Everything You Need to Know For the NBA Draft Lottery
By Ethan Smith
Will This Affect the GM Search?
Almost definitely. The Wizards job could either be a lot more or a lot less desirable after tonight.
If the rumors swirling around Tim Connelly as the heir apparent for the front office vacancy in DC are true, then the lottery tonight could play a huge role in whether or not he ends up moving out of Denver.
Connelly, the current president of basketball operations for the Denver Nuggets, is fresh off a disappointing playoff loss to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Despite an expertly constructed and incredibly young roster (thanks to Connelly) plus the West’s second-best record, the Nuggets couldn’t get out of the second round. Having the number one, two, or three picks in this year’s draft could help sway Connelly from any unfinished business he has in the mile-high city and get him to start building something new in Washington. Landing Zion would surely make the Wizards opening into the most desirable opportunity in the NBA.
It’s been reported that Connelly, a D.C. native and who began his career as a Wizards intern, considers the Wizards opening a dream job, but would prefer not to interview for it. Also, it’d take at least a doubling of his newly signed $2 million extensions. A top pick could make that line a bit more negotiable. The further from the top it is, the more appealing things seem at home in Denver.
For what it’s worth, there’s been nothing new to the Connelly rumors since the Nuggets were eliminated from the playoffs.