With this year’s NBA Draft Lottery playing such an important role in where a number of this Summer’s top flight free agents will go, a number of teams had an immediate chance to get decidedly better if they could just make it into the Top 3 selections and have a chance at landing either John Wall, Evan Turner, or DeMarcus Cousins. Some internet sites, by ignoring every team’s financial make-up, would even have you believe that wherever Wall winds up, Lebron James would be sure to follow. The only real possibility of that happening was if the NJ Nets, who have more money to spend than anyone, would win the rights to draft #1 in next month’s 2010 NBA Draft.

But that specific option went straight out the window when the Washington Wizards snuck in and stole the #1 pick away from the Nets, who had the greatest chance out of any of the 14 teams in the lottery of getting the #1 pick. Then in another stroke of bad luck for New Jersey, the Philadelphia 76ers moved up 4 spots to nab the #2 selection, with the Nets having to settle for the 3rd selection in the draft. Although the Nets will still be able to bring in upwards of 2 top tier free agents this Summer, the lure of playing alongside a talent as big as John Wall, now goes to the Wizards. I wonder how long it will take Wall to make a guest appearance in one of Gilbert Arenas’ wacky Gilbert vs Agent 0 videos?

Winners

Washington Wizards

Moved up from #5 to #1 pick

Virtually no one would argue that the Wizards were this year’s team turmoil. After coming into the season with hopes of finishing in the Top 4 seeds come playoff time, the Wizards almost immediately disappointed on the court, with plenty of distractions off of it. All Star point guard Gilbert Arenas was arrested and jailed over a guns in the locker room disaster, then legendary owner Abe Polian passed away, then finally the team was dissolved at the trade deadline, with 3 starters Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and Brendan Haywood being shipped to contenders, and getting little other than the disgruntled Josh Howard in return. Then once they think they have found a hidden gem in Andray Blatche for the future, he goes all postal on the coaching staff. The only question now is do they draft another point guard in Wall even though Gilbert is still on the hook for major money?

Possible picks: John Wall, Evan Turner or DeMarcus Cousins

Philadelphia 76ers

Moved up from #6 to #2 pick

After another disappointing season for a once proud franchise, which has boasted some of the NBA greatest players named Chamberlain, Erving, Barkley, and Iverson, the Sixers stumbled with a roster filled with a number of promising young players who didn’t progress as expected, a #2 or #3 player in Andre Iguodala who was forced into being the go-to-guy, and the team going through their 6th head coach since the Larry Brown era ended in 2003. With the Sixers financial future tied up in three underachieving players in Elton Brand, Sam Dalembert, and Iguodala, this team more than any needed a break. They got just that with the #2 pick, since netting the NCAA POY in Evan Turner as a fall-back option for losing out on Wall now gives them a chance they otherwise wouldn’t have had, to finally get better. Turner, whom everyone compares to Brandon Roy, partnered with promising 2nd year player Jrue Holiday, gives them a promising backcourt for the future. You never know, maybe the Wizards go with Turner or go big and John Wall could fall into their laps.

Possible pick: Evan Turner or John Wall

Utah Jazz

Stayed with #9 pick

When a team makes it to the 2nd round of the playoffs plus finds a way to wrangle a lottery pick in the following season’s draft, you have to be considered a winner. Although they will undoubtedly lose dominating power forward Carlos Boozer to free agency, they have a younger, less expensive version of him in Paul Milsap waiting in the wings. And with Deron Williams stock never higher, the Jazz can now select a fringe starter or at worst, a talented bench player to add to an already potent roster. Under the tutelage of Jerry Sloan, the Jazz may very well be better while getting younger next season. By drafting Top 10, they now can add a much needed 2 guard or another big that loves to play defense.

Possible pick: Cole Aldrich, Greg Monroe, or James Anderson

Losers

NJ Nets

Moved down from #1 pick to #3 pick

While it’s hard to say that when a team secures the 3rd pick in the draft, they are on the losing end of anything, when you factor in all of the ramifications of not landing John Wall, it was a total disaster. The Nets rags to riches fantasy scenario of drafting Wall and in turn influencing Lebron James to play for the Nets has officially gone up in smoke. Now they will be forced to either overpay this Summer for some very good free agents( a la Joe Johnson) or be forced to sit through another rebuilding year. As far as the #3 draft pick, Favors and Cousins both have some questions concerning their development. Instead of nabbing a sure thing like Wall of Turner, they now have more questions than answers.

Possible pick: DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, or Al Farouq Aminu

Minnesota Timberwolves

Moved down from #2 pick to #4

Similar to NJ, Minnesota just can’t catch a break. They never seem to have any luck in the draft lottery, having moved down rather than up most of the time. After once again missing out on this year’s 2 game-changing players(Wall, Turner), they will be forced to draft another player who has a question or two about their game. The wolf pups are loaded with young and talented players, but are lacking a go-to-guy. On the bright side, they should be players in the free agent frenzy this Summer and still hold the draft rights to Ricky Rubio for another two seasons. Could they package his rights and move up in the draft?

Possible pick: Wes Johnson, Al Farouq Aminu, or Cole Aldrich

Golden State Warriors

Moved down from#3 pick to #5

After another pitiful season, there is a bit of hope for the Warriors. They did snag the steal of last year’s draft with Steph Curry, but missed out on adding another prime time player this year if they could have moved up at least one more spot to #2. They have been devoid of big men seemingly forever, so a defensive minded big looks like the obvious choice this time around. The player will have to be mobile enough to run the floor in Don Nelson’s uptempo system. No one knows if leading scorer Monta Ellis will be back, so a scoring 2 guard may also be an option.

Possible pick: Greg Monroe, Wes Johnson, or Xavier Henry

Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.