By Guest Blogger Geoff Nelowet:

Andray Blatche Should Be Traded:

There was a point last season when I was ecstatic about Blatche’s progression as a long and dynamic power forward who could kill a team in a multitude of ways. Blatche was putting up something like 22 and 9 over the last 30 games or so of last season, and he looked like a major part of the Wizards’ future.

Well, things have changed this season, and Blatche has become a black hole on offense with his horrendous shot selection, and coupled with his lazy, indifferent collective attempt at playing defense, he has undoubtedly become the archetype for a “stats guy”. People like to gawk at his size and skills, and when they see he’s only 24, they peg him as a future star. These would be shrewd observations, but when taking into account just how effortless Blatche’s play really is, it’s evident that he’ll never be more than an inefficient jump-shooting seven-footer who has an aptitude for avoiding contact on defense. I think the Wizards should trade him before the deadline. He hold some value and he currently has decent numbers (16 and 8), and I think a contender along the lines of the Oklahoma City Thunder might consider him a good option off the bench.

The Wizards Need To Be Careful With Nick Young:

Nick Young is having a career year averaging nearly 17 points per game, and this is not discounting his time on the bench behind Arenas. Young has essentially been scoring well over 20 a game since he’s taken over as a starter, and all signs point to a pretty big payday – whether it’s justified or not – come this off season.

My fear is that the Wizards will overpay as they historically have done. Obviously, the Wizards are operating under new ownership, but the Gilbert Arenas contract still burns, and Antawn Jamison’s contract was clearly a mistake considering his age and his value to his team. Young is looking like an efficient scorer – but not much more than that. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding Young because of his age and the perceived potential that he ostensibly hasn’t unleashed, but the reality is that he’ll never be more than a good scorer in the NBA, and the last time I checked, guys that can put up 20 a night aren’t that uncommon in this league. I see Nick Young in the J.R. Smith vein, and that doesn’t amount to more than a very good role player. I think they should let Nick Young walk. They’ll likely have to overpay for a guy whose stock couldn’t be higher right now.

John Wall Looks Good, But Has Work To Do:

Wall has been mostly impressive in his rookie season thus far averaging 15 points and 9 assists. I believe his assist numbers, assuming he’ll keep them up, will be the highest for a rookie since Mark Jackson’s 10.5 in 1987-88. Aside from that, Wall has been shooting poorly of late, and he hasn’t had much success with his jump shot.

There have been countless comparisons between him and Derrick Rose, and I think at this point, Wall is actually farther along. Rose is having an MVP-caliber season, but prior to this year, he had a number of issues with his game. Mainly, he wasn’t getting to the free throw line nearly enough to be considered an elite point guard, and what made things worse was that his jump shot was slightly worse than Wall’s is now. Rose’s free throw numbers have gone from 3.1 attempts per game, to 4.3 in year two, to now 6.2 thus far this season. On top of that, his three point percentage has gone from 26% last year to 37% this year. Both his free throws and jump shooting have drastically improved.

Wall, on the other hand, is putting up better overall numbers than Rose did his rookie year. He’s shooting 30% from three, and he’s averaging 4.8 free throw attempts per game. More importantly, he’s averaging three more assists each night than Rose did during his rookie campaign (6). The fact remains that if Wall puts the work in, he’ll be at least the player Rose is today, and in my opinion, he has a higher ceiling as he’s a better passer.

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak contributing Writer John Manuel

Back from a trip to Vegas and ready to drop some knowledge on the current world of sports. When I last commented on the NFL the Cowboys were a relevant team. Not anymore, coach is gone, the celebrity QB can take a long trip to Mexico and not get criticized and Jerry Jones is faced with having to bring a top of the line coach in and give up some say on the direction of the team. Trust me I am not sad they suck. I enjoyed my Sunday a couple weeks back of watching David Garrard look like Joe Montana. Although I wouldn’t have predicted them to win the Super Bowl I am shocked how bad the defense has played recently. This week could get ugly against the rolling NY Giants. Dallas would struggle with the Little Giants based upon the past few weeks.

I did just return from my second Vegas trip in a month. Unfortunately it was for work both times but I spent a few minutes in the sports book. Last spring I was able to grab the Ravens winning the Super Bowl at 18-1 a week after trading for Anquan Boldin. That is very much in play but this time I went another route. I couldn’t resist dropping a small amount of cash on the 40-1 San Diego Chargers. At 3-5 when I made the bet I knew it was a long shot but you never know. They always play horrible the first two months, then run off like eight in a row and win the division. Winning the division means at least one home playoff game. And with the tough AFC teams beating on one another, who knows, maybe the year the Chargers aren’t supposed to go, they do. This scenario happened with the Colts the year they beat the Bears. Phillip Rivers is a beast. Just look who he is throwing to. Robin Williams’ character from the “Best of Times” caught 6 for 98 last week from Rivers I think. Vincent Jackson will be back for the stretch also don’t forget.

