Photo Courtesy of Bleacher Report
After last night’s 87-82 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, I couldn’t help but start thinking about next season and what this Wizards team really needs to take the next step. Since Ernie Grunfeld has left us with minimal cap room, the Wizards aren’t going to be able to sign a big time free agent to come in and help us out next year. That leaves us with just the draft to add some game-changing talent, unless Ted Leonsis hires a GM capable of trading players for legit assets instead of injured players or players who average more fouls than points. While most draft experts are stating that the 2013 NBA Draft is weak in talent, I believe there are some real gems this year that can really improve a team, with Otto Porter being right at the top of the list.
Our thoughts at the beginning of the season were that UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad was the best wing available. Fast forward to today and Otto Porter, a 6’ 8” SF out of Georgetown University that can do it all tops our draft board. He can slash, defend, rebound, assist, shoot, and most important of all, he can finish games. Porter is averaging 16.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2 SPG, and 1 BPG this season and really seems to play with a passion for the game. The Wizards lack a go-to 4th quarter scorer, as many close games slip right through this team’s fingers. Otto would bring a prime time closer to this squad and establish a young three man core to build around for the next 10 years joining John Wall and Bradley Beal.
As it stands now, the Wizards have the third worst record in the league, which means they have the third best chance to win the draft lottery. If the lottery plays at the way it should, which it never does, the Wizards would have the 3rd pick in the draft. With Otto Porter’s rise over the last month, and no other player really asserting his dominance as the first overall pick, the Wiz might have to get fortunate to land Porter. Luckily for Washington the two teams with worse records, Orlando and Charlotte, have their long-term SF’s in Tobias Harris and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist respectively. But as noted before, the draft lottery usually doesn’t play out the way it should.
With this being David Stern’s last draft lottery before his retirement, he might save his best trick for last. Pretty much everyone on the planet who follows the NBA knows of the thousands of draft lottery conspiracies out there. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see the King’s (who are for sale) or the Mavericks (perennial playoff team) win the draft lottery if Stern doesn’t finally pay back Michael Jordan for all he has done for the league. The Bobcats are the league’s worst team, by a long shot in my opinion, and have never drafted with the first overall pick in the draft. With the draft lottery not until May 21st, we just need to keep our fingers crossed that whoever picks before us doesn’t need a SF. Because what Otto Porter is serving up lately, aka his 25 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 2.7 SPG over his last four games, is exactly what the Wizards need!
Let us know in the comments section who you want the Wizards to target in this year’s draft. Until next week, Stay Steezy my friends!
9 Comments
As a huge Hoyas fan, I would love to see Otto Porter stay in DC. The man is a serious contender for the Wooden Award this year after Georgetown lost their second leading scorer (for most of the season) in Greg Whittington. As you pointed out already, he literally does it all. He can shoot the three, take it to the hole, is unselfish, and is a great defender – both in terms of steals and blocks. He scored 33 against Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, in which the Orange were held to their lowest point total ever in the arena. It pains me to say this since he will be entering the draft, but Georgetown would not even be close to the team that they are without Porter.
Porter in DC would be so sweet. It would help out with the locals for sure.
I’m worried we aren’t going to be able to get Porter. With the way things are going I have a hard time believing he gets past #3 in the draft and I think with beal playing we win a game like last night vs the Timberwolves. I think we may be playing ourselves out of the Otto Porter race.
I think it’s more likely we are picking around #5 and Muhammed is our pick and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Shabazz has a lot of skills also, with the right development Shabazz can be a star and this team can start dominating with Wall, Beal and Shabazz.
I agree Adam. We might be playing ourselves out of Otto Porter. But like i said, you never know how David Stern, I mean the ping ping balls will fall. We could have the 5th or 6th best chance to win the lottery at the season’s end and end up with the 2nd or 3rd pick.
We’ll just see how it plays out in May, but like you said Shabazz isn’t a bad alternative. But lets keep our fingers crossed for Otto!
You KNOW I am down with OPJ! He is the perfect fit for the Wizards. I am just hoping there is some way he is around when the Wizards pick in June.
Or maybe we will get lucky and land the first overall pick. But like i said in the article, If the Magic and Bobcats pick before us, I don’t see either one of those teams taking Porter. Lets just hope the draft works out for us two years in a row. I know that is a stretch in Washington, but we can dream right?
[...] lot of people have fallen in love with Otto Porter, including us, and think he would be a great fit for Washington. Porter is a 6’ 8” wing player that can do [...]
I like where this site is at right now: http://walterfootball.com/nbadraft2013mock.php
Yea i like where that site is too. BRING ON OTTO!!!