In 2017, the Washington Wizards were one game away from the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost game seven even though Bradley Beal scored 38 points. That season would be the last time Beal and then teammate John Wall won a playoff series. Wall and Beal received supermax contracts at different times under the former ownership. Wall was traded in 2020 and Beal was traded this offseason. Now the Wizards have direction.
How the Washington Wizards Can Sneak Into the Playoffs
In addition to trading Beal, the Wizards acquired Tyus Jones from the Memphis Grizzlies and Jordan Poole from the Golden State Warriors. Jones averages 12.1 points and 6.9 assists across 94 career games as a starter. Last year, in 22 appearances as the starter, Jones averaged 16.4 points and 8.1 assists. Poole is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game. With these additions and Kyle Kuzma’s re-signing, Washington can form a big three that would be difficult to contain.
Savvy Mix of Veterans and Youth
The Wizards also acquired Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to add depth to the roster. With players like Corey Kispert and Deni Avdija providing significant minutes in the rotation, the Wizards should have a quick-fire offense that can score consistently. The experience on this roster should help the younger players develop their skills more efficiently. As stated above, the new starting backcourt is coming off career-high averages, and multiple players with championship experience are on this roster.
Shooters
Gallinari averages 15.6 points on 38.2% three-point shooting for his career. He is on pace to make his debut for Washington this season after missing all of last year with an ACL injury. Muscala and Bladwin Jr. provide length and the ability to create space, as both players average about 39% shooting from deep, albeit Bladwin Jr. saw limited minutes with Golden State. Kispert is coming off a season where he shot a career-high 42.4% from beyond the arc, leading the Wizards. Jones shouldn’t have any problems spacing the floor or finding shooters.
The East Is Top-Heavy
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks have the best rosters in the conference and should be the favorites for the Conference Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers are solid, and the addition of Max Strus is excellent. The New York Knicks are the next closest complete roster in the conference. Another key point is that the Miami Heat were a play-in team last season, meaning they didn’t occupy a top-six spot. Pencilling in Boston, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New York as the top four teams makes sense.
Additionally, there is uncertainty about James Harden’s future with the Philadelphia 76ers. Seeds 5-10 in the east will be a gamble, as there are no clear-cut favorites outside the abovementioned top four teams. The Wizards have players with enough experience to guide the younger guys throughout the season.
The Last Word on the Washington Wizards
Seeing that last season’s Conference Finals had teams from the play-in tournament, it can’t be overstated how important seeds 7-10 have become. The Wizards have a roster that can compete with the teams at the top, even amid a rebuild. To clarify, this isn’t a piece predicting a deep playoff run for the Wizards; it’s an alert that they’re on the radar. Between Jones, Poole, and Kuzma, one of these players could be a first-time All-Star in 2023-24. As long as health remains intact for the core, expect Washington to be a tough matchup.
