Cooper Flagg Would TRANSFORM the Washington Wizards if they Land at #1 in the NBA Draft Lottery

Cooper Flagg Would TRANSFORM the Washington Wizards if they Land at #1 in the NBA Draft Lottery

Is Cooper flag going to be a Washington Wizard? And what does capturing the flag bring to the Wizards? Find out next on Locked on Wizards. You are Locked On Wizards, your daily Washington Wizards podcast, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome into Locked On Wizards, where myself and Abdullah Aubie take care of you all restlessly waiting to hear about the NBA draft lottery and the potential newest wizard, the the man, the the the piece that you really want to take over Cooper Flag. And today you find the answer at 700 PM Eastern time if Cooper Flag is going to be a Washington Wizard. I’m Leaf Tulene, a credentialed NBA draft analyst, attendee of the last two NBA draft combines, host of locked on NBA big board. And beside me is my man Abdullah Aub, a diehard Wizards fan to provide hometown insights and passion for his beloved Wizards and a familiar voice to all of you who listen every day to locked on Wizards. Abdullah, I got to ask you before we get into a couple reads, what is the excitement level for the com the lottery? Because I’ve been at the combine a couple times and a couple teams are paying a ton of attention. other ones are going into it saying, “Oh, we’re in the playoffs.” You’ve been into the lottery a couple times in a row because the Wizards haven’t been very good. Is the excitement more palpable this season? Yeah, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would say an 11. Right now, as a Wizards fan, you’re just looking at it waiting for the clock to countdown to hear those those balls be announced. And the Wizards, man, if they get picked number one, I mean, it’s going to go crazy out here in DC. And I feel like if you get a guy like Cooper Flag, a guy who can definitely change your franchise, it’s going to alter your future. And for me, the Wizards, even if they don’t get picked number one, which I hope they don’t, I still have so much confidence in this front office that they can be able to have that plan B, plan C, if all goes wrong, they don’t get picked number one. And that is a huge thing we’ll touch on later. We’ve got a busy day on the show for you guys. But thanks for making Lockdown Wizards your first listen each and every day. And remember, Lockdown Wizards are free and available on all platforms, including YouTube at Lockdown Wizards, where the best way to help us grow is comment anything below. And today’s question for you is exactly on that. Who would you take if Cooper Flag is gone and why? We’re going to talk about that, give our opinions, but I want to hear your guys’ opinions as well. Also, this episode’s brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on NBA at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. So, let’s dive right in. Abdullah Cooper Flag is is the number one guy and we’re going to talk about him before we dive into the second segment of revisiting the past, the recent past of the Wizards and the maybe a little further back where there’s maybe less optimism about the front office and how they’ve done the lottery. And then at the end, we’re going to discuss the draft odds and the math behind it. How likely is that guy to be an all-star at what pick and what picks could the Wizards have based on how the lottery odds are for those who are tuning in for the first time in a while? But I’m going to ask you a simple question. What does Cooper Flag do for the Washington Wizards? A potential superstar would be president DC. I think you pair him up with Alex Sar with Balak Koulibali. Defensively, this team gets a lot better. And I get it. He’s a young young man. Just turned 18 not too long ago, but he was the best player in college basketball before the season started, during the season, and even after the season. So, you bring in a guy like him. You also have another first round pick with a I’m at a young talent that we have here in DC. I mean, again, top three, top five young core in this league for sure. And a guy like Cooper Flag, again, a lot of attention is going to come to more on DC when you bring in a perennial player like him. I can’t wait. And I think he’s ready for it. I mean, I’m with you. I So, I watch college basketball. I do the NBA draft show. And Cooper Flags, the guy that I feel like aside from Victor Webbyama is the best prospect since Anthony Davis. And in watching tons of college basketball in those years, I think there’s an argument that he was better than Anthony Davis even though Anthony Davis and Kentucky won and Duke did not because Cooper Flag brings a versatility that is so coveted to the NBA. You look at what the NBA is now and I know Nicole Joic is the best player, at least I believe he is, and he’s big and he’s not particularly quick, but he creates mismatches. But the majority of the NBA and the best players are wings who are dynamic, switchable, can dribble and score, can switch on defense, can create for others. And Cooper Flag, the knock on him was, “Oh, this guy’s not a great scoreer. He’s not a refined shooter yet.” Well, I mean, I’ll I’ll blow those numbers out of the water for you for Washington fans. You’re listening to this and you say, “Oh, what are the