Washington hopes for better luck in ’09 lottery
Lucky Lottery? Not for the Washington Wizards. If it wasn’t for bad luck, it’s been said of the Wizards, they wouldn’t have any luck at all.
Recommended Stories
Of the nine times Washington has been in the lottery, it has improved its draft position just once. And when that happened, in 2001, the Wizards were awarded the No. 1 choice in a weak draft. Michael Jordan compounded the organization’s misfortune with his selection of Kwame Brown, one of the biggest busts in NBA history.
Tuesday in Secaucus, N.J., the Wizards are back in the lottery for the first time in five years, hoping for a better fate. This lottery takes on added significance, as many NBA general managers believe there is only one can’t-miss prize in the June draft, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin.
“In order to win you have to be lucky in some aspects,” said incoming head coach Flip Saunders.
With his ability to rebound and play inside, and his perceived ability to contribute immediately, Griffin would be a nice fit for a Washington team built to win now with its high-priced core of Antawn Jamison, 32, Caron Butler, 29, and Gilbert Arenas, 27.
With the NBA’s worst record, Sacramento has a 25 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The Wizards have a 17.8 percent chance. Last month, they won a coin flip with the Los Angeles Clippers (17.7 percent), giving them one more chance out of 1,000 to get the top pick and also ensure that the lowest position they will draft is No. 5.
Other top players available include forward Jordan Hill (Arizona), center Hasheem Thabeet (UConn), and guards Ricky Rubio (Spain), Brandon Jennings (Italy), and James Harden (Arizona State). Most are considered long-term projects.
If Washington doesn’t land the first pick, President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld may be compelled to package the Wizards’ top pick for a veteran player who can address immediate needs.
“We can’t control where we draft. We can’t control any kind of trade situations,” said Grunfeld. “We’ll be exploring things, see what’s out there, see what’s available.”
