UPDATE: Well, that was quick. Zachary Leonsis will rep the Wizards next Tuesday.
Zach Leonsis will represent the Wizards at the draft lottery next Tuesday. Wizards have a 2.2% chance of keeping the pick.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgeccastillo) May 9, 2016
The original post is below.
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The Washington Wizards probably won't have a draft pick this summer. They only have a 2.2 percent chance of moving up into the Top 3 of the draft order to save the protected pick they sent to Phoenix in the Markieff Morris trade back in February.
Still, they have to send someone to represent the team at NBA Draft Lottery next Tuesday in the off chance they move up. So who should fill the role of giving a blank stare when the Wizards learn their pick is being conveyed to Phoenix? First, let's revisit some past representatives and how they fared.
Past representatives
2009: Flip Saunders (Wiz dropped from 2nd to 5th)
2010: Irene Pollin (Wiz moved up from 5th to 1st)
2011: John Wall (Wiz fell from 4th to 6th)
2012: Zachary Leonsis (Wiz fell from 2nd to 3rd)
2013: Bradley Beal (Wiz moved up from 8th to 3rd)
Now, a look at the top candidates:
The frontrunner: Scott Brooks
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Usually the draft lottery is filled with teams looking to make new starts and typically that means lots of changes in coaching in management. The lottery serves as a chance to show off some of the fresh new faces teams have added since the season ended. Brooks seems like the savvy choice from a marketing perspective.
The 2016 Draft Pick: Markieff Morris
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Ernie Grunfeld went on record last month saying he looks at Morris as his draft pick for 2016, so you might as well have him up there to remind fans why the Wizards probably won't have a draft pick.
Plus, in the off chance the Wizards do move up, you have to imagine Morris will have a pretty good troll face when he realizes the Suns will have to wait another season before they can get something back for giving him away.
The Good Luck Charm: Irene Pollin
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She worked in 2010. Give her another shot.
Other suggestions, in no particular order and some more serious than others
- Wizznutzz
- Marcus Morris, pretending to be Markieff Morris
- Shy Glizzy
- Wave Papi, Kelly Oubre
- Wale
- G-Wiz
- Gilbert Arenas
- Kevin Durant's mother, Wanda Pratt
- Randy Wittman
- Kirk Cousins
- Someone from the cast of Hamilton
- Carly Rae Jepsen
- Paul Pierce
- Floyd Mayweather
- Wolf Blitzer