Here's their updated Mock Draft:

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2011/

The players landing with the Wizards are:

4, The Perry Jones

21, Tristan Thompson PF, Georgia (still lists the pick as ATL's)

34, William Buford, SG, Ohio State

The Game:

Given who is available when the Wizards pick, who would you take at each spot?

My picks:

4, Derrick Williams, PF Arizona. Versatile, explosive, high motor, good B-ball IQ, productive. May be a tweener, but I'd take that chance given how he is playing.

21, Jeffrey Taylor, SF Vanderbilt. Posted his profile on another thread. He's very athletic, can defend both wing spots and his jumper has gotten better each year. Compared to Thefolosha because they have similar games and originally from Sweden.

34, Ben Hansbrough, PG, Notre Dame. Likely Big East player of the year. Not a sure thing in the NBA but one of the most productive guards off the pick and roll. In the gym range. Big time competitor. I thinkhe could be a rotation player early in his career. Any defensive liability would be somewhat mitigated by getting most of his time against reserve PGs. I'd take Nolan Smith before Hansbrough but Smith goes between the Hawks pick and our second rounder in this Mock Draft.

Have at it!

We brought this up in an older post but I thought it deserved some more space to breathe.

The Suns recent moves leave them with a glut of forwards. They've added Hakim Warrick, Turkoglu and Childress to the depth chart that already included Channing Frye, Grant Hill and Jared Dudley. i think Dudley would fit the new Wizards perfectly. He's inexpensive, plays defense, rebounds and hits 3's. Thoughts?

Who else is getting squeezed out around the NBA as guys sign?

I've seen references to the Celtics as the model that the Wizards should follow. The sugggestion was that we have Wall, Arenas and Blatche, (and max dollars available) therefore we should be looking for a big hitter to combine with these guys to reach that Celtic Big 3 level.

The point was made that the Celtics had nothing before those trades but were Champs afterward. I've argued pretty hard against the idea that this is the year to spend big or acquire long term 8-figure contracts. I thought it would be worthwhile to go over what the Celtics had done prior to bringing Garnett, Allen and PIerce together. For one I believe its important to put some details on areas where there is only blurry memory. 

Secondly this allows me to agree that the Celtic model is exactly what we should be doing and exactly what Ted wants to do. The catch is that signing a max player this year would short cut the real building that was done in Boston.

Below is a chart I put together showing the 2006 Celtics, sorted by minutes played. I subtracted WallyZ and Scalabrine from the chart. In terms of minutes played but in the interest of full disclosure they came in just after Kendrick Perkins.Not all were drafted by Boston but that is because the NBA rules force teams to pick a player then trade him. 

1. Jefferson, Gomes, Gerald Green, Telfair and 2 #1's were dealt for Garnett.

2. The #5 pick, Delonte West, WallyZ and a 2 were dealt to Seattle for Ray Allen AND Glen Davis.

The Celtics turned those draft picks into stars while still having a core group of high draft picks who played huge roles in their Title run. Rondo and Perkins start, Allen and Poe were key reserves. So when you ask for the Wizards to follow the Celtic model, I absolutely agree. We should be acquiring as many high picks as possible to both develop and to leverage/package for better players in the future.

We mention the OKC or Spurs model but IMO the Celtics show what can be done when you combine multiple high picks, cap flexibility and, of course, timing. This is the kind of core Ted wants to build here so the Wizards can be good for a decade.

I've read comments regarding this last roster spot, or at least the last one Ernie intends to fill before training camp. I see repeated mentions of the need for more upside. I couldn't disagree more. The last way I want to judge an incoming player is on his potential.

The Wizards currently have JaVale, Blatche, Nick, Crit, Dom and Foye who are all 26 or younger. Most of them are in desperate need of development and attention. Case in point: NY going into his 3rd year in the NBA and just now begrudgingly learning how to come off screens. It continues with the rest of the crew. Now nearly half the roster will include players who were never taught how to play the right way. That means it has to be done here. 4-6 projects is plenty. No need for another, certainly no need for another when the concrete infrastructure for further development is still drying.

All that gets around to my point. This roster doesn't need any more upside (Ridiculous or not). It needs what I called NOWside, instant, veteran, playoff experienced impact. That's what guys like Joe Smith or Fabricio Oberto bring to this team. These aren't going to develop into playoff caliber reserves in 3 years. They are playoff quality reserves right now. There are enough eggs in the "future" basket. This last spot is about NOW, especially given the fact that this player will have to pick the pieces when Blatche and JaVale can't inside.

While we wait for the Posey chip to fall I'm wondering about who Ernie would target in a trade. THinking in terms of a 2/3 who can defend and knock down and open jump shot.

Trent Hassell, John Salmons, Hakim Warrick, Jared Jeffries, Thabo Sefolosha, and Des Mason are my shortlist. Salmons makes too much for too long though. Warrick is more of a 3/4 than 2/3 and doens't add anything from 3. Hassell contributed to good playoff teams before Minnesota pulled the plug.

