The Washington Wizards have the number three pick in the upcoming NBA draft and while many feel that the third spot is one of the toughest to select from, the team may be in a good position, as they could deal out of the number three pick to get some veterans to play alongside John Wall.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team likes highly touted prospect Victor Oladipo, but since he declined to work out for the team in his hometown, the Wizards could consider trading the pick to someone that is looking to deal into the top five and rumors say the Lakers, Thunder and Suns may be one of those teams. Oladipo is from the area, but after having a complicated relationship with his father, he may not want to play in the city.
Oladipo is training in Maryland for the draft and while the Wizards did want to see him and have him workout, Oladipo said no. He did not say no to the Suns, who had him in for a session and he also worked out for the Orlando Magic and is planning on doing so for the Cavaliers as well. He may very well get selected at number one to Cleveland and he also could go number two to the Orlando Magic, who have said they like him as a player. The Suns have the number five pick and they appear to be willing to grab him as well.
Oladipo averaged 11.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in high school and took those skills to Indiana, where he helped the team get a number one seed and make a nice run in the NCAA tournament. Although they lost, they were good enough that President Obama picked them to the championship and so did many others. The Wizards may decide to trade the pick whether they want Oladipo or not, as they feel they have talent with Wall and Bradley Beal and may try to make a push for one of the bottom postseason spots next season. The team may also look at Georgetown star Otto Porter and if they miss out on those guys, UNLV star Anthony Bennett has been rumored as an option.
The Wizards have been in a rough patch for years and went 29-53 last season while coming in third in the Southeast. The team had issues scoring and were ranked 28th, but their defense has been solid, ranking eighth in the league and that is something the team will try to build on next season no matter who they draft.
