WIZARDS NOTEBOOK
Grunfeld: Talent Is Available At No. 18
Forward Vladimir Veremeenko, a second-rounder in 2006, could join the Wizards this summer.
(By Jennifer Pottheiser -- Nbae Via Getty Images)
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Washington Wizards will ramp up preparations for the NBA draft on June 26 and other offseason business this week when team president Ernie Grunfeld and a contingent of scouts and staff attend the annual pre-draft camp in Orlando.
The Wizards hold the 18th and 48th picks in the draft. Around 70 NBA prospects are expected to attend the camp, which runs today through Friday.
Most of the projected first-round picks will not participate and last year's camp produced only three first-rounders, but teams will get a good look at a large pool of late first-round or second-round prospects as well as players who won't be drafted but may earn invitations to summer league or training camps in the fall.
Last year, for instance, the Wizards were able to watch forward Dominic McGuire in Orlando. The team selected McGuire in the second round and he appeared in 70 games as a rookie. He was one of 17 camp participants to be selected in the second round last June.
"It's always an exciting time of year," Grunfeld said. "You get to see a lot of prospects and you can always find a good player."
Grunfeld has said he's open to the possibility of trading the team's first-round pick if the right opportunity comes along but he's also comfortable with the idea of keeping the pick.
"As we look at the draft, we think we can get a good player at 18," Grunfeld said. "It's a deep draft."
A handful of players with local ties will attend the camp, including forwards Patrick Ewing Jr. (Georgetown) and James Gist (Maryland) and guard Sean Singletary (Virginia).
Veremeenko Update
Forward Vladimir Veremeenko, who was selected by the Wizards in the second round of the 2006 draft but has remained in Europe and is playing for Khimki of the Russian SuperLeague, could participate in summer league for the Wizards in July and is open to the possibility of signing with the Wizards.
However, the 6-foot-10, 208-pound Veremeenko is under contract to Khimki and would have to negotiate a buyout in order to sign with the Wizards. Veremeenko's agent, Marc Cornstein, said it is possible for Veremeenko to be cleared by Khimki to play for the Wizards in summer league even without getting out of his contract.
"Vladimir is excited about the prospect of testing himself in the NBA and we are looking into the possibility of him playing in summer league and hopefully, signing with the Wizards," Cornstein said. "Right now, he has contractual obligations to his team but he is anxious to come over here if it's possible."