Side note. I actually have a friend who thinks Derrick Brooks had a better career and is a better player than Ray Lewis. I thought I would add this in because it makes me laugh every time.

On a second side note, there is nothing worse than getting an awful fantasy football trade offer. The excitement of an email saying you have a trade offer and then the disappointment of being offered Seattle Seahawks defense for Ladanian Tomlinson. Then it gets better when the person tries to fool you by adding, “LT is going to have no legs by Week 13.” Or when someone just thinks because I am a Redskin fan I would give up Andre Johnson for Santana Moss. In my league, we call these offers “Matzies” after one of the league owners.

When the Yankees officially sign Cliff Lee I think I am done with Major League Baseball. This is getting old just like the Yankees are. I hope he gets some crazy amount of money, as does Jeter and in 5 years maybe I will come back to being fan when they have to deal with a bunch of guys in their late 30s or 40s making ridiculous contracts. Although I did say the same thing a couple years ago when New York said they weren’t players on Mark Teixeira giving National and Orioles fans hope. Then at the last second crushed theirs and the Red Sox and Angels offers. Thank you again Texas Rangers for beating them.

When Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring Saturday with Antonio Margarito I think of another boxer first, Miguel Cotto. Not that he lost to Pacman but because how he probably was screwed over in his loss to Margarito. They should have thrown out that loss once it was found Margarito had illegal substances in his gloves when he lost to Shane Mosley. And Margarito shouldn’t have the chance to fight in the US after I watched that HBO special where “Irish” Billy Collins back in the 80s life went downhill after suffering a similar loss by cheating. To get cleared to fight in the US Margarito should have had to go first through the gauntlet of Cain Velasquez, Alton from the Real World/ Road Rules Challenges, The Great Khali, Clubber Lang, and Charlie Sheen at his craziest.

And how good is John Wall? A triple double in his fifth career game. Thank god the Wiz won the lottery because this would be maybe the worst team to watch in recent history of any sports. Even worse than Norv’s first Skins team of John Friesz, Ethan Horton and well I am trying to forget those teams. Wall leads the NBA in turnovers but who really cares? Watching him go baseline to baseline after a defensive rebound is sick. Gilbert Arenas even has to be impressed if he has time watch in between dropping number twos in Andray Blache’s shoes.

And finally there will be a Memorial Service for my friend Josh Matz’s Fantasy Football Team after this weekends play you can check it out at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=105850812817526

Giants Take A 2-0 Lead In The Series:  Wow… I thought this would be a close series, both in the box score and going down to a 6th or 7th game, but so far it has been anything but. The Giants have taken advantage of their home field, winning both of the first two games. Not only did the Giants win the games, but they are simply blowing out the Rangers. The Giants have a 20-7 run advantage in two games, and have had no issues against Cliff Lee, and the Rangers bullpen. The Giants did only manage 2 runs against C.J. Wilson last night, before he left with a blister, but that is two more runs than what the Rangers put up against Matt Cain. Cain pitched brilliantly last night, absolutely shutting down the Rangers mighty offense. Texas is supposed to have one of the best lineups in baseball, but they went quietly into the night yesterday. This series is far from over yet, but the Rangers need to turn it around if they want a chance. They should fair better at home, where they can have their DH back, but the Giants have the momentum now.

Wizards Hit A ‘Wall’: It was an ugly game on all counts (unless you are a Magic fan), as the Wizards and their rookie John Wall, got embarrassed in their 2010-2011 season debut. The Magic beat Washington by 29 points, and showed Washington that they are still a bit aways from playing with the big boys in the East. Now the Wizards are a young team so you expect growing pains, but OUCH did that hurt. Their young forwards and centers, did nothing as Al Thornton, Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Yi Jianlian, Hilton Armstrong, and rookies Trevor Booker and Hamady Ndiaye combined for just 35 points (or one point less than what Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis combined for). With no inside help, it fell on Wall and the rest of the guards to keep the game close. While the Wizards got solid performances from Wall, Kirk Hinrich and backup Cartier Martin, they couldn’t match up with the Magic’s talent or defense.

It’s a long season so I wouldn’t write off Wall or the Wizards just yet, but I’m not sure if Washington has the inside game to go along with their perimeter play. Washington will need a couple of their big men to step up this season if they hope to win more than 25-30 games. Not only do they need to step up from an offensive stand point, but they need to play better defense as well. The Wizards were basically a non-factor in the paint last night, and that needs to change if they want to compete (not contend, but compete). Washington was without Gilbert Arenas last night, so that could be part of the blame, but at the same time Arenas has a history of injuries so you had to know you weren’t going to get 82 games out of him. Also, lets be honest if the Wizards have their way Arenas will be traded by the time this season is out. Arenas or no Arenas, this team needs to step up to give Wall support, as he can’t be shooting the ball as much as he did last night. Wall had 10 more shots than the next highest shooter, and that simply can’t happen if the Wizards want to win.

