3 prospects for the Washington Wizards to target in the NBA draft
With the NBA Draft less than a month away, the Washington Wizards are slated to be making their draft selection eighth overall. With numerous gaps in the roster and questions regarding free agency, there is a wide number of possibilities for them in that position.
The Draft Lottery was heartbreaking for those who know how it works, and for those who don’t I’ll fill you in. There are 14 ping pong balls each assigned a number, four of which are pulled from a machine that guarantees completely random outcomes. There are 1,001 possible outcomes and the Wizards win the top pick in roughly 6.7% of those outcomes.
Following the first three numbers drawn, there were only 11 possibilities left and the Wizards owned six of those possible combinations. Something that is not thrilling to read about knowing that the likely top pick is the most hyped-up prospect since LeBron James.
The Wizards will need to move on from this heartbreak fast in order to decide on their favorite players available in the draft. To do so, they should take a look at areas where they have struggled in recent years and how they feel free agency may go.
Point guard play, or the lack thereof, has plagued the Wizards since John Wall tore his ACL. This was only partially fixed by a midseason resurgence of Russell Westbrook in the 2019-’20 season and has been a major issue since.
Finding a player who can distribute the ball at an elite level while also not being a complete minus in the scoring department would be a huge boost to the offense. It would also be nice to have some quality defense in this position as well.
The Wizards may also need a wing scoring threat should Kyle Kuzma walk in free agency. With his impending player option and the high likelihood of signing with a team more likely to make a playoff push, the Wizards could look to replace Kuzma before he makes his decision.
A backup center would also be nice, but that issue would be much easier to solve in free agency.
With all that out of the way, let’s dive into the three players I would highlight as the best options for the Washington Wizards to select with their eighth pick.
Anthony Black is the perfect fit for the Washington Wizards at eight
For those who have read my work before, I have covered Anthony Black as a name to watch for the Wizards a few times now. He seems like the ideal player when it comes to fit with the current roster.
The six foot seven point guard is this draft class’s premier playmaker. He has an elite first step and knows how to use his larger frame to force the defense into relenting a good look. His defense is also incredibly advanced for a player his age.
He has most often been compared to Josh Giddey due to his size and playmaking ability, but some fans have even compared him to other players who entered the league as non-shooting point guards like DeAaron Fox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Both of those players have much of the same skills around the rim and the same first step that Black has, although Fox is much quicker.