May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Peyton Siva, who the Wizards reportedly express interest in, is a second round prospect. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

As luck would have it, the Washington Wizards moved up to the third slot in this upcoming NBA Draft, which ultimately turned our focus to some of the top prospects coming out of college.

With that said, the Washington Wizards also have two second round picks- No. 37 and No. 54, but are unlikely to take advantage of both selections. According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld will look into all scenarios regarding their two second round picks;

I don’t think we want to have three rookies on the roster next year. We’ll see what we do with those second-round picks and how they could become an asset. Maybe package them to move up a little bit…Most years there is some movement. I’m sure there will be a lot of discussion, a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors flying, but we feel comfortable wherever we end up that we’ll be able to find somebody to help us and do some things for us.

Washington hasn’t had much luck finding legitimate talent in the second round in quite some time, and their intentions of getting rid of the picks display their lack of willingness to look further down in the draft. Chris Singleton and Shelvin Mack were both second round picks a few years ago, but they’ve since failed to leave a mark in the NBA. Shelvin Mack is no longer with the organization, while Singleton has had trouble developing enough to get consistent playing time.

Last season, the Wizards decided to stash away their second round pick by selecting Tomáš Satoranský out of the Czech Republic, knowing that he won’t be contributing to the team in the near future. Even though the Wizards have built a track record of failed experiments in the second round, Washington has the chance to acquire several pieces in this years draft who could possibly become a part of their foundation.

Washington needs to sign a backup point guard this off-season, since A.J. Price is a freeagent, and their desire for a stretch forward could probably be obtained through the NBA Draft. Washington’s salary cap situation is in a state of flux and with virtually no tradeable assets on the roster (besides John Wall, Bradley Beal and their lottery pick of course), the second round of the draft will become a viable solution to some of their glaring problems.

Washington was reportedly very high on former Louisville guard and reigning National Champion, Peyton Siva, who could certainly become a spark plug off the bench. Bucknell’s Mike Muscala was also very enthusiastic  about the possibility of teaming up with John Wall in the nation’s capital. Muscala is also a second round prospect who could fit right in with their cast, since he has the ability to play in the post as well as shoot the ball from the perimeter.

Don’t get me wrong; if the Wizards could package the picks in exchange for an established veteran player or to move up in the draft, they should certainly explore their options. But that still doesn’t change the fact that they shouldn’t immediately discount the second round.

I realize that finding a gem in the second round of a “weak” NBA Draft is very unlikely, but I much rather see the team go in that direction, rather than selling the picks or just stashing them away for a player who’ll probably never put on a Wizards jersey. It may seem infeasible to some, but it’s certainly been done before. Chandler Parsons, who has become a key player for the Houston Rockets, was selected 38th overall in 2011. There are a number of players I could mention, all of which have been taken in the second round. It’s unlikely that the Wizards find a steal in the second round, but they have nothing to lose by trying to do so.

Do you have any favorite second round prospects? Let me know in the comments section below.

February 2, 2013; Columbia, SC, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (1) attempts a three-point shot against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial-Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

With the NBA Draft just weeks away, Wiz of Awes will be doing a mock draft, which we’ll break down each pick for every lottery team, including the Washington Wizards. [Completed Mock Draft: 1) Cleveland, 2) Orlando, 3) Washington Wizards, 4) Charlotte, 5) Phoenix, 6) New Orleans 7) Sacramento 8) Detroit]

Ward Watkins:

9) Minnesota Timberwolves: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

Basic Stats: 18.5 PPG, 7.1 REB, 1.8 AST, 2.0 STL

In 2012-13, the Wolves finished 25th in offensive rating (102.9 points per 100 possessions) while playing at the 11th fastest pace in the league. I could be wrong, but looking at the roster, it seems as if the team’s two or three best shooters are frontcourt players. To put it bluntly, the T-Wolves need help scoring, particularly in the backcourt. Ricky Rubio, while improved, is by no means a consistent shooter. While Alexy Shved showed promise last season, the shooting guards position is pretty bare with Luke Ridnour  (I’m stretching here) and Brandon Roy, who has since been waived by Minnesota. Assuming Kevin Love comes back healthy and Nikola Pekovic – a restricted free agent – is re-signed to go along with Andrei Kirilenko and the puzzling Derrick Williams, the frontcourt appears to be in solid shape.

I know the old adage is to never pick for need, but the Wolves appear to be pretty close to putting together a playoff team. The first act in the new adventures of old Flip Saunders has to be to get somebody that can put the ball in the hoop. I’m taking a chance here and going with Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with the ninth pick.