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Dan Bronstein

This upcoming NBA season, I believe the Washington Wizards are going to be one of the most underrated teams. It is no wonder since the team won just 26 games last season and traded away some of its most productive players such as Caron Butler, Antwan Jamison, and Brendan Haywood. This year the Eastern Conference might be stacked, but I still believe the Wizards will be a top ten team in the NBA.

Having the number one overall pick in this year’s draft didn’t hurt the Wizard’s chances of being a top 5 team in the East. John Wall has been a beast so far in summer league, training camp, and in preseason averaging over 15 points and about 8 assists per game. His blazing speed could already make him the fastest player in the NBA as shown by his ability to run the floor past defenses especially on the fast break. He may have learned that quickness growing up with his good friend Brandon Banks who is the electric kick return man for the Washington Redskins. His defense isn’t too bad either. If you have watched him at all this preseason, you would know that he has caused turnovers on opposing offenses not just with steals, but also with his defensive awareness and ability to pressure the ball. Let us also not forget that he is only 20 years old and with each game he is only going to get better.

By now you are probably wondering how this rookie is going to carry a Washington Wizards team that lost 56 games last year all by himself. The answer is he’s not, well at least at first. There are going to be times when Wall drives to the hoop so fast that big men are not going to know what hit them. There are also going to be times when he drives to the basket and will have no easy shot, so who will he dish it out to for the open jumper? Well let’s take your pick.

There is last year’s break out player in Andray Blatche, who averaged just over 22 points per game after last season’s all-star break and whom I think is one of the best mid-range shooting big men in the game. The newly acquired 7 foot tall Yi Jianlian from China has an unbelievably nice shot for his size and has the potential to hit that open jumper 95% of the time. The 7 ft. 1 in. athletic center JaVale McGee will always be looking for the open alley-oop from Wall, just as they have done countless times in summer league and preseason. McGee at just 22 years old already had a run with team USA this summer proving he has upside and I am sure he will rack up a huge amount of blocks this season.

Besides the Wizards big men, let us not forget about the other guys. The addition of Kirk Hinrich will help to give Wall a rest at point guard, but when they are on the floor at the same time, Kirk will almost always hit that open jumper like he did in Chicago. Hinrich is also one of the only point guards to make the NBA all-defensive team in the past 5 years besides Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, and Jason Kidd. Then there is the 16th overall pick from the 2007 draft, Nick Young who has shown flashes of potential over the years for the Wizards. When Nick gets hot, he lights it up on the court with his standout shooting ability. John Wall will also have the always consistent small forward in Al Thornton who averaged about 17 points per game for the Clippers the season before he joined the Wizards. Al has seen his FG% rise in all three of his professional seasons and I still think he is a tremendous player even at age 26. Once former all-star Josh Howard recovers from injury which is coming along smoother than predicted, he will provide enough veteran leadership at that small forward position to help Wall take the Wizards to the playoffs just like he did for the Mavs.

I forgot to mention one crucial element of this revamped Wizards team. Gilbert Arenas is back and with a vengeance. He has paid his dues and now he is serious in getting the Wizards back on the right track. Gil understands this is Wall’s team now and only wants to play his part in helping Wall become a better player while also helping his team be a playoff contender. Agent Zero will play the shooting guard position and we all know how well Gilbert can knock down a three as long as Wall provides for the open shot. Arenas is pretty much healthy as he has had a lot of time to rest his knee and has put the past into the past. Although Gilbert probably won’t be able to drive to the lane as much as he once did, the bottom line is that this season he won’t need to thanks to Wall. Gil is going to be so open this season that he will have to take out his old hibachi grill and be hot almost every game. True Wizards fans know what I am talking about and remember when the former all-star hit numerous game winners for Washington or when he had 60 points during a game against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2006. Gil is no longer wearing the number zero, but I am sure he will reinvent himself and help lead the Wizards back to the playoffs.

My Eastern Conference Season Predictions By Ranking:

1. Boston Celtics
2. Miami Heat
3. Orlando Magic
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Washington Wizards
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. New York Knicks
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. Philadelphia 76ers
11. Indiana Pacers
12. New Jersey Nets
13. Detroit Pistons
14. Toronto Raptors
15. Cleveland Cavaliers

First let me say I love John Wall and think he will become a major star, so the Wizards did well there. But that was a no brainer pick that anyone on the planet could have made, so I’m not going to give them major credit for drafting John Wall. I also am a Kirk Hinrich and a Yi Jianlian fan so I give them some credit there. Yi and $3 million for Quinton Ross is a huge steal. Yi can play a little SF and even C, but will mainly be playing PF. His versatility alone makes him worth the extra $3 million against the cap. Not to mention he is a superior player and has larger upside. What I’m really grading them on here is the rest of their draft day strategy which I think was a resounding failure.

