’s third-worst record at 19-63, the Wizards had a 15.7 percent chance to win the top pick. They did, jumpi

And you thought Bradley Beal couldn't get any more awesome. For shame. The No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, who wears the No. 3 on his jersey, rendered the No. 3 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Here's what the Internet thought about the Washington Wizards' good fortune: First, here a batch of news stories and initial reaction. [Us | SB Nation | Washington Post | Washington Examiner | CSN Washington | Wiz of Awes | NBC Washington | DC Pro Sports Report | Team blog | Press release And of course, it didn't take long for the updated mock drafts to come pouring in. [ESPN's Chad Ford | DraftExpress.com's Jonathan Givony | NBADraft.net | CBS Sports' Jeff Goodman & Matt Moore | Sporting News' Sean Deveney] Beal was definitely excited after lucky-charming his way to the No. 3 pick, but he kept it cool and monotone for the camera. As you'll find in the tweets below, Mike Wise thinks the Wizards should look to trade the No. 3 pick for an established veteran. FWIW, Gary Williams has the Wizards using the No. 3 pick on Alex Len, whom Williams recruited to Maryland. [CSN Washington] It's playoffs or bust next season for Beal. [CSN Washington] Randy Wittman kept it short in his pep talk to Beal prior to the lottery. [DC Sports Bog] For kicks, here's some thoughts Mike posted prior to the lottery on the Wizards' draft pick and whether they should trade it. So guys, WHO SHOULD THE WIZARDS TAKE?!?! What did Twitter have to say? Flip Saunders: "Can I get a do over?" — Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) May 22, 2013 So this is something else Beal has done better than Wall? — Craig Stouffer (@CraigStouffer) May 22, 2013 Bradley Beal could destroy both of these dudes. — Kelly Dwyer (@KDonhoops) May 22, 2013 Good. I didn't want Noel or that Thrift Shop guy. — Jack Kogod (@Unsilent) May 22, 2013 Let's get it on, Wizards-Cavs rivalry. — Mike Prada (@MikePradaSBN) May 22, 2013 #Otto4Lotto — Gheorghe The Blog (@gheorghetheblog) May 22, 2013 @realdealbeal23! Way luckier than me! Huge! #wizards — Zachary Leonsis (@ZacharyLeonsis) May 22, 2013 Otto Porter is now a Wizard? — Adam McGinnis (@adammcginnis) May 22, 2013 Wizards should trade Jan Vesely straight up for Nick Gilbert... — The Ball Hogs (@BallHogsRadio) May 22, 2013 Noel/Bennett/Porter Any of those 3 can help the Wizards. Now it's possible. My fav player in this draft is Bennett. — danny rouhier (@funnydanny) May 22, 2013 getting into top #3 is huge for Wizards... Chance to get Otto , Oladipo, Len, orBennett the PF from UNLV — Dan Hellie (@DanHellie) May 22, 2013 STOP SAYING ALEX LEN, MIKE WILBON — Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) May 22, 2013 Watch Otto Porter JR be on the board at #3 and Ernie drafts Johanavad Sackavefhes SF from Lithuania — HTTR24-7.com (@HTTR24_7) May 22, 2013 oh.my. wilbon just said for the #wizards "maybe alex len. or otto porter". note to team: you do NOT have to draft within a 10 mile radius. — Dave Ross (@FOX5Ross) May 22, 2013 Find and replace "Otto Porter" draftexpress.com/profile/jeff-g… #nbadraft #wizards — Thomas Pruitt (@TheRealTPruitt) May 22, 2013 Hey there #Wizards ! Little luck getting into the top 3. Now have the sense to draft Otto Porter. #NBA — Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) May 22, 2013 B3AL!!! #Wizards — Kevin Broom (@Broom_Kevin) May 22, 2013 True story, I had a post scheduled on BF essentially downplaying the idea of the Wiz selecting in the top 3. Jokes on me — Umair Khan (@UKhanNBA) May 22, 2013 Grunfeld: "We want to be a playoff team next year and moving up 5 spots will certainly help that process" — Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 22, 2013 Wizards won't listen to pressure to draft Georgetown's Otto Porter if h

