The Washington Wizards were busier than most teams over the summer, orchestrating trades centered on franchise cornerstones Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. Wes Unseld Jr.'s group will look extremely different next season.
The Washington Wizards began the offseason with a house cleaning. Tommy Shepard was fired from his general manager role in April. The very next month, owner Ted Leonsis handed the controls over to former Clippers executive Michael Winger.
Under Winger, the franchise completely reshaped its roster. Bradley Beal was essentially salary-dumped to Phoenix for six second-round picks. Then, a trade sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones to the Wizards.
Washington acquired Chris Paul as part of the Beal trade, then shipped him to Golden State for beleaguered young guard Jordan Poole (and his four-year, $128 million contract). The Wizards also handled NBA Draft night with a bang, trading up from No. 8 to No. 7 to select Bilal Coulibaly, a teammate of Victor Wembanyama with French team Metropolitans 92.
The team will have a very different feel to it next season. Sure, it's a rebuild — Washington is going to lose a metric ton of games. But it's also a fresh start for a franchise that has been toiling in mediocrity for way too long. You have to give something to get something. A few bad seasons should allow Washington to restock, reload, and build a more sustainable contender. It was a bittersweet breakup with Beal and a definite end of an era, but all good things must come to an end. It was past time for the Wizards (and Beal) to move on.
As we look toward the 2023-24 season, here's what head coach Wes Unseld Jr. is working with rotationally. It's a fun, unique group. One might even say Washington merits the occasional check-in on League Pass, even if they aren't winning games left and right.
Washington Wizards starting point guard: Tyus Jones
The Grizzlies essentially swapped Tyus Jones for Marcus Smart. That's a definite upgrade given Memphis' needs, both in the locker room and on the court, but the gap isn't terribly wide. Jones is a consistent winner who plays both sides of the ball. He's going to start in Washington and his reputation is going to skyrocket as his responsibilities increase.
Jones has been a trade away from a starting gig for years. Now, he's the man in Washington. He will be tasked with setting the table for Wes Unseld's offense and folks, the Wizards have a lot of interesting offensive pieces. It's probably a stretch to say the Wizards will be good, but Washington will certainly be entertaining.
He doesn't explode off the page statistically, but Jones is the ultimate steady hand at point guard. He's the prototype for the position: he sees the floor, limits turnovers, and makes a living setting up teammates. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.2 assists (and less than one turnover) in 24.3 minutes per game last season. He spent plenty of time next to Ja Morant in the backcourt and closed a fair amount of games due to his decision-making acumen.
The primary hangup for Jones will be defense. He's listed at 6-foot-0, so there are unavoidable limitations there. He plays hard and can effectively guard his position, but teams will hunt switches and try to get Jones in size mismatches. The Wizards' defense will in all likelihood rank near the bottom of the league, but the issues go way beyond Jones.
Primary backup point guard: Delon Wright
Delon Wright played 50 games (including 14 starts) for Washington last season, averaging 7.4 points and 3.9 assists on .474/.345/.867 splits in 24.4 minutes. He's not the flashiest name, but Wright supplies defensive versatility at 6-foot-5 and he's an adequate backup ball-handler. He will be a valuable veteran cog for a young and potentially erratic group.
The Wizards will want to lean on young players at the beginning of a rebuild, but Wright has tenure and he's a quality player. Unseld is going to use him in steady doses early in the season. Late in the season, when the Wizards are swimming near the bottom of the standings, that might change.
Other players who could receive minutes at point guard: Jordan Poole, Landry Shamet
Washington Wizards starting shooting guard: Jordan Poole
The Wizards aren't going to pay Jordan Poole $32 million annually to sit on the bench. Poole was the perfect trade target to kickstart the Wizards' rebuild. He's definitely overpaid, but the Wizards received assets to take on his money. Washington won't be spending big on free agents for a while. In the meantime, Poole has four years to restore his reputation and carve out a featured role in the nation's capitol.
Poole is an undeniably talented offensive player. It's a matter of whether or not he always puts that talent to good use. There aren't many guards who can move and shoot like Poole. He's a handful to guard off the dribble, blessed with twitchy handles and the ability to shift gears on a dime. He changes speeds and direction better than most, and he's an absolute buttery shooter. So, why was he so bad last season?
It's mostly to do with decision-making. Poole has a bad habit of tunnel vision and his shot selection didn't always fall within Golden State's prescribed game plan. He will have far more freedom to operate in Washington's offense, free of the shackles of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr's notoriously complex system, but that's not necessarily a good thing.
