The Wizards are slated to have No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft pending a potential shake-up in the NBA lottery later this month.
Washington is also equipped with the No. 54 pick (from Dallas, via the Kristaps Porzingis trade), though the franchise doesn’t have its own second-rounder, giving up that selection back in 2018 as part of the deal that brought Sam Dekker to the nation’s capital.
Let’s take a look at some prospects who could be options for Washington with the No. 10 pick and later in the week, we’ll look at some candidates for their second-round selection.
Potential Options for Wizards at No. 10
- Jalen Duren – C – Memphis: Duren might be the ideal selection at No. 10, though it’s nowhere near certain he’ll be available in that spot. Evaluators who think fondly of the 6-foot-11 center see a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He’ll need some time to grow and while Washington has Thomas Bryant and Daniel Gafford manning the five, Duren’s upside as an elite potential defensive anchor alongside Kristaps Porzingis would be too much to pass up on.
- Dyson Daniels – SG – G-League Ignite (Australia): Daniels is rising up draft boards and ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has the combo guard going to the Wizards at No. 10 in his latest mock draft. Givony calls Daniels the “picture-perfect fit” next to Bradley Beal due to the 19-year-old’s ability to be an effective part of the offense without the ball in his hands. It’s not clear what kind of player would actually be the best fit next to Beal in the backcourt and GM Tommy Sheppard hinted that Washington could end using some untraditional playmakers to lead the offense aside from Beal next season (such as Kyle Kuzma). Daniel, who stands at 6-foot-8, would be an intriguing prospect to add to the team’s core.
- Johnny Davis – SG – Wisconsin: Davis fell to the Wizards in our pre-tournament mock draft and while some see a Davis prospect who can lead an NBA offense, others see him his ceiling being capped as a sixth-man one day down the road.
- Bennedict Mathurin – SG/SF – Arizona: Mathurin would be an excellent fit on the wing, though it’s becoming hard to envision a scenario where he’s available at No. 10.
- Trade down and secure future draft assets: Washington doesn’t have a first-rounder next offseason because of the Russell Westbrook trade and moving this year’s pick in a deal that adds a selection next year could be a prudent strategy. The Rockets no longer have the Wizards’ 2023 pick, though they own the Bucks’ selection next season. Should Washington consider shipping the No. 10 to the Rockets for that Milwaukee selection and No. 17? TyTy Washington and Kennedy Chandler are candidates to be available in that range.
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