Wizards choose guard to start a busy night
The hundreds of season ticket holders who filled the Verizon Center practice court booed ESPN’s footage of Kwame Brown — the last No. 1 overall pick taken by the Wizards in 2001. They applauded the image of new team owner Ted Leonsis. And they didn’t quite know what to do with a graphic of Gilbert Arenas.
But they erupted in cheers as balloons fell and the Washington Wizards began a busy 2010 NBA Draft by making their long-awaited selection of Kentucky freshman guard John Wall with the first overall pick.
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld confirmed their choice was never in doubt.
“When I was in the back room [of the lottery], I saw when [NBA vice president] Joel Litvin said that the Wizards have the No. 1 pick,” Grunfeld said. “I said, ‘I can’t believe it. We’re going to get John Wall.'”
“We think he has the ability to be a game changer for us,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders told ESPN, echoing the motto of T-shirts that also said “WALL” and were being handed to ticket holders.
The 19-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., who became the third No. 1 overall pick in franchise history and the first player from the University of Kentucky chosen first overall, was the first of a quintet of players added to the Wizards’ roster. In total, Washington selected three rookies from the draft itself and apparently added another, plus a veteran, via a trade that surfaced Thursday afternoon.
According to reports, the Wizards agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls that will give them the rights to the player chosen 17th overall — Kevin Seraphin of France — along with veteran guard Kirk Hinrich. The deal allows the Bulls to stockpile salary cap space to make a run at multiple maximum-salary free agents.
In exchange, Washington satisfied the new team owner, Leonsis, who had professed his desire to acquire an additional first-round pick, and obtained a guard who can mentor Wall. Hinrich tutored Derrick Rose in Chicago the last two seasons.
The move also fueled speculation the Wizards could be looking to part ways with Arenas.
The trade cannot be completed officially until July 8, when the new contract year begins and the Wizards have enough salary cap space to bring on both Hinrich, who will earn $9 million next year, and Seraphin, who is slotted at $1.3 million.
Washington entered the night with the 30th and 35th overall selections in the draft, but traded them to Minnesota for Clemson forward Trevor Booker — who was taken by the Timberwolves at No. 23 — and the 56th overall pick.