First off I was excited for the Kirk Hinrich trade that brought cash (reportedly $3 million) and the 17th overall pick to the Wizards for some future, conditional 2nd round draft pick. That is easily a steal. Hinrich has a bit of a costly deal, especially if he isn’t getting 30 minutes a night, but he can play both guard spots and isn’t a selfish player. Washington would need to bring in a veteran guard, preferably a combo guard given Arenas injury history, and considering that it was a weak point guard year in free agency the Wizards made the right move. Although Hinrich is pricey you got to figure they would have been paying $5-7 million for any free agent signing, and have to sign them to a 4-5 year deal. Hinrich is done after two years, so in the long run the Wizards saved money. He is a solid mentor for John Wall, and considering the amount of resources they put into the guard positions last year, Hinrich’s deal isn’t that bad. On top of that the Wizards get a bit of cash and the 17th overall pick which contrary to what many NBA insiders believe has a lot of value.

So while Chicago would be making the pick, the Wizards would have three picks between 17 and 35, which is perfect since there is still a good bit of talent available in that area. And if there was one thing the Wizards needed it was talent, particularly in the front court. At the start of the day the Wizards had 6 players on their roster of those two were guards Arenas and Nick Young, two were Small Forwards Al Thornton and Quinton Ross, and two were big men Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee. With the Chicago deal and knowing that you were grabbing Wall your back court was pretty much set. And Nick Young can possibly get some minutes as a SF (not ideal, but possible), so the big need for the Wizards was big men, particularly ones who could play center since McGee is your weakest link.

So when the 17th pick comes up it would make sense the Wizards would grab a big man, even if they have to reach a little bit. Well they didn’t disappoint, they grabbed a big man alright and reached quite a bit to do so. Washington selected Kevin Seraphin from France. While every draft pundit talks about his upside, they also talk about how raw he is. While time will tell when he will come over and play in the NBA, many insiders believe he is at least 1 if not 2 years away from playing with the Wizards. Now stashing foreign players can have a lot of value, but not when you only have 8 guys (and that includes Wall and Hinrich) on the roster, and zero front court depth. The Wizards shouldn’t have been so focused on Seraphin’s upside, as they should have roster need. If they wanted an ‘upside’ player they could have taken center Daniel Orton, at least he fills a bigger need, and could give them minutes this upcoming season.

Washington compounded their problem by trading their 30th and 35th picks for the 23rd and 56th to move up to draft PF Trevor Booker and grab center Hamady N’diaye with the 56th pick. While I am a big fan of Booker, because I love his work ethic and passion, I don’t know if anyone else was going to grab him before the 30th pick. And while it would have been a bigger reach I would have rather seen the Wizards take him at 17 overall than trade the 30th and 35th picks to move up for him. N’diaye is in all likely hood a D-league player, and truly might never develop into anything more. So there is absolutely no value from that pick. Had they grabbed Booker at 17, the Wizards could have then taken either Hassan Whiteside or Dexter Pittman (both centers) at 30, and either Darington Hobson, Devin Ebanks, or De’Sean Butler (SF’s) or Jarvis Varnado, Jerome Jordan, Gani Lawal, Keith Gallon, or Soloman Alabi (all big men) at 35. Any way you cut it that is a much better draft and roster going forward, sure Seraphin could end up being an All-Star caliber player, but so could any of the guys I just mentioned. And they can all play (and fill a need) this year for a team still without any depth at center.

What is also frustrating about the whole Trevor Booker draft trade is that the Wizards had an extra $3 million in their pocket from the Hinrich deal. $3 million is the max amount a team can trade in a single deal, and is the going rate for late 1st round picks. Given the fact that Minnesota had multiple picks they might have been interested in selling the pick outright, and if not we know for a fact that Dallas bought 25th pick for $3 million dollars. Does anyone really believe that Booker would be off the board by then? Washington should have just bought the 23rd or 25th pick for $3 million and maybe a future 2nd rounder. While I realize the Wizards aren’t made of infinite resources, trading the $3 million for a pick is well worth the price. Particularly when you have an empty roster, and major needs. A draft pick in the early 20′s is going to be guaranteed only roughly $2.5 million over two years, and then the team will have a couple option years and restricted free agency. That is a ton of value and well worth the extra $3 million dollars. That would have meant that for some conditional 2nd round pick (and sacrificing cap space) the Wizards would have gotten Hinrich, Seraphin (or a better player) and Booker. That would have been a huge steal. Instead now that money just offsets part of Hinrich’s deal (though it doesn’t change his cap number). And instead of having a good young player under team control (which makes him a highly tradeable asset), cheaply the Wizards will have to go out and sign a free agent. If they want anything more than a warm body (which given their team, they will need to find) they will have to be paying $3-4 million a year over 4 years to a player who might not be any better than what they would have acquired with their picks. Because remember if they had just bought Booker, they would still have the 30th and 35th picks, which combined wouldn’t eat up as much cap space as some middling free agent that the Wizards had to overpay.