concerns?” Well, he was supposed to not be a great scoreer. He was supposed to not be a great shooter. He’s about 19 points per game. And you, oh, his shooting’s not very good. Ho h. Well, he shot nearly 39% from three, 84% from the free throw line. Those are numbers that if you’re looking at a sharp shooter, you say, “Oh, those are super encouraging.” Now, for a guy who’s not known to be a shooter and does that on that efficiency for as good a team as Duke was, winning the Naymith player, joining the likes of Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, and uh Anthony Davis. Like, that’s how special a player this is. That’s what the Wizards could be getting. And then the other part I’m gonna let you speak on. Washington hasn’t had a player that’s been able to galvanize the public. Bradley Beiel was great, but they haven’t had a guy like that since John Wall. And John Wall was the last time that the Wizards had a number one pick despite many of the years being within the lottery. Yeah. No, no, definitely. I think a guy like John Wall had the city on its back. can even bring a guy like Cooper Flag, a guy who’s played on the big stage, you know, playing at Duke, one of the most um prestigious college basketball programs in all of college basketball. And I think I think he’s ready for it, like I mentioned. And with with those stats again, like I think with his this potential to be a superstar, I think it’s there. And I don’t think it’s so I don’t think it’s too much pressure. I think the guy he he shines when the lights are the brightest. and for Cooper Flag. And again, you pair him with Alex Sar, the number two overall pick from last year who just got better every single game. A great great front court. And you get another guy in Jordan Pool who’s almost there as an all-star, borderline all-star. I think the Wizards will be so much more better next year. I think that goal of winning 25 30 games is reasonable. And even potentially playing for a playing spot. I mean, the core of the Wizards is something that has struggled in in years past. the new front office creates optimism and I think you know it’s a no-brainer if you get number one it’s Cooper Flag but as you said with that new optimism from a a more competent front office there are other picks but the reason that Cooper Flag stands out so much to me as the guy and what the Wizards should be hoping for is his ability to process and improve. Cooper Flag was 17 when the season started and so much was made of that. Well, he scored 26 and 12 in four games against ranked competition as a 17-year-old. So, how are you going to improve? Maybe the statistics don’t, but as a basketball player, he he was so much more effective and more comfortable and more able to process what the defenses were doing as the teams got better. Most players fizzle out after excellent non-conference and then their efficiency waines. His got better. He became a better shooter. He averaged uh nine rebounds and a very became a very good passer on a prolific Duke offense while being probably the most disruptive player in the defensive side of the ball in the country. Uh Brian Scallabbrini uh compared him to a supercomputer saying many pros what differentiates them from being good to great or very or good to very good and very good to great is how quickly they process and how quickly they adapt. He said Cooper Flag’s the type of guy who in working out with him could work on a move and the very next day do it in a game. And very many pros are guys who take eight months to incorporate that skill set. So Cooper Flag’s growth trajectory is something that is alarming in a good way. And I actually liken him a lot to what current Jason Tatum is. I think he comes out as a better passer and a better defender. Tatum is more polished scorer. But if you look at the shooting splits at at Duke, they were both at Duke. Flag was the better shooter. So that should encourage everyone in saying that this guy could be pretty quickly on a similar trajectory to that of Jason Tatum who’s been an allNBA performer for the last five seasons in the NBA. Yeah. No, I think again you mentioned it. Um with the stats, it’s hard to argue for a guy like him who why can’t he be great? And again, I think with the system that here in DC, Will Dawkins, Michael Winger, the the amount of talent that they brought in, the coaching staff, the front office, I think everyone’s in sync. And that just hasn’t been the theme for so long here before this regime. And I can’t wait. I think he he’s in a good situation. I know a while ago we talked about how Austin River said the Hornets are in a better situation than the Wizards, but I don’t I don’t I disagree with that. The Wizards right now are a really good spot for any young guy to take over and be the face of that franchise. Yeah, talk to me on that. So, Cooper Flag would take over, be the face of the franchise. How quickly do you think the ascent could be uh completed? I’m not saying winning a championship, but playing in the playoffs, maybe winning a round in the playoffs with Cooper Flag, with the likes of Alexar, Bub Carrington, Keshan George, all these guys. And like you mentioned, a guy who’s now a veteran, but still is pretty young in Jordan Pool. Like what is the timeline and trajectory that you anticipate if the Wizards get Cooper flag? Yeah. Know, I