Team Needs: Frontcourt Depth, Defense, Shooting, Talent Upgrades, Point Guard
The Washington Wizards finally began their rebuild last season and, as expected, they finished near the bottom of the standings, going 15-67 to finish with the NBA’s second worst record. There still may be moves yet to be made in service of a youth movement in the nation’s capital, as Kyle Kuzma is a highly regarded wing for playoff contenders and doesn’t exactly fit the Wizards timeline.
As such, there’s not really a position on the floor that the Wizards won’t consider in terms of seeking out young talent, but with the No. 2 overall pick there wasn’t an awful lot of drama surrounding who they would be taking. French big man Alex Sarr made it clear early on that he was not interested in going to the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 1 overall pick, and every indicator pointed to him landing in Washington where he’d immediately slot into the starting lineup. The Wizards certainly have a need in the frontcourt after trading away Daniel Gafford to the Mavericks at the deadline, and Sarr is considered by many to be the best prospect in this year’s Draft.
What was more intriguing was how they’d approach the No. 14 pick they got by trading Deni Avdija to Portland on Draft night and the No. 26 overall pick they owned from the Clippers. While most of the teams picking at the back end of the Draft figured to be looking for a plug-and-play option on a contender, the Wizards would have a choice to make between one of those more polished prospects or taking a swing on a high-upside player with more risk, particularly if someone found themselves sliding down the board. They opted for the upside swing by taking the youngest player in the draft at 14, Pitt’s Bub Carrington, and then traded up two spots with the Knicks to take Kyshawn George.
Alex Sarr (No. 2 Overall), A: Washington sticks at No. 2 and grabs the No. 1 overall player on my draft board. As noted extensively at No. 1, Sarr isn’t kind of “Tier 1” player you might expect at No. 1, but the Wizards add one of the most talented players in the draft. Sarr’s defensive potential is vast with a 7’4 wingspan and real mobility, and he projects as a potential anchor of a five-out approach in the future.
Bub Carrington (No. 14 Overall), B: The Wizards were kind of a blank slate coming into the night, and they landed a pair of high-level, high-upside prospects. Sarr arrives to anchor the frontcourt, and Carrington is quite intriguing as a creation bet in the backcourt. He has a sky-high skill level, and Carrington operates in the pick and roll like a veteran. It makes a lot of sense as a partnership.
Kyshawn George (No. 24 overall), C+: If nothing else, George’s shooting should play. He’s also a pretty good passer, and he has a 6’10 wingspan as a wing. That’s an enticing package. Unfortunately, he is a strongly below-average athlete for an NBA wing, so there are defensive questions and the shot is going to have to carry him. But it also might just do that.