The 2012-13 SEC Player of the Year may be a bit of a reach, but appears to be rising up draft boards in the last week or so. After a rough freshman season and a slow start to his sophomore season, KCP seemed played well for the Bulldogs, averaging 18.5 points per game and a strong seven boards per contest on a team that seemed to consistently have him on “pass it to Will” status. He improved in just about every category from his freshman season, including shooting 37.5 % from three last season and improving his free throw shooting from 65% as freshman to 80% as a sophomore despite shooting twice as many free throws. Measured at 6’6, KCP fits the “classic size for an NBA shooting guard” bill. His on-court athleticism seemed evident even though his combine measurements would say otherwise. A couple of things that stood out for me on the defensive side of the ball: his defensive rebounding percentage was 19.7% last season, and his defensive rating was 90.8. This tells me that he may be more than a one-trick pony at the next level.  I’ve seen it written that he has a good work ethic, so the thought here is that he will continue to improve his game.

Again, this pick may be a bit of a reach for the Wolves, but I see Caldwell-Pope as a bit of a sleeper in this draft, as at the very least he should help the team in the scoring department. If he can come in and be a solid complementary piece for Minnesota, they have the makings of a really nice nucleus.

Nov 29, 2012; South Bend, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Nerlens Noel (3) warms up before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Nerlens Noel is one of the most intriguing NBA Draft prospects in quite some time, so when reports arose about possible concerns regarding his ACL injury which could cause his draft stock to fall, I had to contact someone who knew more about Noel than myself and the majority of NBA fans.

The guys over at Fansided’s Wildcat Blue Nation have covered Kentucky basketball and Nerlens Noels’ short stint at the program this entire season and were willing to answer a few of my questions regarding Noel and his future in the NBA.  

This is the first year in quite some time in which there isn’t necessarily a consensus number one overall choice in the NBA Draft. In fact, there have been numerous reports that teams may look to trade down in the draft if they do indeed win the NBA Draft Lottery. If Nerlens Noel is viewed as the top prospect, even though he’s dealing with a significant ACL injury, how does that reflect upon his game and this years draft?  

I think it tells a lot about the kind of player Nerlens Noel is, because even though he is going through rehab for his ACL, most people still consider him the best overall prospect in the draft. I think a reason for that is because how he was developing before the injury at Kentucky. Noel came into Kentucky as a defensive presence only, with no offensive game. By the middle of the season he had a great turn around hook shot, and was always in the right place at the right time. High School recruits see that kind of development, and want to come to Kentucky for the same reason Noel did. This year’s draft is also one of the weakest in recent memory, but I believe in the long run this draft will produce some good pro players with Noel being one.

Nerlens Noel is obviously the best defensive big man in this years draft class, especially from a shot blocking standpoint (4.4 blocks per game). Unfortunately, he’s been scrutinized for his lack of talent on the offensive side of the floor. The NBA has witnessed many raw offensive players fail to develop offensively to the point in which they could effectively contribute in that department. Where does Noel stand offensively? Should the team selecting number one overall take a chance on Noel, even though he struggles to score and doesn’t have much of post game?

Like I said earlier Noel came into his freshman season at Kentucky known for his defense, but left Kentucky with a subpar offensive game that was improving daily before the injury. Credit to Kentucky’s coaching staff for developing his offensive game which made him a better pro prospect. Yes, he still needs work, but he was the only one on Kentucky’s roster this season to give 110% effort every game.

What are some parts of Noel’s game which seem to be overlooked? Are there any misconceptions about Noel which casual fans tend to make?

The part of his game that gets overlooked is his work ethic that I mentioned earlier. I have never seen somebody work so hard on every possession like Noel did. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was that type of player, and Noel works just like him but probably even harder than he worked. I keep hearing people say “We are worried about his knee”, well a lot of athletes have ACL injuries and come back better than ever.  

Noel surprisingly has a very high awareness level, especially since he played just one year of college basketball. Aside from becoming a significant defensive presence, how will Noel impact his team right out of the gate?

He will impact that game when he gets healthy with his awareness on the floor, and his ability to be coached. I never saw one time where he talked back to Calipari or his staff. He’s a great kid all around. On and off the floor he handles himself better than anybody his age.

Even though he’ll probably be selected amongst the top prospects, should a team like the Washington Wizards, which haven’t done a particularly great job in developing their raw players and struggled offensively this past season (Jan Vesely comes to mind), take a chance on Noel?

If Noel is available with the 3rd pick the Wizards should take him. John Wall is emerging as one of the league’s best point guards, and if he and Brad Beal can feed Noel the ball on a consistent basis he will become a very good player in the league.  

Where do you see Noel ultimately being selected in this upcoming NBA Draft? Which NBA player does he most resemble? 

I think Cleveland takes him with the #1 overall pick, and I believe he resembles Dikembe Mutombo.

Give us your final assessment on Noel and his future in the NBA.

I believe he needs to take a season off, and make sure the knee is 100% healthy before trying it out. I honestly believe he will develop into a top 5 big man in the league in a couple of years.

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I want to thank Josh Kays and Wildcat Blue Nation for answering some of our questions. Hopefully this helped shed some light on Noel and his possible, but unlikely, future with the Wizards.