think if they get Cooper flag, I think there’s a shot of them potentially fighting for that plan spot. Um, but obviously a lot of things have to go right for it to happen. I think the Wizards defensively, they need to get better. um getting killed off the glass every night needs to be a theme that they have to fix. That was the common theme of last season. But the second half of the season, the Wizards did get better. So, I think this upcoming year, if you get a guy like Cooper Flag, I’m thinking 25 to 30 wins. And I think the year after that is when you really start competing for a playoff spot. But again, it’s it’s a it’s the timeline. It’s it’s about the young guys. And for so long here in Washington, it was never about development. It was never about caring about the young guys. was always trading for a mediocre veteran and thinking that it was going to make them somewhat different when you had Bradley be Christophorzing Kyle Koosma the mid three I don’t know how it was a big three but a lot of people like to call him that so I think if you’re the wiz if you’re a Wizards fan right now it’s the best time to be a Wizards fan because even if you don’t get picked number one Cooper Fleck which I hope doesn’t happen there’s still so much young young talent in on this in this draft class coming up and when you pair them up with the talent that they have here already on the roster it’s just building a a contender here in the future Here’s a question. How high in the Wizards uh celebratory scale is it if the Wizards land number one tonight? I think we’re breaking the scale. Uh Leaf, I think if you’re a Wizards fan, again, last time you had the number one overall pick, you had John Wall and that turned that didn’t turn out so bad. So C getting Cooper a guy like him just being box office and then hopefully the fans coming back in DC and no more away fans taking over um Capital One. I’m all in for it, man. I can’t wait. Well, we got more talk on Cooper Flag and the others who could be dawning the Wizards threads coming up in just a moment. NBA fans, you know what time it is. It’s playoff season. That means big performances and even bigger awards. Door Dash is bringing all the heat with a slam dunk deal from door uh from Dash Pass members during the 2025 NBA playoffs. It’s called They Swish, You Score. Anytime a player drops 50 points or more in a playoff game, Dash Pass members score a three-piece crispy tenders combo from Wingstop the very next day. Just place an order of $20 or more. Use the code Wingstop at checkout and that combo is all yours. Crispy, delicious, and totally free. The offer is offer is valid noon to midnight the day after the game. Terms apply. And imagine being rewarded with free food just because someone went off for 50. That’s a no-brainer slam dunk. A and I wish I was I wish that was around for when Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray traded 50 pieces numerous times in the bubble. Imagine snacking on all that wing stuff. Can’t can’t imagine. It’s amazing, but it’s the best time of the year, so they got the best deal for you. So, here’s the play. Sign up for Dash Pass to unlock this and more exclusive deals all season long. When any player scores 50 or more in a playoff game, Dashpass members can grab a three-piece crispy tenders combo from Wingstop the next day with a $20 or more order and use the code Wingstop50. That’s Dashpass. Your door. Your door to more savings, more flavor, and more ways to win. Terms do apply. Alrighty, welcome back to Locked on Wizards. I’m Lee Tulene. I’m joined by Abdullah Aub. And it’s a big day for NBA fans in general as the lottery happens tonight. But now, who if the Wizards don’t get Cooper flag, who else is there? That’s the way to think about this. And it’s not like a few years ago when it was end all beall. You get Victor Wenbeyama and the falloff is monumental where not no offense to Brandon Miller but Winyama is probably a top 10 player in the NBA already and Miller you know top 70 somewhere thereabouts. I don’t feel as if the the gap is as desperate. So who are the guys that feel feel like you know if the Jazz or the Hornets one of those teams get Cooper flag that you would say you know what I’m content or even happy to have in the Washington Wizards threads. Yeah. So, again, I think his front office does have a plan B and I think you go after a guy an Ace Bailey from Ruckers. I think his ability to score, his potential to be a two-way threat is there. And again, you add a wing, you desperately needed a need for so long here in Washington, especially if Bakubai doesn’t take that jump offensively in year three. But I think he will, but that’s a guy that like also Derrick Queen, the the kid from the DMV out of Maryland had a really good year this past year. and you pair him up with Alex Sar. I think they could be a really mean front court. And again, there’s a lot there’s a lot of talent this upcoming draft and you also have uh pick 19. You can also pair up and trade up in the lottery. You might have to it might be a little more pricey compared to last year because last year’s draft class wasn’t considered as good as this uh upcoming one. So again, whatever the Wizards do, I have full uh confidence that they know what this front office is doing. And I again, it’s all about the youth movement