Jeffries had a horrid year in NY. Ernie was right not to match Isaiah's full MLE offer. Yet somehow here I am pondering an Etan for Jeffries deal that would save NY 6Mil in 2010.

Thabo Sefolosha is more of a 2 than a 3. He's the cheapest option, which makes him valuable to his own team and less likely to get moved in the guard shuffle in Chicago.

Mason is available. He isn't going to see much time in Milwaukee behind Richard Jefferson, Jow Alexander and Mbah a Moute.

Who else?

Celtics extend offer to Maggette - The Boston Globe

Bartelstein said "a lot of people are interested" in his client. An NBA source said the Wizards are "very interested" in Posey, and could make an offer once their situation with marquee free agent Gilbert Arenas is settled.

I doubt he waits long enough to get him, but he has been known to follow the money. Posey would bring a deefnse and 3 point shooting, who doesn't need that? Not sure I love the idea of locking him up for 4 or 5 years at 6Mil though.

Andy Katz reports that the #18 pick can be had. Not exactly a Newsflash is it? He also mentions that Ernie talked to Portland about making a deal. In his blog he didn't elaborate to include what either side wanted out of the deal.

However, last night on their NBA Draft special he slipped in a little tidbit that Washington would like to draft Brandon Rush. He started by saying that Washington has initiated calls in order to move up to get Rush.

Putting 2 and 2 together it appears Ernie spoke to Portland about moving up to 13 in order to grab Rush.

The Trailblazers are looking to get additional first round picks while dangling Jarrett Jack and their high 2's. Although Jack is more of a combo guard, that wouldn't necessarily work against him in this offense.

The small deal would be Jack, #33 and cash for #18.

The bigger deal:

Daniels (6.2) Etan (6.8) #18 and #47 for

Jarret Jack (2M) Raef LaFrentz (12.7) #33 and #36 (and cash, always ask the Blazers for cash).

Why The Wiz:

Jack brings more scoring to the backup PG spot, something we could have used versus Cleveland. He's also capable of defending either guard spot. If he was forced to start he could hold his own. he could also play next to Arenas, a combo of combo guards.

Lafrentz is in the last year of his deal, finally. So thats a 12.7M expiring contract to either let expire or move at the trade deadline. This also gets us out from under the last year of AD and Etan's contracts, the 09/10 savings being 12.1M in salary (14.9 minus Jack's 2.8 in 2009). The team also gets 2 players that would not have been available at #47. (Weaver, Omer Asik, Dorsey, Pekovic, George Hill)

Arenas - Jack - (2nd rounder)
Stevenson - Young
Caron - McGuire
Jamison - Blatche - Pecherov
Haywood - Songalia - (2nd rounder)

Why the Blazers:

They get another first round pick as a chip to bundle with #13 so they can move up and get a difference maker. They also get a playoff veteran guard in AD, who played for Nate McMillan in Seattle. It provides Roy with a professional mentor too.  They swap LaFrentz's (DNP-CD) and contract for a warmer bigger body in Etan who still comes off the books before they have to extend Roy. Thrown in is the #47 pick so Pritchard can still grab another euro to stash for the future.

The Wizards would take on roughly 900K to 1M on the 08/09 cap if they pulled the trigger on the bigger deal once draft pick salaries are factored in.

Why is doesn't work:

The Blazers might expect more in return for LaFrentz's contract if they plan on moving it for a substantial chip themselves. If they are just planning on letting him walk, this might entice them. I believe they want to get some veteran pieces into the mix for a playoff run but these 2 may not be enough. I'm hoping that McMillan's history with AD, they won a lot of games in Seattle, helps our cause. Replacing Jack with AD doesn't alleviate their logjam at PG (Blake, Rodriguez and the time Roy spends there). 

*The Wizards would take on roughly 900K to 1M on the 08/09 cap if they pulled the trigger on the bigger deal once draft pick salaries are factored in. The smaller deal is much more likely IMO but its worth exploring the larger deal. If Ernie can get Pritchard to believe it was his idea you're half way there.

Thoughts?

Draft Express is reporting that the Grizzlies would like to move up from 28 to grab a wing player before Orlando and some others. The deal they mention is #28 and Kyle Lowery to the Nuggets for pick #20.

Would you do this deal for pick #18? DX later mentions: 

The Wizards wouldn’t mind moving out if someone would offer them a good deal involving a point guard, but at this point that doesn’t seem likely to happen.

Moving back 8 spots and picking up Lowry (1.1M, 2M and 2.9 in salary over the next 3 seasons) would be fine by me. Then we can take BPA at #28 or potentially move back again to secure multiple second round picks. Minnesota, Portland, Sacramento and Seattle all have muliple 2's. It appears Memphis is only willing to take back salary to move up form #5 so i didn't bother hoisting Etan or AD on them.

Thoughts?