What’s even worse for Washington is the fact that the 31st, 44th and 50th picks were all basically sold, and at each spot a center was taken. Washington could have bought their way out of their biggest need, and even if the Jerome Jordan’s or Solomon Alabi’s don’t work out at, they are at least worth trying. Because if they do become just even effective backups they are absolute steals for the middle of the 2nd round. I think the Wizards missed a huge opportunity to grab some young players to cheaply fill out their roster and needs, to help give them financial flexibility and trade value going forward. While I love getting Hinrich, Wall and Booker, the Wizards could have done so much more and didn’t maximize thier assets (especially since they got another $3 million in the Yi trade). Had they used that $6 million to add some more assets aka players (maybe even a Euro guy in the 2nd round) I would have loved their draft day and offseason. Instead for now that $6 million is just sitting in Washington’s bank account, and to make it even worse they will have to pay even more than that to fill out their roster. Washington did well to get extra value for their cap space in the Hinrich and Yi deals, but they could have done a lot better. Right now I give them a C-, which I think is pretty generous.

1. John Wall- Despite being just a freshman Wall is a polished point guard, and one that should be able to start from the season’s opening tip. He is long and athletic, and shows all the tools to be a lockdown defender in the NBA. Wall is exceptionally quick and can create his own shot as well as work to get open without the ball. His ball handling is good at best and his court vision and anticipation need work for the NBA. Wall also lacks a great 3-point shot, but with a little time should develop into a better perimeter threat.

2. Avery Bradley- Bradley is considered by most as more of a combo guard, and does lack true point guard skills, but should be a very good starter in the right system. He is exceptionally quick and one of the best defenders in this draft class. Bradley hasn’t always been the best passer or ball handler, but he does an adequate enough job. Bradley’s offensive game is still emerging, but the sky is the limit for him. He is explosive to the basket and will be an offensive weapon at the next level. Bradley may be overlooked as too much of a tweener, but I think he will end up being a top notch pro.

3. Eric Bledsoe- Bledsoe did a great job at Kentucky backing up/playing next to John Wall. Their skills complimented one another and for teams looking for a defensive/pass first point guard Bledsoe is their man. He was no better than the 4th scoring option in college, but still averaged over 11 points a game. He still needs to work on having a more consistent outside shot, as well as creating his own opportunities, but should be a solid 3rd scoring option in the NBA. While Bledsoe is a pass first point guard, he will at times play out of control and commit too many stupid turnovers. That should improve with time, but it may keep him from starting much in year one.

4. Willie Warren- Warren is an offensive first point guard, who has yet to become a complete player. While some scouts soured on him this year, he did a great job managing this team without Blake Griffin in the lineup. Warren gets labeled as a combo guard, but he does a good job of running the offense. He never had much in the way to work with outside of Griffin, and he seemed to press to much this year. One thing that shows how important he was to the team is the fact that they only won 2 games without him in the lineup. Warren has 3-point skills and is a solid passer. He still needs to become a well rounded player and learn to defend the position, but he has the tools to do so.

5. Armon Johnson- Johnson is a point guard, but he really lacks point guard skills. He doesn’t have a consistent jump shot and lacks 3-point range completely. He isn’t a great floor general, and not much of a passer. He does use his explosiveness and quickness to get by defenders and get to the rim. He does need to learn when to pass out of that situation when the defense collapses around him. While most of the traditional tools aren’t there, Johnson has all the physical tools and athleticism to play the position and become a top notch defender. I doubt he will ever be more than backup PG and spark plug off the bench, but he could have a solid NBA career.

By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Geoff Nelowet

1. Washington Wizards–John Wall

This looks like an obvious pick for the Wizards, but there lies a major issue with Gilbert Arenas on board. Arenas will have to be told upfront that he is no longer the center of the franchise, and he is obligated to play the position his coaches want him to play – and that position may be shooting guard. If Flip Saunders can somehow manage to get Wall and Arenas playing together harmoniously, the Wizards could have a bright future ahead.

2. Philadelphia 76ers–Evan Turner

Turner looks like the second best prospect in the draft. What remains to be seen is if Philadelphia feels the same way. Turner would bring size and versatility to the backcourt, but is he a franchise-changing player? He looks like a sure-fire prospect, but he does not have as high a ceiling as Wall or others.