and that’s what they’re emphasizing. And I can’t wait, man. Well, the crazy part is you named some guys that I really like as a draft evaluator, but not the guy that I would evaluate as number two. So, I’ve got two questions for you. Dylan Harper versus Ace Bailey. Ace Bailey was the guy who most people were salivating about his potential more and said he’s the truest threat to Cooper Flag going number one. However, most people as the season progressed thought that Dylan Harper was the next best player in this draft. So, first question being, is the reason that you like Ace Bailey more than Dylan Harper due to what the Wizards have on the roster, or is it that you just like what he brings as an NBA prospect more? And if so, explain. Yeah. So, I think it’s kind of a mixture of both, but I would say more just on the the the need side of the Wizards. I think the guard rotation that you have here in DC with Bob Carrington with Jordan P. They have a veteran of Marcus Smart who’ll learn. I mean, AJ Johnson, I mean, you get him at the trade deadline, he’s been really, really playing well with the opportunities that he got. And again, Ace Bailey, his two-way ability, Dylan Harour, don’t get me wrong, he really, really, really good player, but I think offensively, I think the upside’s a little more there. I think it’s really neck and neck. And again, those both both those guys played at Ruckers. Um, so I think if you’re the Wizards, you you want to go over you want to go for need as well because I think there’s just so much talent at the guard position. want to spread it around, spread the wealth. So, I think have adding a wing like Ace Bailey, I think will do just fine. And again, for the Wizards, it’s all plan B. I I’m again, I’m more of a fan of Derek Queen, too. And even if you you might trade back and see if there might be a guy that you want there as well. So, whatever the Wizards do, again, I’m fine with it. And again, I’m high really high on both Ace and D Harbor, but I just put the edge over with Bailey. So, that’s interesting. So, I I think if you’re drafting in the top five, which the Wizards have a very good chance of doing, the Wizards can fall no further than six and have a 52% chance of landing in the top four. So, likely drafting in the top five. If you’re drafting the top five, and especially in this year’s class where there’s a lot of talent, I feel like you got to draft the best player available and have no uh feeling for need because Bub Carrington though I I ranked him very well in my last last year’s big board. I’m a big fan of Bob Carrington. I I don’t think you can say that you he’s so good that you have you can rule out uh Dylan Harper. Dylan Harper, for those of you who don’t know and are just tuning into draft coverage, he’s a 66 guard, son of uh Ron Harper, who played with Jordan on the Bulls. 66 guard, smooth as silk, scores through the paint. He kind of reminds me of Cade Cunningham in the sense of he’s slowfooted compared to some of these lightning fast guys, but he gets to the paint at will. uh he’s knocked down 87th percentile spot-up shooter. However, his three-point percentage is only 33%. So, make of that what you will. That just means he’s dribbling a lot and creating. So, the his big swing skill will be how well he shoots off the dribble. As opposed to Ace Bailey and and Harper scored 19.4 points per game as opposed to Ace Bailey who’s a 610 lengthy wing of the ilk of the, you know, the Paul George, Brandon Miller, uh you know, if you get the high side, you get the Paul George, maybe even better because he’s bigger. And if you get the lower side, you got a guy who can really shoot the ball, fill it up, and maybe be a secondary rim protector as the as the swing skill there. I think the higher ceiling might be Bailey, but the better player on the same team to me was Harper. So, is is the feeling on Bailey that he could be something that’s so rare and so coveted in the NBA more so than that of Dylan Harper for you? Yeah. No, definitely. And again, I I agree with that take um for uh you want to draft best player available. I think so. But I just think for me, I’m just I’ve been high on Bailey for a while now that I still give him that edge over Harper and I think with his size, I think he just means a lot, especially in today’s NBA. And if you pair him up with a guy like Alex with a guy like Kulali who’s already there defensively, this team will just get better. And I think the defense has just been the theme that I wanted to see get better for so long here in DC because for the past couple years, D really hasn’t been here in DC. So, I think if you’re the Wizards, you want to get a guy who offensively is is going to be there for sure, but also be there defensively as well. I agree with you. And and so I I think the the question will be, is a player who’s about 6’5, 66 like Dylan Harper, is there a way that his ceiling exceeds that of Ace Bailey in a league where wings are so uh dynamic and so coveted? Because I think Ace Bailey’s ceiling is still higher. I think at the beginning of the process I I said his ceiling if he hits his a thousandth percentile outcome. Uh he could be the Tracy McGrady whereas Cooper Flags may not be as high. I I quickly changed my tune. I think Cooper Flags the best player in this class bar none. And I don’t think