The Wizards came into last night's NBA Draft lottery with a 70.2 percent chance of staying put at No. 8. We all hoped for the best, but expected to be picking at No. 8 in June. We all read mock drafts and researched prospects that we thought would be around at No. 8. We all had it in the back of our minds that Ernie Grunfeld could trade our pick if he didn't like any of the prospects left on the board. So much for all of that. The Wiz defied every semblance of pessimism surrounding the team the past month, and with the help of Bradley Beal, vaulted into the top three of the draft. Now, things are looking brighter, the franchise has a real chance of securing our three building blocks for the future and the doors have opened up on some very intriguing potential roster moves. Take that, ESPN mock lottery machine. Now the rumors and smokescreens will begin to surface -- if they haven't already -- and we will all begin to agonize over what the Cavaliers will do with the No. 1 pick. Cavaliers GM Chris Grant plays things incredibly close to the chest and will continue to send mixed signals regarding who he's leaning toward, which only he would uncommonly do with the first overall pick in the draft. Ernie Grunfeld's reaction to the No. 3 pick. The obvious factor here is the health of Nerlens Noel, and whether the Cavs are willing to wait on him and risk suffering through another losing season with Kyrie Irving. That's probably a bit of an overstatement given the cap room and flexibility of the roster, but it's safe to assume Dan Gilbert and co have their eyes set on the 2014 free agency class, and most notably, LeBron James. Anderson Varejao, in the midst of all the injury concerns, is entering the final year of his deal (has a team option in 2014), and the team has to look long-term to solidify their frontcourt and snag a defensive anchor for the foreseeable future. Yet, rumors have already began to surface that the Cavs have deep interest in Otto Porter, and could also look into packaging the first round pick in order to yield a top level talent to make their playoff push this coming season. Should we call Chris Grant's bluff or could there be some truth to it? On the surface, picturing Porter going No. 1 is a bit of a stretch, but Cleveland's not averse to sticking with their draft board in spite of public perception, and Porter would fit in with Irving and Waiters like a glove. So where does that leave Washington? They're relegated to the waiting game, for better or worse. As noted before, Porter is the best-case scenario for the Wizards. His understanding of the game, maturity and defensive instincts encapsulates what the front office is building toward, and he has the skill-set and freakish athleticism to mesh well with John Wall and Beal. From there, the team has an interesting decision to make. Should they keep Trevor Ariza, knowing that Porter isn't equipped to handle the assignment of guarding the opponents best perimeter threat on a nightly basis? Or is the three point proficiency of Martell Webster, along with his strong locker-room leadership, worth bringing back on a possibly full mid-level exception? This opens up a world of opportunities. But this is the Wizards we're talking about here. Nothing comes easy for us. Even Bradley Beal, who seemingly fell into our laps a year ago, didn't come without fans sweating and anxiously praying that his name wasn't called before the third pick. In the event that Porter's destiny doesn't draw parallels to Beal's, it's vital for the front office to stay true to their draft board and selects the best player available. A common misconception is that this is a two- or three-player draft; but I'd probably stretch it to four with a possible five lurking in Trey Burke. Victor Oladipo is the wildcard here. It may seem a bit overhasty taking him in the top 3, but if he absolutely wows the team in predraft workouts like I expect, they could look to trade down -- especiall

When Bradley Beal gleefully walked down from his seat in the back row of the stage at the Disney/ABC Times Square studios to stand next to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert’s son, Nick, and Orlando Magic senior vice president Pat … Continue reading →

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,

This night couldn’t get any better for Washington Wizards fans. After being projected to get the 8th overall pick, the Washington Wizards secured a top 3 pick after the Detroit Pistons ultimately took their spot. Here is the complete order of the NBA Draft Lottery: Cleveland Cavaliers Orlando Magic Washington Wizards Charlotte Bobcats Phoenix Suns New Orleans Pelicans Sacramento Kings Detroit Pistons Minnesota Timberwolves Portland Trail Blazers Philadelphia 76ers Oklahoma City Thunder Dallas Mavericks Utah Jazz Washington will likely use their third overall pick to select Georgetown’s Otto Porter, assuming he’s on the board. If Porter does end up in a Wizards uniform next year, Washington will fill a scoring role, while not losing much on the defensive side of the floor. Washington desperately needs someone who can score the ball, but can also contribute defensively. Otto Porter is a perfect fit for Washington, since one of their glaring weaknesses is/was at the small forward position. With John Wall and Bradley Beal on the floor, Porter’s job will become a lot easier, since he was viewed as the number one option at Georgetown. Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel and Kansas’ Ben McLemore are projected to get selected number one and two, respectively. To sum it up, Washington’s night was a success. Hopefully we won’t have to watch the NBA Draft Lottery next season, for the Wizards’ sake.

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?