3. New Jersey  Nets–Derrick Favors

Again, Favors is the best player available and he does not play center or point guard, which are positions occupied by Brook Lopez and Devin Harris. Wesley Johnson could also be a strong possibility in this slot.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves–Wesley Johnson

There is little chance the Timberwolves will select DeMarcus Cousins here considering that Al Jefferson and Kevin Love are already jockeying over the starting Center and Power Forward spots. Cousins would only complicate things as he would be yet another tweener-center/power forward added to the mix.

Johnson is a long and athletic small forward, and he also has a fairly polished game with a nice looking jumper. The Timberwolves are putting together a nice young nucleus with Jefferson, Love, Flynn, Johnson and Ricky Rubio’s rights.

5. Sacramento Kings DeMarcus Cousins

This is a no-brainer. Cousins and Tyreke Evans will officially become the core of the Kings’ franchise for the next five-plus years. Cousins is an athletic and powerful center/power forward and he has great size and length. His stock is greatly hurt because of his off-court issues, which makes Cousins a bit of a steal at number five.

6. Golden State Warriors Greg Monroe

I think it would be typical of Golden State to take Monroe, as he is an excellent offensive player. Monroe has demonstrating a natural passing ability that is a rarity amongst big men. He also has great range on his jump shot for a center, and he is a good rebounder. He may also pan out to be a solid defender. It looks like a win-win for Golden State as they will be able to take a player that entices them with his versatility on offense while also potentially shoring up some of the defensive issues they have had.

7. Detroit Pistons– Al-Farouq Aminu

This is the perfect pick for a franchise that is headed in no particular direction. Aminu is a great overall athlete with an unpolished game. He has an improved inside game and he is great in transition. He is also a good rebounder and defender. He does not have a great offensive skill set, but as a small forward, he is very versatile. His versatility would be a great addition to the Pistons because there is no telling what kind of player they will require him to be a few years down the line.

8. LA Clippers            Patrick Patterson

Patterson is a fairly polished forward, and he could be a good fit along side a healthy Blake Griffin. Patterson has a nice inside-outside game, and he has a solid NBA frame to work with at 6-9, 240.

9. Utah            Jazz Hassan Whiteside

Utah needs to get bigger and more physical. Utah simply cannot hang with the stronger teams in the West, so it may be wise to find a future solution to potentially losing Carlos Boozer and having a softer center in Mehmet Okur.

10. Indiana Pacers–Xavier Henry

Henry would fill a need for the Pacers, which is backcourt scoring, but I don’t see Henry as an elite athlete. Henry has a great jump shot though, so he will at least have a chance to stay in the NBA for a while.

11. New Orleans Hornets–Cole Aldrich

New Orleans has a lot of finesse on their team outside of Emeka Okefor. Aldrich could be a nice change of pace off the bench.

12. Memphis Grizzlies–Ed Davis

Davis has fallen down the draft ladder a bit. Weeks ago he was slated as a top-five pick. Davis is a good athlete, but he isn’t strong enough to play with NBA big men. He can improve on this, but it is still a question mark.

13. Toronto Raptors–Donatas Motiejunas

Toronto loves foreign players. It looks like a fit.

14. Houston Rockets–Avery Bradley

Houston could use more scoring to go along with Aaron Brooks. Bradley is a great shooter and scorer and could be the answer.

Luck, at least the good kind, isn’t something you usually associate with the Washington Wizards. But that could all change after they won the top pick in last night’s NBA Draft Lottery. The Wizards moved up from the 5th pick in the draft to nab the top overall pick. This will be their first number one overall pick since 2001 when they selected Kwame Brown (oops). The Wizards will now get the pick of the litter as they try to rebuild from a disappointing year last season. One that saw their best player under house arrest, and the rest of the stars traded away for spare parts and salary relief.

The Wizards will look to put the 2009-2010 season in the past, by drafting a new superstar player. While there are a few choices for the Wizards to pick from, their selection has to be PG John Wall. A strong case could be made for either SG/SF Evan Turner or PF/C DeMarcus Cousins as they both have the star potential as well, but Wall has to be the selection. When it comes to the NBA, point guards and centers are the most important positions on the floor.

Sure plenty of stars like LeBron, Wade and Kobe thrive as 2′s and 3′s, but the ultimate success of a team will come down to their PG and C play. So while Evan Turner is a great player, and could be the next Wade (probably a bit too high of an expectation) you can’t take him unless you already are set at point guard. Now some might point to Gilbert Arenas (whose legal troubles appear to be over) as the team’s starting point guard, but Arenas is more than capable of playing the 2 guard role and leaving the point guard position to Wall.

