Wizards Win NBA Draft Lottery

After a season of complete turmoil, the Washington Wizards have won the draft lottery. They beat out 13 other teams who were all competing for the #1 draft choice including 4 teams with better odds.

The Wizards season was one they and their fans would LOVE to forget. In November, well liked team majority owner Abe Pollin died of a rare brain disease. Pollin had been part owner of the team for 46 years which was the longest tenured owner in all of the NBA. Then on Christmas Eve as the team was in the midst of a 10-17 start to a season with playoff aspirations, it was reported that Gilbert Arenas was storing firearms in his locker which led to his suspension for the remainder of the season and his admittance into a halfway house for 30 days.

With 1/3 of

their Big Three gone for the year and a mightily struggling team, Wizards front office dealt the remaining 2/3s in Caron Butler to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland. During the month of March, Washington lost their first 16 games and only managed to win a game on March 31st to prevent going an entire month without a victory. They finished the season 26-56, but did find one bright spot in 23 year old C/PF Andray Blatche who averaged 22.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 32 games after the All-Star break.

Most believe PG John Wall is the top prospect in this year's draft. That's great for the Wizards since they voided Gilbert Arenas' horrible contract after his gun issues. Ohhhh yeah. No they didn't. For some awful reason they went ahead and kept the worst contract in the NBA because they had 96$ million burning a hole in their pocket over the next 5 years. I'd like to think Abe Pollin would never have kept Arenas. Well perhaps the Wizards could take the 2nd highest rated prospect in the draft and the NCAA Consensus Player of the Year last year Evan Turner. Aw damn. Another PG.

At least Washington isn't the biggest loser in this year's draft lottery. That distinction goes to Minnesota and their GM David Kahn. The Timberwolves had the 2nd best opportunity to win the top pick, but fell to 4th thanks to Philadelphia and Washington jumping them. What's the big deal? Kahn will actually have to take a wing or post player rather than another PG.