Mar 9, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Georgetown Hoyas forward Otto Porter (22) looks on during the first half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

How about the lottery, huh? Did anybody go streaking, Frank the Tank style? What a great night to be a Washington Wizards fan.

To routinely expect the worst – and not so laughingly believe that the team is cursed – and come out better than expected in the NBA Draft Lottery two years in a row (last year the Wizards entered the lottery in the four spot, and probably all expected them to land at six) is wonderful. The business at hand now is improving things to the point that the Wizards aren’t participants in the excruciatingly drawn out production that is the NBA Draft Lottery for a while.

What do the Wizards do with the third pick? I’ve gone on record as not wanting to trade the pick at eight, so I’m certainly not an advocate of trading it now. Again, the caveat is some kind of package for Kevin Love or something – unlikely, and no to Danny Granger (shame on you, Mike Wise. Are you here simply to troll us? There could be a post coming dedicated SPECIFICALLY to that column), Can we, at least for today, just focus on the players in the Draft? Great. Let’s do that.

Cleveland and Orlando are obviously roadblocks to the draft board, but I’m all aboard the Otto Porter Jr. bandwagon at third overall.

Obviously, I’m not alone in thinking Porter is a great choice for the Wizards. For me, Otto Porter provides a great balance between “best player available” and “fits a need”. Plug him in as a small forward, and even though there is Trevor Ariza for at least one more season, and presumably Martell Webster, Porter should be able to represent immediate help in the present and future. He fits the culture that the team has clearly fought to foster in the last two years: smart, focused on the game, committed to defense, and most importantly, buying into the program. You group him with John Wall and Bradley Beal, and you have a very bright, young nucleus.

I also hear the sentiment that he’s local, so the team shouldn’t feel pressured to pick him. Again, I don’t get it. Is there a feeling that local fans are biased because he’s in the nation’s capital? What if the local standout is the best player available? Porter was the Georgetown Hoyas last season. At times, he was seriously on “Pass it to Will” status. (I couldn’t find the clip of the coach saying this in the huddle, but you watched Fresh Prince. You know what I’m talking about). I know Georgetown wasn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but Otto Porter accounted for 24 percent of the team’s points, 22 percent of the rebounds, 18 percent of the assists, 24 percent of the team’s steals, and 23 percent of their blocked shots. I’m sure other teams’ best players in college have similar type of stat, but…wow.

I often read or hear that Otto Porter is good at a lot of stuff, but not great at anything. To me, that’s not a particularly strong criticism. He’s less than two weeks shy of age 20, who’s to say that he won’t become great at something or some things? And how many 20-year old players come into the draft with this much talk of maturity and high basketball IQ? I know that there’s the thought that UNLV’s Anthony Bennett could have the higher ceiling, but he also has a lower floor. Again, Porter may not become a star, he’s the “safe” pick, but who’s to say he can’t develop into a star? Particularly in the right system and with the right pieces around him. I think Chad Ford’s comment in his ESPN chat today best describes my opinion of the two:

Those are the two players they are high on. Both are fits. If they need more offense and potential star power Bennett is the guy. Porter gives them the high basketball IQ, the passing, the defense, all the little things. Personally, I think I like Porter a little bit more, but if I was Ernie Grunfeld, I’d be torn here.

To me, Otto Porter just feels like the right fit for what the Wizards are trying to build in D.C. Without question, there are several other strong options and possibilities to be available (some obviously more than others) when the Wizards are on the clock. If Porter is off the board, Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Anthony Bennett, and Victor Oladipo are all good alternatives.

Each is intriguing in his own right, and I’m sure that we’ll read and hear much more about this between now and the draft. But for now, to me, Otto is the motto.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Shabazz Muhammad is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

(Even though the Washington Wizards received the third overall pick in last nights NBA Draft Lottery, I think it’s safe to say that they’ll explore all  of their options. With that said, UCLA’s enigma, Shabazz Muhammad, is one of the most intriguing prospects in this years NBA Draft. I contacted Jeff Poirier of Go Joe Bruin, who has covered the UCLA Bruins for quite some time, in order to get his take on the possible situation.)

I have to start with this: Shabazz Muhammad was viewed as a basketball prodigy out of Bishop Gorman High School, but his reputation took a serious hit once he reached the collegiate level. He’s been accused of lying about his age, allowing his father to control his basketball career, but most importantly, he had a tendency to act like a diva once he stepped on the basketball floor. How will his attitude affect his stock in this year’s draft, if at all? Should a team like Washington, who has dealt with plenty of knuckleheads in the past, take a chance on Muhammad?

The rumors swirling about Muhammad’s attitude will definitely affect his draft appeal, but he’s still a highly sought after option. He had a few moments that drew ire at UCLA, most notably steering clear of a Bruins pig-pile after a teammate (and not him) sank a game-winning buzzer beater. Ultimately though, Shabazz is a stone cold gamer who will be an asset to whatever team takes him. Washington would be getting a lights-out shooter with an unrelenting competitive edge. The millions he’ll be making will likely iron out any personality issues he may have, so I think he is worth the chance.

What are some common misconceptions people have about Shabazz Muhammad? He’s been criticized about having a scorers mentality, but not contributing much on the defensive side of the floor. Even though Muhammad averaged under 1 assist per game, some think his lackluster year at UCLA was a reflection upon the program and basketball system, rather than Muhammad’s style of play. Is he as selfish as people tend to think? Is he the type of player who will eventually develop his defense once he enters the next stage of his career?

