Washington Wizards: 3 options with the No. 9 pick in the NBA draft

Who could drop to the Wizards?

The 2020 draft will almost certainly contain a few surprises. NBA team’s evaluations of players can differ wildly and this year’s crop of prospects has led to almost no consensus among draft evaluators. The fallout of this could be immense for teams further down in the lottery like the Wizards. For instance, let’s say LaMelo Ball isn’t drafted in the top-three like he is projected to be. Would the Bulls take him at four? They already have Zach LaVine. What about Cleveland at five? They spent back-to-back picks on point guards. Or Atlanta at six? They have Trae Young. The truth is some very highly rated prospects could drop in the draft. Here are the three most likely to fall to the Wizards at nine.

Obi Toppin

Obi Toppin is an older prospect for a lottery pick, he’s already 22, but his combination of size, athleticism, and scoring ability could make him an All-Star. In a draft with so much uncertainty, Toppin seems to be the surest bet to provide value on the offensive end. His defensive potential varies wildly based upon the evaluator but he could be a devastating pick and roll partner. The Wizards need help on defense but Toppin could make their offense so elite that it won’t even matter. The chances he’s available at nine is probably 20 percent.

Killian Hayes

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor has Killian Hayes as his number one ranked player, while ESPN’s draft rankings have him 10th. Hayes has already played 72 professional games and might be another European based prospect that drops in the draft due to lack of scouting exposure. Remember, Luka Doncic was the fifth pick even though he had already produced at an impressive level in Europe. Hayes is not on the same level as Luka but he’d be great value for the Washington Wizards at nine.

Hayes at 6’5″ has excellent size for a guard. He already impresses on defense and is a fantastic shot creator and playmaker. He might not obviously fit into the rotation with John Wall and Bradley Beal but with the regularity that three-guard lineups blitzed the league last season, those concerns would be overblown. Hayes might be the best player in the draft. If he falls to the Wizards at nine he should be their pick.

James Wiseman

No prospect has been talked about more than James Wiseman. Some people see him as a franchise-changing center, while others have questions about his defense and offensive decision making. Wiseman is a mystery because of the NCAA ruling that found him ineligible and if that mystery leads teams to pass on Wiseman the Wizards should capitalize.

This was the presumed number one pick heading into the season and his few college games did nothing to suggest otherwise. If Wiseman had played the entire college season there likely would be certainty at the top of the NBA draft. Wiseman at the ninth pick would be a steal for the Washington Wizards.