there’s really an outcome that changes it. But many evaluators are not unlike yourself saying that Cooper Flag is is the best player, but the guy with the most potential is still Ace Bailey because he’s got kind of an untapped physical body. He’s very lengthy. He’s not fully defined muscularwise and he and he shoots difficult shots. So the question is can he get those good shots and at Ruckers he still scored effectively still shot pretty well without that? So you mentioned Derek Queen as well. The Wizards do have a lot of options. Is there a path that you think uh is the best for the Wizards in terms of roster construction? Because you you said it as well, best player available and we we differ on who we think is better between the two which is totally normal. Is there a player that you think is the best for the Wizards roster construction having what they have already? Yeah, I think again I’m going with back to if you don’t get Cooper flag, you want to I think a wing I think that’s the the guy there and whatever wing they get, I think that’s what I want them to emphasize on. And again, I think with the center position, I think they’re they’re good with um Sar and he got a guy in Tristan Vuvich who showed flashers when he was given opportunities. So I think that forward position, I think that’s more what you got to emphasize. I think at guard I think you really I love the guard rotation with the Jordan Pool and Bub Carrington. A lot of people want Jordan Pool or a lot of people think Jordan there’s a possibility of him getting traded. I think his value is really really high right now. So if the Wizards do do it and a deal is really good maybe you consider it but I just think he can be the guy that can be here in the long term in DC. Got way better from where he started as a wizard as his wizard his tenure here in Washington to now. It’s a whole 180. A lot of people wanted him out mid-season, but when he went to that six-man role, he really got better. Got better this this past offseason. Um, limiting turnovers, being a good uh role model, and especially, it’s hard for a team that’s not going to the playoffs, a young team, there’s going to be a lot of mistakes. So, again, I think forward is the key uh role that key position with the Wizards to emphasize on. And whether it’s Cooper Flag, whether it’s Ace Bailey, I think whatever whoever they bring, I I think they’re going to do well. and you pair them up with Lulu Bali, Alexar, Keshan George. So much young talent and I think coach Kee is gonna do a good job of developing them as well. So I got one last question for you in this segment. The Wizards haven’t had the best luck in the lottery. It’s not been horrible. You got John Wall at number one last year. Alex Sar at two and you can make the argument you got the best player uh in that class. I like Stefon Castle the most, but Sar certainly got a clan. How do you feel being a a Wizards fan in in terms of the lottery luck? like do you do you have this sense of despair and what has history said for the Wizards? Like they’ve been bad for a little while and the picks haven’t been great at different times. How how do you feel about the likelihood of the Wizards getting number one, number two, number three, having, you know, they’re going to be picked one through six, so it’s got to be a good pick, but how do you feel about it? Yeah, not too long ago, it’s funny because uh not too long ago, the Wizards were one number away from getting Victor Wanyama, which when I saw that report, I was on my knees. I’m pretty sure I think there was a chance of also getting Zion Williamson that year, but I think uh obviously get obviously get John Wall, you got Bradley Bill top five pick. So again, I I don’t know, man. For the Wizards before the W Dawkins era, it was always getting the seventh, eighth, ninth pick because you were barely not making the playoffs and you get booted out in the first round. But I think now it’s you have a really good shot and I think I don’t know, man. Adam Silver. I think he want I’m hoping I’m hoping I’m really I’m really crossing my fingers that he really wants to give DC uh these Wizards fans a guy that they can definitely say is a franchise cornerstone player and Cooper flag. And I think a luck is going to be on the Wizard side. And um I know history really hasn’t showed why it should be, but again, you know, there’s always a day where Le luck might change. Well, speaking of history and fortune, we’re going to talk about that next. What does the history say about what pick you get and how does that relate to the wizards coming your way next? Ever check your bank account and wonder where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping, and entertainment, it’s easy to lose track. That’s where Monarch Money comes in. Your personal CFO, giving you full visibility and control over your finances. Monarch Money isn’t just a budgeting app. It’s a complete financial command center. 