Washington Wizards: A look back at NBA Draft history before 2018

The Washington Wizards have a first round draft pick for the first time since 2015, so it helps they have the 15th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Washington Wizards are coming off a season where they underachieved. Part of it was due to injuries to John Wall, but the other part was because of a lack of depth when they needed it most.

Luckily for them, they have the 15th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. It’s a good thing considering the amount of talent available. They also have the 44th overall pick, a pick they could possibly use to build their G League franchise (Capital City Go-Go), which is set to kick off its inaugural season in 2018-19.

Talent is something the Wizards are in desperate need of after their meltdown in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. By the end of it all, they look gassed, especially their dynamic backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal.

Looking ahead to the draft, the Wizards have to be salivating at the possibility that’s in front of them. The 15th selection is nothing to scoff at either when looking at their overall draft history.

From the Wizards’ perspective, they’ve never had the 15th overall pick in the draft, but Kelly Oubre Jr. is a former selection there. He was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks but traded to the Wizards on draft night. Seeing how Oubre has developed so far, it helps the Wizards are in the position that they’re in.

Point guard John Wall spoke of needing athletic bigs this offseason but even then, taking what’s available wouldn’t be a bad thing. Here’s a look at some notable 15th over picks in NBA Draft history:

• Dell Curry (1986)
• Steve Nash (1996)
• Al Jefferson (2004)
• Brent Barry (2005)
• Robin Lopez (2008)
• Kawhi Leonard (2011)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (2013)

The most recent 15th overall picks are Justin Jackson (2017), Juan Hernangomez (2016), Adreian Payne (2014) and Maurice Harkless (2012). Jackson put up 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game as a rookie this past season. He was a serviceable role player on a young and developing Kings squad.

There’s hope for the Wizards when looking at players who have landed at the 15th slot. Now, it’s just a matter of finding a player that fits their frontcourt. The draft could go a number of different ways, so drafting a player that’s not an athletic big is also an option.

The Wizards have also never had the 44th overall pick, which isn’t a selection that’s generated much success across league history. Damyean Dotson (2017) was the most recent pick by the New York Knicks. He didn’t do poorly as a rookie, averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 2017-18. Other notable picks include:

• Brian Cardinal (2000)
• Chase Budinger (2009)
• Mike Muscala (2013)

As you can see, it’s pretty slim pickings in terms of great NBA players drafted at No. 44.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition

The Wizards are sure to contend for a playoff spot in 2018-19, so using the 44th pick with that in mind, they could find a rotational player to their liking in the second round if they play their cards right. Even if things don’t pan out, developing in the G League isn’t a bad backup plan either.