2011 NBA Draft Lottery: 25 Key Questions Heading into the Draft Lottery
The 2011 NBA draft lottery is Tuesday night on ESPN, and with its conclusion, we will have a clearer understanding of the draft order.
Fourteen teams will participate, with the Minnesota Timberwolves carrying the best odds of winning the coveted selection.
However, depending on which way the ping pong balls fall, one lucky or cursed franchise will win the lottery and be awarded with the draft's No. 1 overall pick.
But before the draft, and the lottery for that matter, let us take a look at 25 questions waiting to be answered this summer.
Will Minnesota Go Point Guard, Again?
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The Timberwolves went point guard not once, but twice in 2009, selecting Spain's Ricky Rubio and Syracuse's Jonny Flynn with consecutive first-round lottery picks.
Flynn showed promise in his first season, starting 81 games for Minnesota at point guard, but fell off in 2010, averaging just 5.3 points per game and 3.4 assists per game in while logging just eight starts.
Oh yeah, and Ricky Rubio has yet to play a minute for the Timberwolves.
With Kyrie Irving everyone's favorite to go No. 1 and Minnesota holding the best odds of landing that pick, will the Wolves go floor general in 2011?
Is Kemba Walker a Top 5 Pick?
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Kemba Walker improved his stock quite a bit with a championship run in March.
The UConn junior has the intangibles and the talent to turn around a franchise, but will he be given the opportunity so soon?
How Many Europeans Will Go in the Top 10?
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The NBA has become more and more international in the past few years with the emergence of successful foreign players like Manu Ginobili and Dirk Nowitzki, just to name a couple.
This year's draft could easily see four European players get drafted in the top 10, and perhaps even five in the lottery.
The players expected to have their names called include Enes Kanter, Jan Vesely, Bismack Biyombo, Jonas Valanciunas and Lithuania's Donatas Motiejunas.
All are big men, but Kanter is the only natural center of the bunch.
As the league changes and athletic power forwards become a necessity for every team, will Europe dominate the lottery?
Is POY Jimmer Fredette a Lottery Pick?
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Jimmer Fredette ran away with college basketball's Player of the Year award last season, putting up ridiculous numbers along the way.
Many experts and skeptics don't buy in to Fredette's success translating to the next level, but will a non-playoff team still take a chance on him?
What Will the Cavaliers Do After an East-Worst 19 Wins?
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Cleveland experienced one of the NBA's most disappointing seasons in recent memory following the departure of LeBron James last summer.
A record losing streak highlighted a dismal season in which the Cavaliers lost a whopping 63 games.
Cleveland has the second-best chance at landing the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.
But even if the ping pong balls fall their way, who do the Cavaliers select to tip off the rebuilding process?
Who's the No. 1 Point Guard Available?
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There are a plethora of talented floor generals available in June's draft, but is Kyrie Irving the clear-cut favorite?
Irving missed much of Duke's season because of a toe injury and his Blue Devils didn't even make it past the Sweet 16.
Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight led the Wildcats to the Final Four, as did UConn's Kemba Walker.
Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette is also in the discussion of the top point guards in the 2011 draft class.
But just how far ahead is Kyrie Irving from the rest of the pack?
Will One Season in College Hurt Josh Selby?
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Kansas' Josh Selby is projected to go some time late in the first round.
Most would argue that Selby showed little promise in one season with the Jayhawks, while others would tell you Selby was ready for the NBA last year.
Either way the question must be asked, will the one season at Kansas hurt Selby's stock or prove he has too much upside to pass on?
How Will the Wizards Build Around John Wall?
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The Washington Wizards picked first in last year's draft, and took everyone's favorite, John Wall.
Wall looks to be the face of the franchise moving forward, but who will the Wizards take to back him up?
Washington will likely be picking in the top five of June's draft, but what position do they address?
How Valuable Is Rebounding, Kenneth Faried?
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Morehead State's Kenneth Faried averaged a double-double in each of his past three seasons in college.
Arguably the nation's best rebounder, will Faried's speciality land him a spot on a lottery team and a fat contract?
Will the Senior Title Carry Any Merit?
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There are very few seniors in this year's draft, and it seems like there are fewer every year.
Two notable upperclassmen, Duke's Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, should have a shot at making the first round.
But in today's NBA, is college experience really worth anything?
Will the Jazz Go Point Guard with Their First Pick?
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Utah waved goodbye to All-Star point guard Deron Williams last February and welcomed in Devin Harris.
Harris is an admirable replacement for the up-and-coming superstar in Williams but certainly not the long-term replacement.
With that being said, will the Jazz go floor general with their lottery selection?
Is Alec Burks the Clear-Cut Favorite at Shooting Guard?
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Colorado sophomore Alec Burks thrashed the Big 12 in his two seasons with the Buffaloes.
The 6'6" Burks averaged more than 20 points per game last season and is projected to be the first 2-guard taken in June's draft at the moment.
