Who will the Wizards pick in the 2024 NBA Draft? Alex Sarr leads betting odds over Risacher & Clingan | Sporting News Canada

The Washington Wizards have finished 12th or worst in the NBA’s Eastern Conference in each of the past three seasons, going a collective 85-161 in that span (.345 winning percentage). The nation’s capital hasn’t enjoyed a top-15 defense in seven seasons.

Needless to say, this team has serious needs ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN/TSN), and the BetMGM odds for Washington’s first-round pick at No. 2 overall suggest it has narrowed its focus to one.

MORE 2024 NBA DRAFT COVERAGE:
Kyle Irving’s final mock draft | News, leaks, trade buzz | Who goes No. 1?

Most draft bettors and fans know by now that Alex Sarr — who had previously been discussed as a potential first-overall pick — reportedly refused to work out for the Hawks. Because of that, Zaccharie Risacher has now emerged as the odds-on favorite to land in Atlanta at No. 1. As a result of that development, Sarr’s odds have skyrocketed at pick No. 2. 

Can we trust these odds in a relatively mysterious and largely wide-open NBA Draft? Could Donovan Clingan stun the Sarr bettors and prevail as the second name called by Adam Silver? Or, is Sarr to the Wizards pretty much a sure thing?

Let’s get to the BetMGM odds and discuss which way Washington will most likely go on Wednesday night.

2024 NBA Draft odds: No. 2 pick

All odds courtesy of BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.

2024 NBA Draft No. 2 pick: Favorite

Alex Sarr, NBL Perth Wildcats (Australia) (-700)

These odds suggest Sarr to the Wizards is basically a done deal as long as the Hawks do in fact wind up selecting Risacher at No. 1 overall. The implied probability with -700 odds is roughly 88 percent. The winning payout on a $100 bet at -700: $114.29.

Sarr reportedly refused to work out for Atlanta, the same thing Luka Doncic did in 2018 (not coincidentally, Sarr and Doncic have the same agent).

The Hawks were able to draft and flip Luka for Trae Young that year — but Atlanta and Dallas were third and fifth in that draft, not first and second. The Hawks have no trade leverage with which to use on Washington, and neither Sarr nor Risacher truly stand out as a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama did last year.

So, the Wizards can just select the best available prospect for them at No. 2. Sarr checks a ton of boxes for Washington — he’s a shot-blocker, a rim-runner, a lob threat, and a board crasher — all qualities that would come in handy for a team that got consistently manhandled down low after trading Daniel Gafford to Dallas at the trade deadline. 

Sarr has plenty of raw potential as a scorer and ball-handler, too, and he’s just 19 years old. He has been the No. 1 name on TSN’s NBA Draft expert Kyle Irving’s big board all year, and he should easily slide in as the Wizards’ top choice at No. 2 on Wednesday.

MORE NBA DRAFT: Why there’s no real consensus at pick No. 1 

2024 NBA Draft No. 2 pick: Dark horse

Zaccharie Risacher, JL Bourg (France) (+700)

Let’s face it — if Atlanta doesn’t pick Risacher at No. 1, Washington will almost assuredly take him at No. 2. The upside with him is too high, and everybody below him has too low a floor in contrast to consider taking above him.

On the surface, the Wizards’ biggest weakness appears to be down low. The voids felt by the D.C. departures of Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford have been considerably more than Marvin Bagley can fill. But scoring and three-point shooting were major issues the entire 2023-24 season, too.

Risacher — who shot 39 percent from long range in France last season and showed some promise as a pure scorer inside the arc — would help fix those weaknesses. He would also likely have an immediate pal in Wiz Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly, whom Washington selected seventh in last year’s draft.

Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma haven’t been the post-Bradley Beal franchise cornerstones Washington needs them to be. Risacher probably won’t be either — at least not right away — but he’s got a much bigger shot at being that guy than Donovan Clingan.

MORE: Risacher or Sarr at No. 1? | Could Atlanta pick Clingan first?

2024 NBA Draft No. 2 pick: Sleeper

Donovan Clingan, UConn (+1400)

Clingan possesses many of the same attributes as Sarr, but he’s bigger and stronger and an even better shot-blocker. He can’t shoot from the line or the midrange, nor will he really ever become a threat from long range — but he would be an immediate impact player for a Wizards team that ranked dead-last in opposing rebounds allowed on both the offensive (12.1 per game) and defensive ends (36.8) of the court.

That being said, Clingan’s long-term ceiling seems too low for Washington to select him this high. The best fit for both the short and long-term outlook of this Wizards team is Sarr — and if the Hawks shock the world and select Sarr first, it seems like Risacher would be a no-brainer to grab at No. 2.