Having attended every UCLA home game last season, I can attest to the fact that Shabazz is not a defensive player. He was often beat by a less athletic opponent with more hustle, which doesn’t bode well for him guarding the best-of-the-best in the NBA. With that said, there’s no telling what could happen once he gets to the league. The pressure of living up to his contract could drive him to develop his defense, and he is athletic enough to be a good shot blocker. Offensively, there’s no question that his intention is to score whenever he gets the ball. Whether it’s a catch-and-shoot or drive to the rim, Muhammad isn’t going to pass very often. Some call that selfishness, but I just think it’s how his game works. He has a consistent outside stroke, and he is most valuable putting the ball in the bucket.

Is Shabazz Muhammad worth the investment? Should a lottery bound team, like the Wizards, take a chance on Muhammad, even though they are entering the latter half of their rebuilding process?

My answer here is “it depends.” If the Wizards are in need of an ice-cold perimeter shooter, than Shabazz is certainly worth the investment. He can pour it on from long range, and should only get better as he refines his attack. However, if they’re looking for a well-rounded player who will contribute at both ends of the floor, Shabazz is not the solution.

Where do you see Muhammad being taken in this year’s draft? Will he eventually renter the top 5 pick discussion, or will his affected image ultimately lower his stock?

Some mock drafts still have Muhammad in the Top 10, and I think that’s where he will end up. It’s possible he could sneak back into the first five, but there are a lot more established names up there as well. It comes down to need. Whichever lottery team most needs a shooter, that’s where Shabazz will probably go. His image issues hurt him, but not enough for him to drop that much. His raw ability is too great to pass up for long.

Shabazz Muhammad was compared to some all-time basketball greats out of High School. Since he was fairly disappointing in his time in UCLA, his comparisons began to falter. In your opinion, which NBA player does Muhammad most resemble?

It may seem crazy to compare an unproven prospect to a future Hall of Famer, but I think Muhammad most resembles Ray Allen. As a Boston Celtics fan, I have some mixed emotions about Allen, but there’s no doubting he is one of the best spot-up shooters in the history of the NBA. Muhammad is obviously not there, but he is at his best in catch-and-shoot situations. Like Allen, Muhammad likes to roam around the three-point line, looking for a little space to make his opponents pay. Shabazz has the clutch gene, and he could become a star with his outside stroke alone.

Is Shabazz Muhammad the type of player the Wizards could potentially form a big three with, along side John Wall and Bradley Beal, or will Muhammad become just another volume shooter in the NBA?

If my last few answers weren’t evidence enough, Shabazz will contribute as a shooter. And based solely on his short UCLA career, that’s about all he brings to the table. He doesn’t have much ability off the dribble, and he hasn’t proven to be a team player yet. However, he is talented and athletic enough to be a bona-fide superstar, and there is definitely “Big Three” potential there. If he finds the right fit with his new team, he could easily become a franchise player within a couple years.

Lastly, give us your final take on Shabazz Muhammad and his future in the NBA.

I’ve spoken to many Bruins fans about their perception of Muhammad, and most say his tenure in Westwood will be forgotten. Though his scoring numbers were insane, UCLA was wildly inconsistent (often losing in ugly fashion) and exited the Big Dance with little more than a whimper. For that reason, he’ll just be another one-and-done in the memories of UCLA fans, even if he goes on to become an All-Star in the NBA. That probably doesn’t mean much to the Wizards fans reading this, but it’s all I can think about as a Bruins blogger. Nonetheless, I still believe Shabazz is going to be a big time player in the NBA. Whether or not that happens immediately remains to be seen, but I think he will develop as time goes on. He has a professional approach to the game, and that showed during his time at UCLA. In my mind, he’s worth the gamble for Washington, especially with John Wall running the point. That could be quite the pairing if the Wizards choose to take him.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

I think it’s quite evident that based on Jeff Poirier’s evaluation of Shabazz Muhammad, he would likely be a good fit in Washington. Although I think the Wizards should still have their eyes set on Georgetown’s Otto Porter, Muhammad will undoubtedly remain a question mark throughout this whole process.

Please give Go Joe Bruin a follow on Twitter. I want to thank Jeff for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Hopefully this helped shed some light on Muhammad and his possible fit with Washington.

This night couldn’t get any better for Washington Wizards fans. After being projected to get the 8th overall pick, the Washington Wizards secured a top 3 pick after the Detroit Pistons ultimately took their spot. Here is the complete order of the NBA Draft Lottery:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Orlando Magic
3. Washington Wizards
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Phoenix Suns
6. New Orleans Pelicans
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
10. Portland Trail Blazers
11. Philadelphia 76ers
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Dallas Mavericks
14. Utah Jazz

Washington will likely use their third overall pick to select Georgetown’s Otto Porter, assuming he’s on the board. If Porter does end up in a Wizards uniform next year, Washington will fill a scoring role, while not losing much on the defensive side of the floor. Washington desperately needs someone who can score the ball, but can also contribute defensively.

Otto Porter is a perfect fit for Washington, since one of their glaring weaknesses is/was at the small forward position. With John Wall and Bradley Beal on the floor, Porter’s job will become a lot easier, since he was viewed as the number one option at Georgetown.

Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel and Kansas’ Ben McLemore are projected to get selected number one and two, respectively.

To sum it up, Washington’s night was a success. Hopefully we won’t have to watch the NBA Draft Lottery next season, for the Wizards’ sake.