As for Cousins, while I would rank him as the player with the most star potential and talent in this draft, he is also the furthest from reaching that level. Unlike point guards (or even SGs and SFs) power forwards and centers usually need some development time upon reaching the NBA. Usually these players just relied on being the biggest/strongest player on the court in college, and were able to dominate. They don’t have that advantage in the NBA and that is why it will take years sometimes for them to develop into a starting caliber player (if they develop at all). While there are definitely exceptions to the rule, they are few and far between. What makes things worse for Cousins is there are some serious character/mental toughness issues with him, which is also the same profile as many of the failed big men over the last 10 years. Cousins has immense talent, but would seem to check out of games at times for Kentucky. Also, he didn’t do a great job of controlling his frustration when he faced off against other physical big men. While I personally have loved Cousins this season and think he is a fantastic prospect, the unknown is too great to select him over a point guard like Wall.

John Wall is not without his flaws. As a freshman (like Cousins) he made his share of mistakes, but the athleticism and talent are definitely there. Wall is a very long point guard with a large wing-span that is reminiscent of Arenas or say Derrick Rose. Wall isn’t a completely refined player, and will need to work on his assist/turnover ratio. He will also need to be more aggressive rebounding in the NBA. Wall’s three point shot isn’t NBA perfected yet either, and will be a work in progress. So why is he the sure-fire top pick? Because Wall is so young and talented. He might not be a great passer yet, but he is already a very good one. He also uses his long arms and quickness to get steals and has the potential to be a lock down defender. Wall can create his own shot, but he is also good at creating space when he doesn’t have the ball.

Wall and Arenas have the potential to form one of the best back court duos the NBA has seen in a long time. If they can figure it out, they can pull the Wizards out of the rut they are in and finally make them a championship caliber team.

For a team that has been as bad as the Nets this season, its hard to believe that they could have finally reached a new low, but I guess when you (don’t) try hard enough anything is possible. The Nets could very well end up with the worst record in NBA history, and if they reach that ‘milestone’ it will be due to their play this last week. Last Wednesday the Nets managed their 4th win of the season, beating the Clippers 103-87, and had three games remaining on their homestand. Those three games were against the three other worst teams in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards, 76ers, and Pistons. At home the Nets should have been able to win at least one of those games, if not more, but instead they got swept by the bottom of the East.

To make matters even worse (if possible), basketball guru and Nets assistant coach Del Harris is leaving the team. The loss of Harris doesn’t exactly bode well for the Nets win total to reach double digits this season. Whether he was forced to resign or couldn’t take being part of such a bad team, it is a fairly ominous sign for New Jersey.

The saddest part about this team is they are not without talent. Brook Lopez is emerging as one of the better young centers in the game, and should be the building block for the Nets. Power forward Yi Jianlian, has made some strides this season to realize his immense potential (though he still disappears far too often). Point guard Devin Harris would be capable of starting for many teams in the NBA. In addition, the Nets have some intriguing 2nd year players like Chris Douglas-Roberts and Courtney Lee, who should become solid role players. The real problem is that the Nets young players like Lopez, Jianlian, Douglas-Roberts, Lee and first round pick Terrance Williams should all be developing given the amount of playing time is available on the rebuilding Nets. But only Lopez is really establishing himself. Now not all of these players are going to be stars or even significant contributors, but they should all be producing more than they are.

Now the Nets and their fans (the few that are left), can hope and pray for winning the John Wall lottery (which could then make Devin Harris quality trade bait), but I wouldn’t count on it. Yes they will have the best odds of any one team 25%, (though someone should tell the Nets they could win a few more games and still have the same odds), but the other 13 lottery teams have a combined 75% chance of winning the lottery. Given the way this year has turned out for the Nets, I think the odds are against the Nets for getting Wall, and really with 30+ games remaining maybe the Nets should focus on this season rather than next year’s draft.

Since the top 14 picks are determined by a Lottery system, the NBA Draft is hard to mock. Nonetheless we will give it a try, and use the current standings to determine draft order.

1. New Jersey Nets- PG John Wall, Kentucky. Wall is the top player in the nation, and will be the top pick regardless of who wins the lottery (except maybe if the Hornets win it). He is the type of player that you can build a team around and should jump start the Nets rebuilding effort.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves- G-SF Evan Turner, Ohio State. Turner is in the mix for the 2nd overall pick and would be a great fit for the Timberwolves who already have their point guard and two big men. He is a very complete player and give the T-wolves one of the top young lineups in the league. Wesley Johnson could also be a fit here, and I wouldn’t count out a big man if the Love-Jefferson rumored issues have any truth behind them.

3. Golden State Warriors-SF Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forrest. Aminu is a slight reach here but has the perfect run and gun style for the Warriors. Wesley Johnson might be a slighty better prospect, but Aminu seems to be a better fit for Golden State (a center prospect like Cousins could fit as well).

