Next season may not look too bright for the Wizards. However, that does not mean the Wizards do not have hope for a decent team for the 2020-2021 season.
Let’s just be honest. The Wizards are not going to be a good team next year. The Wizards lost numerous players from last season. John Wall is still recovering from his torn achilles. The team also severely lacks depth at almost every position. However, just because the Wizards look like they are headed towards the 2020 draft lottery does not mean next season will be a total waste.
The Wizards have quietly gathered a large group of young players with a ton of talent and potential. Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown, Moe Wagner, Thomas Bryant, the list goes on. Next season should be used to develop these players to get them ready for the 2020-2021 season. In order to do this, the Wizards need to give their young guys tons of minutes next season.
In the recent past, the Wizards have failed to quickly develop their young players mainly because they failed to give them playing time. Otto Porter averaged 8.6 minutes per game in his rookie season and did not become a key member of the team until his junior year. In Kelly Oubre‘s rookie season, he averaged just 10.7 minutes per game. Troy Brown averaged 14 minutes per game while playing in just 52 games last season, his rookie year.
The reason for not giving a lot of playing time to rookies was because the Wizards were competing for the playoffs and could not spare to give extra minutes to their rookies. However, with playoffs being nothing but a pipe dream for next season, the Wizards should give their young guys, specifically their first round pick, Rui Hachimura, as much playing time as possible next season.
Now, let’s fast forward to next summer. All the Wizards young guys have at least one year under their belt. They will be ready to contribute to the team’s future success. Also, the Wizards will likely have another top 10 pick in next years draft. This means even more young talent for the Wizard’s 2020-2021 roster!
Next summer, the Wizards will also be getting something thy have not had since the 2016-2017 season. A healthy John Wall! People forget just how dominant Wall used to be. In the 2016-2017 season, the last season Wall was truly healthy, he averaged 23.1 points, 10.7 assists, and 2 steals per game. Wall was an All-Star that season, making the team for the fourth year in a row. He also helped lead the Wizards to nearly defeating the number one overall seed, Boston Celtics, in the second round of the playoffs. At the time, Wall was the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.
There is a reason John Wall’s contract is incredibly high. He does deserve every penny that he gets paid. His injuries are not his fault. However, a torn achilles is extremely hard to come back from. Many question whether Wall will be the same player that he used to be once he is ready to return to the court. That said, one thing injuries will never be able to take away from him is his motivation. Wall has had to prove himself many times before, and he will have to do it again in the 2020-2021 season.
Adding a healthy Wall to a team that has a bunch of young talent with at least a years worth of NBA experience, a likely top-10 lottery pick, and Bradley Beal who will hopefully still be on the team next summer, smells like success. But there is one more thing that the Wizards will have next summer that they did not have this summer. CAP SPACE!
Ian Mahinmi, who will earn $15.5 million next season, will be off the books next summer. C.J. Miles, who will earn $8.7 million next season, will be off the books next summer. Davis Bertans, who will earn $7 million next year, will be off the books next summer. In total, the Wizards will have over $30 million in cap space next summer. While this number is not a huge amount of money, it is definitely something that the team can work with to add pieces around Wall, Beal and the Wizard young core.
Don’t get down Wizards fans. Our team’s future has some hope. Remember, it could always be worse. You could be a Charlotte Hornets fan.