SB Nation DC - NBA Draft Lottery 2011: Washington Wizards Get Pick No. 6

2011 NBA Draft Lottery: Washington Wizards Return To Familiar, Unlucky Place

2011-05-18T01:48:11Z

So the Washington Wizards returned to their typical unlucky ways in the 2011 NBA Draft lottery, falling all the way to No. 6, which was practically about the worst they could do. Two teams (Cleveland via the LA Clippers, Utah via the Nets) jumped ahead of them, making you wonder whether a late-season winning streak was pointless.

It's a familiar fate for the Wizards, who have been in the lottery many times, but have only moved up beyond their draft position twice (2001 and 2010). But all is not lost. Despite the gloomy face, this team still has that man, and it's much better to have him and the No. 6 pick than, say, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. A look at some preliminary options below the jump.

Keep the pick

Ernie Grunfeld will have a tough decision to make at No. 6, but not because there aren't some intriguing options. Does he roll the dice on someone like Jan Vesely or Jonas Valanciunas? Does he go for a college guy like Kawhi Leonard or even Kemba Walker? Does he reach on someone like Tristan Thompson? What about Bismack Biyombo, the guy who azzled at the Nike Hoops Summit? It's not an easy decision, but Grunfeld has options.

Trade up

The Wizards have the No. 6, 18 and 34 picks, as well as some other young pieces and cap space to deal into. That may entice one of the top five teams if they cannot get their guy. It's something Grunfeld should consider.

Trade out for a veteran

Always an option, but very much against the Ted Leonsis way.

Trade down

The Wizards have enough young guys, so I don't see this either. Still, the Wizards have options. It'll be OK.

2011 NBA Draft Order: Washington Wizards Pick No. 34 In Second Round

2011-05-18T01:30:33Z

The Washington Wizards will officially have the No. 6, No. 18 and No. 34 picks, according to the 2011 NBA Draft order. The Wizards got unlucky by falling to the No. 6 spot in the NBA Draft lottery, as both the Cavaliers (via the Clippers) and Jazz (via the Nets) leaped in front of him. We posted the first-round order; now here is the second-round order.

31. Miami Heat (from Minnesota Timberwolves)

32. Cleveland Cavaliers

33. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto Raptors)

34. Washington Wizards

35. Sacramento Kings

36. New Jersey Nets

37. Los Angeles Clippers

38. Houston Rockets

39. Charlotte Bobcats

40. Milwaukee Bucks

41. Los Angeles Lakers

42. Indiana Pacers

43. Chicago Bulls

44. Golden State Warriors

45. New Orleans Hornets

46. Los Angeles Lakers

47. Los Angeles Clippers

48. Atlanta Hawks

49. Memphis Grizzlies

50. Philadelphia 76ers

51. Portland Trail Blazers

52. Denver Nuggets

53. Orlando Magic

54. Cleveland Cavaliers

55. Boston Celtics

56. Los Angeles Lakers

57. Dallas Mavericks

58. Los Angeles Lakers

59. San Antonio Spurs

60. Sacramento Kings

2011 NBA Draft Order: Cleveland Cavaliers To Pick First Overall, Washington Wizards Pick Sixth

2011-05-18T00:55:51Z

The 2011 NBA Draft order is now official after the Cleveland won the NBA Draft lottery, giving them the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft. The pick was acquired in a February deal that also gave them Baron Davis. The lottery, held in Secaucus, N.J., determined the top three picks and also settled some second-round tiebreakers. The Washington Wizards will pick sixth overall, one year after winning the draft lottery for the right to select John Wall. The Wizards also have the No. 18 pick by virtue of a February trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

Here is the full draft order.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Los Angeles Clippers)

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

3. Utah Jazz (from New Jersey Nets)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

5. Toronto Raptors

6. Washington Wizards

7. Sacramento Kings

8. Detroit Pistons

9. Charlotte Bobcats

10. Milwaukee Bucks

11. Golden State Warriors

12. Utah Jazz

13. Phoenix Suns

14. Houston Rockets

15. Indiana Pacers

16. Philadelphia 76ers

17. New York Knicks

18. Washington Wizards (from Atlanta Hawks)

19. Charlotte Bobcats (from New Orleans Hornets)

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis Grizzlies)

21. Portland Trail Blazers

22. Denver Nuggets

23. Houston Rockets (from Orlando Magic)

24. Oklahoma City Thunder

25. Boston Celtics

26. Dallas Mavericks

27. New Jersey Nets (from Los Angeles Lakers)

28. Chicago Bulls (from Miami Heat)

29. San Antonio Spurs

30. Chicago Bulls

2011 NBA Draft Order: Wizards Get Pick No. 6

2011-05-18T00:52:16Z

The Washington Wizards have the sixth pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. The draft order was revealed at the 2011 NBA Draft lottery selection show on ESPN. The Wizards dropped two spots from their pre-lottery projected spot of No. 4.

At this spot, the Wizards will be out of the running for the draft's top prospects, Kyrie Irving and more importantly Derrick Williams, who the Wizards reportedly have atop their draft board. Turkish center Enes Kanter is an option, but likely won't be on the board either. It could come down to several foreign big men or a college prospect like San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard.

This is a return to form for the Wizards, who have had an almost unbelievable amount of trouble in the lottery over the years. Washington broke the spell last season, winning the lottery and selecting John Wall. But the franchise point guard couldn't bring that same luck with him, representing the team in Secaucus, N.J. on Tuesday night.

For continuing coverage during the run-up to the NBA Draft, check out SB Nation DC for Wizards nuggets from the latest NBA Mock Drafts, rumor rumblings and news reports. And visit Bullets Forever for even more.

