Washington Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld is working the phones.
An unusually deep draft makes their No. 18 selection in the NBA Draft tomorrow more valuable than the traditional mid-round pick. Grunfeld said yesterday the Wiz might move up, down or out of the draft. They might even take “the best available player.”
Glad he cleared that up.
Like their counterpart Capitals last week with a mid-round first, the Wizards aren’t getting an impact player tomorrow. At best, they hope to select a repeat guard Nick Young, who delivered a fair rookie season after being chosen 17th last year.
This team is all about Agent Zero. At least, if the Wizards re-sign Gilbert Arenas. The All-Star and fragile guard has been hobbled by knee problems the last two years, but he’s the show in this town. The Wiz must gamble $100 million-plus that Arenas’ knee won’t buckle or it’s five years of bad luck in Washington — but the team must keep Arenas or face a fan revolt.
The draft is about finding a back-end player who at most blossoms into a star and at worst gives productive time from the bench. Mostly, they’re hoping in three years this selection will deliver quality minutes. Maybe it’s Ohio State center Kosta Koufos or Stanford power forward Robin Lopez. Perhaps Nevada center JaVale McGee or N.C. State power forward J.J. Hickson. There’s an abundance of big men this year, Grunfeld said, but they’re not ready-made.
“You’re not going to get someone to come in right away and contribute,” Grunfeld said. “Most players you have to wait a few years and develop.”
The Wiz have worked out seemingly half the draft over 10 sessions lately. Don’t be confused. They’re smartly looking ahead to when these players are free agents so the front office will know something more than a stat page about them. It’s a free advance look, but just because George Mason’s Folarin Campbell was recently sweating at Verizon Center doesn’t mean the Wiz will take him in the second round.
Grunfeld knows the Wiz are close to title contention. If Washington can simply stay healthy for the first time since January 2007 when sporting the Eastern Conference’s best record, they’ll be fine. But Boston showed aggressive moves earn the trophy. Washington can’t be satisfied with the current roster even if it keeps free agent Antawn Jamison and Arenas. This first-rounder could help overcome Boston in coming years.
“If you make a couple good moves — if you make a couple good trades, sign a good free agent and have a good draft choice — your fortunes can turnaround very quickly,” Grunfeld said.
And if they get nothing from the draft and lose the two prized free agents, things can turn the other way real fast, too.
Who says there’s no pressure with the 18th pick?
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