Washington will need Poole to embrace more than just a higher volume of shot attempts. He needs to leverage his shooting gravity to create opportunities for teammates. If Poole can make a leap as a passer, then he has genuine All-Star potential. The percentages weren't great, but his jumper passes the eye test with flying colors and he learned from the best in the business when it comes to off-ball movement and stretching the defense. He should have no trouble playing off of Tyus Jones and Washington's other playmaking valves.
Defense is another matter of concern here. Poole does not defend his position well. He's a plus athlete with decent physical attributes, so there's potential. But his effort and concentration levels tend to waver far too frequently.
Primary backup shooting guard: Landry Shamet
Landry Shamet has bounced around a bit during his NBA career, but the appeal here is rather simple. He's a tremendous movement shooter who sharpened his skill set working behind J.J. Redick in Philadelphia as a rookie. He averaged 8.7 points in 20.2 minutes with Phoenix last season and hit 37.7 percent of 5.0 attempts per game from 3-point range.
The Wizards have a few genuine game-changers in the shooting department. Shamet will demand constant attention and keep his man occupied off the ball. Running him through a maze of screens while Jones, Deni Avdija, and others create could pay dividends. Again, there's a good chance Washington doesn't run into problems scoring the ball, so long as everyone buys into their role.
Other players who could receive minutes at shooting guard: Johnny Davis, Corey Kispert
It's way too early to give up on Johnny Davis, the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. His rookie season was mostly dreadful and he spent the majority of it with the G-League squad, but there were enough flashes down the stretch to reaffirm Washington fans. Davis was a talented shot-maker in college and he could provide necessary bursts of shot creation and floor-spacing off the bench. Unfortunately, the Wizards do have more established guards in front of him.
Washington Wizards starting small forward: Deni Avdija
The No. 9 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Deni Avdija's career to date has been a bumpy ride. His role has fluctuated significantly year-to-year, often in alignment with Washington's shifting priorities at various points in the regular season. The Beal and Porzingis trades basically affirm Washington's commitment to youth and should, in turn, guarantee Avdija's spot in the starting five.
He will be essential to the Wizards for a simple reason: he can defend. In fact, Avdija has transformed himself into one of the NBA's best wing defenders. He's 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, and highly intuitive. What Avdija lacks in traditionally elite athleticism, he makes up for with anticipation skills and good ol' fashioned hard work. His ability to handle difficult matchups and get stops will go a long way toward making the Wizards semi-respectable some nights. Jones and Poole aren't going to get many stops on the perimeter.
The offensive end will be just as interesting for Avdija. He has struggled to get the 3-point shot to a respectable place, but he's otherwise the perfect modern forward. Avdija is comfortable handling the rock and he's an advanced passer for his position, using his size to peer over the top of the defense and make quick reads. He works as a screener who can pass or score on the roll. He works as a secondary ball-handler and tempo-pusher in transition. Or, he can spot up, cut, and work the defense for simple finishes. The Wizards, who have few better options, would be wise to let Avdija explore the breadth of his skill set this season. It's better to give him too many responsibilities now, while he can still learn and grow.
Avdija will be dot connector and occasional playmaker for Washington, as well as the team's best defender. He's about to receive a considerable reputation boost and the expanded opportunity could edge him closer to the player folks expected coming out of Maccabi Tel Aviv a few years ago.
Primary backup small forward: Corey Kispert
Corey Kispert is, for all intents and purposes, the sixth starter. One has to imagine he will close his share of games and consistently receive 25-plus minutes off the bench. He may not contend for Sixth Man of the Year due to the inevitable poor performance of the team around him, but Kispert is a genuine impact player who should thrive in the Wizards' offensively diverse lineup.
The No. 15 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kispert entered the NBA with a simple mandate: shoot 3s and defend. He has absolutely delivered on his promise, assuming a similar role to the one he played at Gonzaga. He's a polished off-ball weapon, constantly cutting and relocating to open space before burying his nightly barrage of 3s (42.4 percent on 5.2 attempts per game last season).
Kispert isn't a great athlete but he's strong with good positional size at 6-foot-7. He defends either wing position adequately and has some small-ball four utility. The Wizards have the potential to throw out lineups with a bunch of plus shooters. Poole, Shamet, and Kispert surrounded by a decent playmaker and a rim protector would give defenses a lot to worry about. It's a fun possibility.
