Washington Wizards

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?

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