With a rather weak draft class at shooting guard this year, is Burks the only lottery pick at the position?
Will Former Contenders Opt to Rebuild or Retool?
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Five of the 14 teams participating in this year's draft lottery were playoff teams in 2010.
One of those teams, the Phoenix Suns, have more than one question that needs answering.
The Suns must decide whether they are going to chase the elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy or settle for mediocrity the next few years in exchange for future resurgence.
However, all of the former postseason participants must make that decision, including the Cavaliers, Bobcats, Bucks and Jazz.
Is it time to rebuild or time to retool?
Can the Rockets Find Success After Yao Ming?
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Houston snagged a winning record in 2010-2011, but that was all they did.
The Rockets missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, after taking the Lakers to seven games in 2009.
Yao Ming's tour of duty with the Rockets has come to an end and now the team must find a long-term solution at center.
Chuck Hayes has played well, but is there any hope for a Yao-less Houston in the coming years?
What Will the Kings Do to Avoid Relocation Next Year?
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The Kings seemed destined for a new city after their disappointing 2010-2011 campaign.
Surprisingly, the Kings will be back in Sacramento next season, to the joy of one of the NBA's best fanbases.
But how does a 24-win team that has hasn't been relevant in the postseason since 2006 change its losing ways?
Perhaps a No. 1 pick.
Is Derrick Williams the Most NBA-Ready Player Available?
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Arizona's Derrick Williams burst onto the scene in March with the Wildcats' impressive run to the Elite Eight.
Williams is lock for the top five and could even go No. 1 depending on who wins the pick.
He scores, he defends, he rebounds and he finishes, but does that make Williams the most well-rounded NBA-ready player on the board?
Will the Mass of Small Forwards Play Big?
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Derrick Williams is not the only solid small forward prospect in this year's draft.
San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard, Florida State's Chris Singleton, Tennessee's Tobias Harris and Texas' Jordan Hamilton all have lottery potential.
All can score, defend and rebound with the best of them, but will any of their games translate to the next level?
Will Both Morris Twins Crack the Lottery?
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Kansas' Marcus and Markieff Morris both had successful careers with the Jayhawks, even though they failed to live up to expectations in the past two NCAA tournaments.
Still, both twins have an excellent shot at cracking the lottery and should be locks for the first round.
Marcus is projected to go sooner than brother Markieff, but is there any chance Markieff joins Marcus on a lottery team?
Is Enes Kanter the Best International Player on the Board?
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Turkey's Enes Kanter is projected by many to go somewhere in the top five of June's draft.
The 6'10" center brings hard-to-find height and athleticism at the position.
But is that enough to suggest that his is the first name called of all the international prospects?
Will Blake Griffin Get Company in Hollywood?
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Despite Blake Griffin's greatness in his rookie season with the Clippers, Los Angeles' other team is picking in the lottery, again.
The question is a simple one, who will the Clippers snag this summer to play alongside everyone's favorite power forward?
Will Dwight Howard Make a Lottery Splash?
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Dwight Howard has been the focus of free-agent and trade chatter since his Magic were disposed of by the Atlanta Hawks in April.
Howard is a rebounding and shot-blocking monster, but if his time is up in Orlando, is there any chance he ends up on a lottery team in exchange for Orlando getting younger through the draft?
Will the Big Three Get Broken Up Through the Lottery?
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After a disappointing 2011 postseason, questions are being asked of Boston's Big Three.
They aren't getting any younger, and their contracts aren't getting any smaller.
If the Celtics' front office decides to shake things up in Beantown, could the franchise be waving goodbye to a future Hall of Famer in exchange for a lottery pick?
Is There a Kevin Love in This Year's Draft?
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Kevin Love is the definition of overachievement.
Since being drafted in 2008, Love has increased his point and rebounding production in every season with the Timberwolves.
Love averaged a remarkable 20.2 points per game and 15.2 rebounds per game for Minnesota this past season, excellent for one of the game's worst leapers.
Every draft has them, but will the lottery produce an overachieving superstar?
Is Kyrie Irving the No. 1 Pick Regardless of Who's Selecting?
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Kyrie Irving looks to be the obvious pick at No. 1, but does that change with the fall of the ping pong balls?
Irving is limited to being a point guard, and not every lottery team needs one of those.
Is it wise for a team to take Irving regardless of its needs and use him for a potential trade if nothing else?
Will the Ping Pong Balls Fall Washington's Way, Again?
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The Wizards, despite picking first in last year's draft, find themselves with the fourth-best odds of landing the coveted pick this year.
If the Wizards get struck by magic lightning twice, will Kyrie Irving join John Wall in DC?
Will Washington look to trade out?
Or will the Wizards take who they want and hope the third time isn't a charm in 2012?
Patrick Clarke is a Featured Columnist for the Phoenix Suns and a student at Towson University.
