FanPost

Alternatives to Otto Porter at #3

Many are already penciling in Otto Porter to the Wizards as the #3 Overall pick, but there are a variety of options that will be available to the Wiz at the current draft position and Porter may not even be one of them. First off, Cleveland already likes Porter and he may be the better fit in the Cavs front court. Also, Cleveland is in a very similar position with regards to personnel as Washington. Both teams appear to have their backcourt of the future, but Cleveland has drafted Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller in the 1st round in the past 2 years and Anderson Varejao still remains on the roster as a viable starting Center. So a major question becomes if Cleveland takes Porter with the pick, then who becomes the pick at #3 for the Wizards. Noel may be available as Orlando desperately needs playmaking and scoring in the backcourt, and could end up taking Ben Mclemore or Trey Burke at #2. Noel would add the basket-protecting, and end-to-end rim running that the Wizards could desperately use in the front court to play with Wall and Beal.

If Noel and Porter aren't available at this point, I believe that the pick should probably come down to Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, or Alex Len. Anthony Bennett has the potential to be the best player in the draft and should warrant consideration at #3 even if Porter is available. Unlike Porter, Bennett has shown the ability to create his own shot at a consistent, and at times elite, level and has flashed the ability to take over a game in just his single year at UNLV. He also already possesses an NBA body in terms of strength, runs the floor exceptionally, is a good rebounder, and is a deadly finisher around the rim. He is a bit undersized for a PF, but the NBA is trending towards a smaller front court and players like Carmelo have become adequate options at the 4 on defense while being matchup nightmares on the offensive end. Len is an obvious option becomes of his size and soft touch around the rim. The biggest issue with Len is that he may not be ready to contribute at the NBA level right away, and the Wizards desperately need a contributor for next season. Oladipo is a long-shot for the pick, but he absolutely warrants a look from the Wizards. While many project him as a two-guard, he can definitely guard small forwards in the NBA and became a knockdown spot-up 3-point shooter last year at Indiana. An uptempo backcourt of Wall, Beal, and Oladipo would make the Wizards one of the more exciting teams in terms of shear athleticism and speed. Ultimately the pick will be determined by major decisions by the Cavaliers, and performances in individual workouts. Cody Zeller may be a sleeper for the pick to keep in mind as well, as he put up great combine numbers and fits an obvious need for the Wiz.


This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.