4. Detroit Pistons-PF Ed Davis, UNC. Davis might be an unlikely choice at first glance, but he does the the things well that the Pistons need the most, rebounding and shot blocking. His offensive game is still raw, but the Pistons have scorers. What they don’t have is an inside presence, which Davis will give them. They could also look at Cousins or Favors given their potential but overall Davis is a better fit.

5.  Indiana Pacers- PF Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech. Pacers could be getting a steal here with Favors, who has immense talent and potential, but still hasn’t been able to harness it completely. Favors would be a good fit in Indiana since he could be slotted between Granger and Hibbert, which could allow him to really develop into a star.

6. Washington Wizards- PF-C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky. The Wizards could pretty much use two of each, and could legitimately go in any direction, particularly with a more refined player like Johnson, but in the end Cousins should be the pick here. With Jamison and Haywood likely to be traded the Wizards will need major help in the front court. And while they do need help everywhere, the two hardest positions to fill in the NBA are PG and Center. Cousins has the potential to become a dominate inside presence, and given his game could develop into one of the most complete big men in the league. Cousins has his share of question marks, but his upside might be second only to Wall in this class.

7. Philadelphia 76ers- SF Wesley Johnson, Syracuse. Johnson is probably the most refined prospect in this draft class, but will likely fall because he doesn’t have the upside of some of the younger players. The 76ers could potentially look at a big man, but I don’t see them passing up Johnson if he is there.

8. Sacramento Kings- C Cole Aldrich, Kansas. The Kings would be ecstatic if Aldrich fell to them. They desperately need another quality big man, and one that can play Center is an added bonus. Aldrich isn’t a complete player or a dominate center, but his size will get him drafted midway through the lottery. He would be a big boost to the Kings front court (though they’d probably prefer a stronger rebounder).

9. Utah Jazz (Knicks pick)- PF Patrick Patterson, Kentucky. The Jazz know one thing for sure about this offseason, Carlos Boozer will be wearing a different jersey next season and will need to be replaced. Patterson offers some nice upside, and has been impressive with fitting in with a new coach and a ton of freshman at Kentucky. At times he gets lost in the shuffle, but he’s a solid option to replace Boozer for the Jazz.

10. Los Angeles Clippers- PF-C Larry Sanders, VCU. Sanders is flying up draft boards with his development this season, he’s incredibly long and athletic and shows tremendous work ethic. With no top SF’s available and Marcus Camby done in LA, Sanders would be a great addition to the Clippers. Since he can play both PF and Center (when he fills out) he could back-up both positions and get 20 minutes a game to start out.

11. Milwaukee Bucks- SG Xavier Henry, Kansas. Henry is falling some, but would be a nice pick for a team like the Bucks, a team with a good young point guard and a solid center. Henry needs to refine his game especially with going to the basket, but he’s a sniper from the wing. A Henry and Jennings back court could bring the Bucks back to respectability.

12. Houston Rockets- PF Donatas Motiejunas, Euroleague. Rockets could go in any number of directions next season depending on what happens with Tracey McGrady. While a big man might not be their primary target I think they will nab Motiejunas here, given his athletic ability and upside.

13. New Orleans Hornets- C Solomon Alabi, Florida State. The Hornets could use another big man to go along with West and Okafor, names like Greg Monroe and Epke Udoh could fit here as well, but a true center prospect might be too hard for the Hornets to pass up.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder- PF-C Hassan Whiteside, Marshall. The Thunder need a big man to go along with all their scorers so Monroe and Udoh could fit here as well. Whiteside is probably the best fit here since he is already a quality defensive big man, who will help clear the glass in Oklahoma City. Given the Thunder’s quality scorers, offensive ability isn’t as much of a priority in their big man.

15. Miami Heat-SF Stanley Robinson, UCONN

16. Chicago Bulls-G Willie Warren, Oklahoma

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Charlotte)- PF-C Ekpe Udoh, Baylor

18. Miami Heat (from Toronto)- PF-C Greg Monroe, Georgetown

19. Memphis Grizzlies- SF Elias Harris, Gonzaga

20. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Phoenix)- G Avery Bradley, Texas

21. Portland Trail Blazers- C Jan Vesley, Euro League

22. San Antonio Spurs- SG James Anderson, OK State

23. Minnesota Tiberwolves (from Utah)- PF Craig Brackins, Iowa St.

24. New Jersey Nets (from Dallas)- SF Devin Eubanks, WVU

25. Boston Celtics- SG Terrico White, Ole Miss

26. Atlanta Hawks- PF Jarvis Varnado, Miss. St.

27. Orlando Magic-SG Dominque Jones, South Florida

28. Memphis Grizzlies (from Denver)- PF Tevor Booker, Clemson

29. Memphis Grizzlies (From LA Lakers)-SF Damion James, Texas

30. Cleveland Cavaliers- PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech