Washington Wizards 2024 NBA Offseason Preview: Collecting draft assets must be a priority

Season 2023-24: 15-67

Highlight of the season: Deni Avdija exploded for 43 points and 15 rebounds against the Pelicans on Valentine's Day, showing that the wait was indeed worth it.

How it ended

Gracious. This was one of the worst seasons in Wizards history, which included a mid-season coaching change after Wes Unseld Jr. managed just seven wins in 43 games, except that interim coach Brian Keefe did slightly better with eight wins scored in 38 attempts.

While the plan for Washington this season was to put itself in a good position heading into the draft, the organization had been hoping for a breakout season from Jordan Poole, who was acquired from Golden State over the summer. However, Poole didn't just manage to break out. He regressed, and regressed badly.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard averaged 17.4 points and 4.4 assists per game, hit just 41.3% of his shots and played the type of defense that would make Spanish matadors blush. Poole has now made himself extremely unattractive on the trade market, which is the exact opposite of what the Wizards were hoping for.

On the bright side, forward Kyle Kuzma played at a high level throughout the year, posting 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game after being re-signed to the team last summer. Unlike Poole, he is likely to have plenty of suitors this summer willing to pay the Wizards a king's ransom for his services. This is extraordinary news for Washington, as the organization failed to get a meaningful return on the Bradley Beal transfer and now likely won't be able to let Poole go for nothing.

With rookie winger Bilal Coulibaly showing life in his debut season and Avdija developing into a starting-caliber forward, the Wizards do have something to offer, even if it's not particularly exciting. They need to continue to target high draft picks in the coming years to develop a product that fans will find appealing, and should spend the summer maximizing the return on Kuzma – preferably with an emphasis on young players and quality drafting -Remuneration – to get as many bites into the freshly tapped apple as possible. Because they will need it.

Of course, one has to wonder if the Wizards have the courage to complete a Kuzma deal in a timely manner. They could have traded point guard Tyus Jones' expiring contract for some return at the trade deadline, but didn't and let him sign elsewhere in July. Wizards fans are hoping that the team's executives, led by Michael Winger, wake up every morning during the offseason with the mindset of accumulating assets, and that seems like a completely reasonable expectation considering where the Wizards are these days .

Greatest need off-season

Assuming Kuzma is traded and the Wizards fully embrace the youth movement, they must become the league's biggest troll. This means signing restricted free agents to huge offer lists, forcing opposing teams to play, or turning them into Wizards players, which is ultimately the best and fastest way to improve your talent. Since Washington is still years away from making the playoffs, it might as well try to steal young talent from under other teams' noses and replenish its asset cupboard.

Organizational mood

The Wizards may be as far from contention as any team in the league, considering the NBA's worst players, the Pistons, have Cade Cunningham in their hands, Victor Wembanyama has somehow exceeded expectations in San Antonio, and Portland has one The Blazers believe they have a cadre of young guards, and Charlotte boasts the appearance of a rebuilding foundation. Bilal Coulibaly, last year's lottery winner, exuded strong promise that had talent evaluators optimistic about his future. According to sources, Deni Avdija was emerging as a true two-way wing, registering strong trade interest ahead of the February deadline. And yet there isn't much else in Washington's Cabinet that could be considered a long-term part of this new era under Winger.

The Wizards redesign is already underway. With Unseld taking on a front office position, Washington is expected to conduct a lengthy search for its next bench chief, with Keefe being strongly considered for the full-time job. Keefe and assistant David Vanterpool – both of whom spent time in Oklahoma City during the Wingers Thunder and Wizards general manager Will Dawkins' tenures – are among the few holdovers remaining on the coaching staff following personnel changes in recent weeks. The Wizards will receive a top pick in the June draft. Their next big decision will be on Jones, who is considered one of the best backup ballplayers in the league but isn't viewed as a strong enough two-way presence for any team to afford the draft pick compensation that Washington does had previously targeted Jones at the trade deadline, sources said. Poole's first season in DC was so subpar that it would be a surprise to see a team willing to offer the former Warrior an interesting return. – Jake Fischer

Design focus

The Wizards will most likely select the best available prospect at the top of the draft. If Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher are not on the court, they could add some length along the perimeter with 6-9 Ron Holland or 6-10 Matas Buzelis, both of whom played for the G League Ignite, or 7-2 center Donovan Clingan from UConn for added size and rim protection. —Krysten Peek

Projected draft picks (pre-lottery): No. 2, 26 and 49

Salary Cap Breakdown

The Wizards will get Jones' $14 million off the books, Landry Shamet's $11 million is completely non-guaranteed, and if they get rid of Kuzma and his $23.5 million, they'll have plenty via the restricted free agency market Scope to play with other teams. Only Poole ($29.6 million) is a big earner, and with a projected cap hit of $141 million, the Wizards could be looking at a cap hit north of $50 million depending on what they get with a Kuzma -Get deal back.

Regardless of their move, they have money to spend and should make the most of it as long as they don't spend a lot of money on veterans. They are in no position to expedite their schedule, nor do they have nearly enough talent on their roster to justify such a decision. Veterans are needed for the locker room, but they can be found for modest compensation.

Key free agent: Tyus Jones (UFA)

The goal for next season

The Wizards need to live up to their name and magically attract talent to their roster as they are arguably the weakest team in the league on that front. Winning would be nice, but the most important thing is the need for a solid foundation. It will not be easy. Gandalf doesn't walk through that door, nor does Harry Potter or the one played by Edward Norton in The Illusionist. To do this, Winger and his team need to devise a plan that doesn't miss a single ounce of tradable quality and where the value of maximizing trading returns is understood at every turn. If it helps, hang a framed picture of Sam Presti in the office. It could be motivating.

What can move the imagination needle?

The Wizards need a reliable anchor upfront or they will continue to be grilled chicken at the post. The combination of Marvin Bagley, Richaun Holmes and Tristan Vukčević won't make it. They were in the bottom three in points allowed and second chance points last season, so an upgrade here would drastically help Washington become more competitive. Oh, and one of their franchise players, of course Strictly speaking Honoring his hefty four-year, $128 million contract would do wonders for them offensively (looking at you, Jordan Poole). – Dan Titus