Other players who could receive minutes at small forward: Bilal Coulibaly, Anthony Gill
Washington Wizards starting power forward: Kyle Kuzma
The Wizards turned many heads with their decision to re-sign Kyle Kuzma to a four-year, $90 million contract. It's a simple case of "better to have the player than to not have the player," as Washington can hand Kuzma a featured role, splashy numbers, and then potentially flip him for value in a future trade.
Several teams were rumored to have interest in Kuzma in free agency and he will undoubtedly garner future trade interest — perhaps as soon as February, when the Wizards are fully on the tank and desperate contenders will come knocking. Kuzma took another sizable step forward last season and he earned the contract. It's not some massive overpay.
How Kuzma functions as the alpha dog in Washington will be interesting, to say the least. There's a chance old bad habits creep back into the picture. He was a notoriously confident shot-taker with the Lakers back in his sixth man days. The Wizards will allow Kuzma a longer leash to create his own shots from the perimeter, but it wouldn't benefit anybody — least of all Kuzma — for the offense to revolve around him jacking contested mid-range jumpers.
Kuzma will need to maintain discipline with his shot selection while balancing his increased role. He's a gifted driver and he took a career-high 7.5 attempts per game from 3-point range last season. He only hit 33.3 percent of those attempts, so defenses will be content to give him a cushion, but Kuzma is enough of a shooter to keep his defender out of the paint. With several quality shooters around him and a great set-up man in Tyus Jones at point, Kuzma is well-positioned for a boatload of success. He averaged 21.2 points on 54.4 TS% as the third option. Now, those numbers could improve.
Primary backup power forward: Bilal Coulibaly
The Wizards moved up from No. 8 to No. 7 to select Bilal Coulibaly in June's NBA Draft. The 18-year-old is one of the youngest players in the NBA and he will be treated with kids gloves as a result. The Wizards will rely on more experienced players, especially early in the season, while Coulibaly gets up to speed.
That said, Coulibaly is a better defender than most players his age. He's a springy 6-foot-8 athlete who displays tremendous instincts when it comes to blowing up passing lanes or soaring for weak-side blocks. On offense, the 3-point shot came along in a big way late in the season for Mets 92. Plus, he popped as a straight-line driver in the French playoffs. He's a definite talent and the Wizards have no reason not to give him some run.
Other players who could receive minutes at power forward: Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Danilo Gallinari landed in Washington as part of the Porzingis trade and has not been bought out yet, despite speculation. He could earn a rotation spot with his 3-point shooting, but Gallo is a defensive liability fresh off a torn ACL, so expectations should be tempered.
Washington Wizards starting center: Daniel Gafford
Only 24 years old, there's still a bright NBA future ahead for Daniel Gafford. He played 78 games last season (47 starts) and averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game. His workload should increase to a career high next season with the frontcourt rotation stripped down to its bare essentials.
Gafford possesses excellent physical tools, standing 6-foot-10 and 234 pounds with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He's explosive off the ground, making him one of the league's more prolific per-minute shot blockers. He commands the glass as well and he's a hyper-efficient rim finisher. Gafford shot 73.2 percent from the field last season, the best mark of his career.
The Wizards will rely on Gafford to anchor the defense. Given the relative weakness and/or inexperience of the pieces around him, he will have his hands full. He's nimble on his feet and a genuine deterrent at the rim, but he spent much of last season sharing the floor with Kristaps Porzingis. Any such safety net is out the window now.
On offense, Gafford remains fairly limited. He doesn't score outside the paint and he averaged as many turnovers as assists in 2022-23. He's adequate enough as a vertical threat who sets solid screens, but any hope of genuine offensive growth starts with exploring more as a passer.
Primary backup center: Mike Muscala
Mike Muscala has been genuinely very good over the last few seasons in OKC, although he was buried under the Thunder's mountain of youth. He ended up in Boston at the trade deadline and supplied rock-solid minutes for a contender. With the Wizards, he should receive a steady dose of playing time at the five. His 3-point shooting remains a valuable tool (39.1 percent on 3.3 attempts in 15.0 minutes per game).
The Wizards have plus shooters at every position. There will be nights where Moose closes games or at least rivals Gafford for playing time. He has ample experience as the vet in the middle of a rebuild. He should be a useful voice in the locker room and a source of poise on the court. Expect him to work diligently and effectively under the radar.
Other players who could receive minutes at center: Kyle Kuzma
