NBA Free Agency 2015: Paul Pierce Could Sign With Los Angeles Clippers by Ben Mehic

After getting eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals for two straight seasons, the Washington Wizards have shifted their focus on building a roster around their young core.

Despite another six game elimination, not all was lost in their defeat against the Atlanta Hawks.

If John Wall didn’t suffer five fractures in Game-1, the Wizards would probably still be playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.

Nevertheless, the Wizards took great strides in the playoffs.

Randy Wittman finally started to play small-ball and the team obviously benefited.

With Paul Pierce and Otto Porter spreading the floor, John Wall and Bradley Beal had more room to operate and Washington’s offense clicked for the first time all season long.

We saw the Wizards annihilate the Toronto Raptors in four games by playing small and they’ll continue that style of play next season.

With that said, Washington will have to find a way to acquire the stretch four they’ve been looking for.

Although Ernie Grunfeld doesn’t have a great track record, the NBA Draft is right around the corner and most pundits have the Wizards picking a forward that can space the floor.

Both NBADraft.net and DraftExpress have the Wizards selecting former UCLA forward Kevon Looney.

At 6’9″, Kevon Looney is one of the most versatile players in this year’s draft.

In his lone season at UCLA, Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

Looney shot over 40 percent from three during his freshman season.

Although he’s still raw, the 19-year-old has shown flashes of what he could become if properly developed.

Given Nene’s age and Washington’s need for athleticism and spacing, Kevon Looney seems like a perfect fit along side Wall and Beal.

I recently chatted with Mike Regalado of GoJoeBruin, FanSided’s UCLA page, and he reiterated that Kevon Looney has the tools to succeed at the next level. Looney became a fan-favorite during his freshman year because of his willingness to learn and grow on the court.

According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Kevon Looney was interviewed by several teams during the NBA Draft Combine, including the Washington Wizards:

He reported that he interviewed with 16 teams, including Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Washington, Utah, Orlando, Phoenix, Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto, Atlanta and New York.

Kevon Looney will have the chance to improve his stock during individual workouts prior to the NBA Draft.

If a team like the Utah Jazz or Atlanta Hawks fall in love with his versatility during the workout, Looney could end up moving up in the draft.

We’ve seen versatile players climb on the draft boards during the night of the actual draft in the past.

Looney’s ability to operate within pick-and-rolls and defend multiple positions will make him a lot more noticeable amongst NBA scouts and management.

If Kevon Looney is available when it’s time for Ernie Grunfeld to choose a prospect, he just might end up hearing his name called with the 19th overall pick.