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Alrighty. Welcome back to Lockdown Wizards. I’m Leaf Tulene. I’m joined by Abdullah Aubi. And it’s the lottery. You You can’t tell me what’s going to happen because no one knows. The Wizards do have a 14% chance of drafting at number one. And that’s a great chance. But what does chance tell you about the history? Because some teams have been bad for a while and have not gotten good picks. But I’ll tell you this, even the teams that seem to be hosed the most, because you can drop four spots, the Wizards can fall from two to six, the Jazz can fall from 1 to five. The the Hornets can fall from three to seven. The team that seems to be hosed the most was the Pistons. But what they did do is they gave themselves enough chances at it. Got themselves Kate Cunningham’s going to be an allNBA player. Got Ron Holland, Jaylen Duran throughout all these different picks. There’s going to be hits and misses. They were the worst team in the NBA the year Victor when came and they didn’t get him. The Wizards have given themselves cracks at the bat. So, is it time that they find another guy just like they did John Wall, just like they did it with Bradley Beal? Here’s the numbers, Abdullah. These are going to be staggering. I didn’t show these to you beforehand, but I I told you I was going to find them. There’s a 30-year study of from 1989 to 2019. So, that’s 30 picks. And in those first the first overall pick became an all-star 63% of the time. the second overall pick, which is what the Wizards technically have the most likelihood of becoming. 40% of those picks have been a all-star. And that’s just a single All-Star nomination. Obviously, many of them have been more. So, third pick, 57%. That’s 17 of 30 have become all-stars. You get to the fourth pick, it’s 33%, you get to the fifth pick, it’s 30%. You get to pick six, which is the lowest the Wizards can get, that’s 20%. It’s a drastic drop off. So this is why giving cracks of the bat being bad enough and like you mentioned this is the reason I wanted to talk about this. You mentioned that there’s optimism about this front office in their very first sentence today and there’s been enough picks where you had Johnny Davis, you had Denny Odia who’s now turning into a pretty solid player, but you had players that have been picked ninth. This year the lowest you can go is six and I just read you the stats. If you can end up top four like a 52% chance the Wizards have there should be optimism because the numbers support it. How do you feel about those numbers as a Wizards fan? No, definitely. Um, it does give me a lot of confidence that you are getting a top six pick, but I think what also at the end of the day matters is getting that guy no matter what. Whether it’s from pick one to 60 in the NBA draft, you got to hit on every single one. And I get it there’s more pressure when you’re that top five, top three range, but if you’re the Wizards, you got to get this right because again, you never know when you’ll have the opportunity to be in a top three, top five scenario. And if you draft a guy who um isn’t the guy that pans out to what you think he will be, it’s going to set your franchise back. So, I think, like I mentioned, whatever this Wizards front office decides to do, I I think they know what they’re doing. And I I think it is going to be Cooper Flag. I think at the end of the day, Adam Silver is going to be uh shining some light towards DC and the Wizards will be getting the number overall pick and we’ll be celebrating here. It’s very possible and this will provide some optimism for Wizards fans as well as Jazz fans and Hornets fans. So, those are the three worst teams in the NBA in 2020. The team that landed the number one pick, it was Minnesota. They took Anthony Edwards. He’s obviously a transcendent talent who’s taken his team far. The worst record belonged to the Warriors. They picked number two. So, you know that they flip-flopped there. The top three team picked number one. In 2021, the Rockets had the worst record. They picked second, but and the Pistons picked first. That was Kate Cunningham. They were the second worst team. So, that would obviously work in favor of the Wizards this year if it were to follow history. In 2022, the worst record belonged to the Rockets. They picked third. So, you get the worst record, you’re top three. The Magic won the lottery. It’s the second worst team. That’s following the Wizards. They’d like that. Now, you look at the last the last couple years. The Pistons had the worst record each of them. They both drafted fifth. That’s the worst possible outcome because you can only fall so far. The Spurs had the third best odds. They’ve drafted number third worst record. They drafted number one getting Wyama. And then the Hawks came out of nowhere from 10th spot and got it. So, but you look at that and the team drafting two has drafted or one and two have drafted other than the last two years one and two respectively and then they had three creep in there. So, the Wizards, Jazz, and the Hornets have to be feeling very good. Obviously, there’s a 48% chance the Jazz draft at at five, but they have to feel good. The Wizards have to be in a very safe mind space because you’re getting one of these guys we talked about that has transcendent talent. So, let me ask you this question. you you 63% of number ones have been allstars, but you want an allNBA guy. You want a franchise altering talents, the way that I like to describe it when I do NBA draft work. How many are there in this draft that you feel like the the Wizards could draft one through what and find a guy who can change the outcome and the trajectory of the Washington Wizards