John Wall Isn't Wearing A Yellow Jacket To NBA Draft Lottery After All

2011-05-17T22:36:30Z

That is John Wall, on your right, wearing a lavender pinstriped jacket at the 2011 NBA Draft lottery. Normally, this is not news. However, you may remember how Wall claimed he would wear something else entirely when he was interviewed last week.

"I asked Irene Pollin for the yellow jacket. That's about it," he said. "I'm trying to take it from her."

This yellow jacket, of course, was what Pollin wore last year at the NBA Draft lottery, which ended up being the good-luck charm needed to snag Wall himself. So where's the jacket, John?

He claims he couldn't find one. Via CSN Washington's Chase Hughes.

John Wall: "I couldn't get a yellow jacket," says he brought his mom for good luck.

Riiiight. So John Wall, a professional basketball player that plays in Washington D.C., really couldn't find a yellow jacket? Georgetown's not far away, John. Bringing your mother is a nice touch, but c'mon, you expect me to believe you didn't just decide the yellow jacket thing wouldn't be a good look?

(Photo via Michael Lee)

NBA Draft Lottery 2011: Washington Wizards Not Usually Known For Having Good Luck

2011-05-17T20:57:19Z

The 2011 NBA Draft Lottery is a good reminder: the Wizards didn't land John Wall in the 2010 NBA Draft, John Wall landed on Washington. That's how it had to be, since the Wizards, on their own, have a history of avoiding success in the annual draft lottery.

Last year, Dan Steinberg wrote the definitive history of the Wizards lottery woes. But this year, the level of pre-lottery dread doesn't seem that high in the district. Maybe it's the John Wall effect and fans' short-term memory. Maybe it's the uninspiring draft class.

Whatever it is, SB Nation D.C. is here to remind you how typically terrible the Wizards are in the lottery. When the ping pong balls forsake Washington at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN, don't say we didn't warn you. The gory details after the jump.

The rundown, courtesy of Steinberg:

The franchise has sent John Nash, Irene Pollin, Tom Gugliotta, Chris Webber, Susan O'Malley, Rod Higgins, Juan Dixon, Ernie Grunfeld and Flip Saunders to the NBA set in New Jersey, and it's never worked. They've had their mascot walk all the way to Secaucus in a PR stunt. They've brought the horseshoe of the Kentucky Derby winner. One employee wore a lucky suit on lottery day. Two carried rabbit's feet. A fourth said he wore lucky underwear. A fifth carried a lucky penny. A sixth carried a lucky coin. A seventh wore a dragon's claw and something called "a ying-yang," The Post reported.

Susan O'Malley once led a cheer of "Lucky!" among team employees. (Really.) She also once packed three duffel bags full of lucky charms to bring to the lottery site, including a speeding ticket and a pen. That year, a Brooks Robinson home run bat wasn't allowed on board her plane, while four horseshoes from the Preakness winner never arrived.

And none of it's worked.

Of course, then there was the last time -- pre-Wall -- that the Wizards won the lottery. It was only slightly MORE heartbreaking. That selection yielded all-time draft bust Kwame Brown in 2001. Sorry -- shouldn't have brought it up.

So remember, Wizards fans, the NBA Draft lottery isn't all cupcakes and stud point guards of impeccable pedigree. Nope, usually it's filled with heartbreak and what-could-have-beens. Pine for Derrick Wiliams now, but in the back of your mind, prepare for a big man from Europe that you've never heard of before with a name you can't spell. And don't say we didn't warn you.

#reversejinxreversejinxreversejixreversejinx

2011 NBA Mock Draft Has Wizards Taking Jonas Valanciunas Over Enes Kanter

2011-05-17T16:46:20Z

Draft Express has just released its first 2011 NBA Mock Draft that takes team needs into account, hours before the 2011 NBA Draft lottery. With the fourth pick, Draft Express has the Wizards taking European big man Jonas Valanciunas while passing on Enes Kanter.

Valanciunas is certainly more experienced than Kanter, but there are questions about how his game will translate to the NBA and whether he will be bought out from his European club team for next season. The 19-year old currently plays for Lietuvos Rytas, a Lithuanian club team.

Kanter actually slips all the way to the No. 8 pick, which would be the Cleveland Cavaliers' if the draft order holds. Kyrie Irving is the No. 1 overall pick, while Derrick Williams is second. In a surprise, Draft Express has the Toronto Raptors taking Connecticut's Kemba Walker with the No. 3 overall pick, which is much higher than where many are projecting him to go.

NBA Draft 2011: Washington Wizards Rate Derrick Williams As No. 1 Prospect, According To Report

2011-05-17T16:32:10Z

The Washington Wizards will know exactly what pick they will get in the 2011 NBA Draft after Tuesday night's NBA Draft lottery, but already, the debate has begun over which player tops their draft board. Duke's Kyrie Irving is likely not that guy because of the presence of John Wall, so who is it?

On Monday, ESPN's Chad Ford speculated that it might actually be Kentucky recruit Enes Kanter. However, Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick reports that it's actually Arizona's Derrick Williams.

And as for the notion of the Wiz possibly taking Kanter No. 1 if they got the pick, I'm told they have Williams atop their board.

Also, Amick reports that if the Wizards took Kanter, it would mean one of their big men would be traded, likely Andray Blatche or JaVale McGee.

If they took Kanter, they would likely have also involved a major trade of a frontcourt member.

This is all a guessing game at this point, because there is so much time left until the actual draft, but it's interesting nonetheless.