At times during the 2021-22 campaign, the Washington Wizards were quite competitive, even as Bradley Beal appeared in only 40 of 82 games. Beal’s future is perhaps the most interesting part of Washington’s offseason considering the presence of a player option and the potential for a (very) lucrative extension, but the Wizards also entered the summer in possession of a top-ten pick.
Washington has not yet struck gold in the draft for quite some time, instead focusing on relatively low-ceiling players in the late lottery and the middle of the first round. The result is a clear chasm between Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and the rest of the roster when it comes to upside, and Washington began the draft with a similar conundrum to weigh when it came to the No. 10 pick — one made even more interesting when it was reported that Beal was declining his player option with an eye on becoming a free agent.
Roster Needs: Defensive reinforcements, more shooting, health, upside talent
Johnny Davis (No. 10 Overall), B: This is pretty much exactly where I’d have Davis on my board. Early in the season, Davis was mentioned as a top-five candidate after a hot start, but this is an appropriate value for a player with a well-rounded skill set. Davis is a capable on-ball scorer with good feel and the ability to shoot. He is also a feisty defender that should be very solid-to-good against smaller wings and lead guards. He probably isn’t a star, but he projects as a future starter and Washington could use those.
2022 Free Agents:
Thomas Bryant (UFA)
Raul Neto (UFA)
Anthony Gill (RFA)
Tomas Satoransky (UFA)
Cassius Winston (RFA)
Bradley Beal (UFA)
Roster:
Kristaps Porzingis
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kyle Kuzma
Rui Hachimura
Deni Avdija
Ish Smith (non-guaranteed)
Corey Kispert
Daniel Gafford
Vernon Carey Jr.
Isaiah Todd
Johnny Davis
