NBA Mock Draft 3.0: The New Orleans Pelicans Land the Best Shooter
142. Washington Wizards. 2. player. Center / Memphis. James Wiseman. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Coming into the season, most thought James Wiseman was the top player in his class.
After some trouble at Memphis, Wiseman had to step away from the NCAA, so like most players in this draft, teams have not seen enough of him.
The Washington Wizards are in one of the toughest salary cap situations in the league and their pick will likely have a lot of “ifs” attached to it.
If the Wizards expect John Wall to come back healthy then they have a solid foundation with him and Bradley Beal in the backcourt.
If the Wizards think Wall may not make it back to 100 percent then they could easily trade Beal (maybe to a team like the New Orleans Pelicans) for a treasure trove of assets that they can use to start a rebuild.
The Wizards may try to restock their center position to pair with ascending power forward Rui Hachimura.
Related Story. Possible Free Agents for the Pelicans: An Elite Shooter. light
Wiseman could be that guy.
He projects as a potentially elite defender, an athletic rim-runner who is a nice fit beside Wall and Beal.
It’s hard to say what the Wizards will end up doing, as they are in one of the worst salary cap situations in the league.
Wiseman does things the Wizards need, as he averaged 10.7 rebounds and three blocks a game to go along with 19.7 points.
Wiseman may not be the best fit but there is also something to be said for just taking the best player available here, regardless of fit, especially for a struggling team like the Wizards.