franchise? It’s a really good question. Like for me, again, Bailey Harper, I think definitely could be a franchise changing cornerstone player. I don’t want to say Derek Queen just yet because again, I think there those guys like I those three the top three, Cooper Fly, Der Queen, Dylan Harper. I think they’re in their own tier. I think one through three is I think that’s the the highest chance of getting a guy that could definitely be allNBA all-star franchise changing player. But don’t get me wrong, I think top 10, top 15 are really guys that can contribute whether it’s year one or years down the line. And I I can’t wait, man. I really can’t wait because again, whatever this Wizards for offense decides to do, it’s a a young guy that’s already getting added to a team has so much young talent and there’s going to be more talent for years to come because again, you did that trade with Phoenix to give them Bradley Bill, you got so many pick swaps. So, I think just adding more young talent to this team, whether it’s from pick one to pick uh six, I think they’re going to make an impact no matter where they are on the roster. And scouting’s getting better. You just need cracks at the bat is what history would tell you. The Wizards are following a archetype, a pathway that the Pistons set. The Pistons had been bad forever. They have Kade Cunningham. They got a top 10, top 15 player. And now look at them in the playoffs. They fought valiantly. You look at the Timberwolves and and this is in this model. They were the third worst team and and got number one, Anthony Edwards, and look at them now. You look at a lot of these teams and you just need cracks at the bat. And another team that’s similar, the Utah Jazz. They’ve they’ve had the ninth pick and the tenth pick the last two years. Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams. History, you know, they haven’t been great so far. The results haven’t been good. The Jazz put themselves in position to have Cooper flag. The Wizards are similar in that boat. They gave themselves a chance last year. They got Alex Sar, who many had number one on their board. This year, given themselves a chance again. So, Wizards fans, I ask you a lot of questions in this. And I want to hear you guys in the comments. Tell us who you feel like has the ability to change your franchise outside of Cooper Flag. And I I think there’s more this year that can do so. And history has supported that. That the number one uh the best rookie this year was number four pick according to most in Stefon Castle. And then a couple years ago it was the number four pick with Scotty Barnes who won MVP. But yet there’s there’s guys like Cade Cunningham in that class, Evan Mobley who are spearheading teams that could be destined to f play in the finals. So there’s the talent is getting better, the scouts are getting better, and the Wizards are in a very good spot. Abdullah, give me your prediction. What’s the top three looking like for your Wizards and and who who else is picking in that top? I think, man, I I just, as much as I, you know, I don’t want to be biased, I really think the Wizards will be winning the lottery just because I think it just I feel like Adam Silver is going to favor DC, man. It’s been a while, but I think he will. I think the franchise will finally get the number one overall pick like they got with John Wall. So, I think the Wizards will get one. I think the Jazz I think will land at two and then at three. I’m think I’m thinking Charlotte. All right. So, you got you got the top three teams are the top three teams. Just the orders flipped a tiny bit. Well, time will tell. No one no one will know. And if we if if Abdullah is right, we’ll certainly revisit on tomorrow’s show. It’s been a pleasure having you guys join us on Locked on Wizards. And I want to remind you guys, thank you for making Locked on Wizards your first listen today. And for your second listen, check out Locked on NBA game night every game, every night until an NBA champion is crowned. So get local analysis on a national scale. Find NBA game night on Locked on NBA on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. And thank you guys for listening to Abdullah and I on Locked on Wizards. And we look forward to breaking down the results of the NBA lottery. And go good luck to the Wizards and all the teams in the NBA lottery happening tonight.

Will the Washington Wizards land the #1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery and get Cooper Flagg? Would Flagg complete the rebuild for the Wiz early?

Guest hosts Leif Thulin (@LockedOnNBABigBoard & @LockedOnCollegeBasketball) and Abdullah Ayubi discuss the upcoming NBA Draft lottery and its implications for the Washington Wizards. They analyze the potential of top prospect Cooper Flagg and explore alternative options if the Wizards don’t secure the first pick. The hosts delve into the team’s roster needs, draft history, and the statistical likelihood of landing a franchise-altering talent. They also examine the Wizards’ recent front office changes and the optimism surrounding the team’s future. The conversation covers the importance of draft positioning, the potential impact of various prospects, and the excitement building among Wizards fans for the lottery results.

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