What Does the Offseason Point Guard Market Look Like for the Wizards? Spoiler: It’s Bleak.

Shooting Guards for Point Beal

Gary Harris
Pat Connaughton
Jeremy Lamb
Donte DiVincenzo

If Beal is going to be the primary ball-handler regardless, maybe bringing in an off-ball guard is a more appropriate move for the team.

Unless Milwaukee doesn’t want him, it’s difficult to think Connaughton would leave the Bucks; however, Harris and DiVincenzo could be convinced to leave their current situations. Jeremy Lamb may not be something to get excited about, but he’s currently averaging 14 points and 5 assists per game while shooting 37% from three. The Wizards would be lucky to have his production at the wing.

The problem is that Beal is at his best playing off another ball handler. The increase in his offensive responsibility directly correlated with a decrease in his efficiency, and although he averaged a career-high in assists per game this year, the turnovers continued to plague his play—especially late in games.

Potential Upside But Risky

Coby White
Killian Hayes

Here are two former lottery picks who, at the time, were thought to be the starting guards of the future. Both have been replaced or overshadowed by additions to their teams and while they still remain productive for each team, either one could shine if given a greater opportunity.

Coby White is the most sure-fire answer as a scorer, but can he work next to Bradley Beal and company? At a usage rate of 20%, he wouldn’t be unlike Spencer Dinwiddie, though his ability to score at any moment is far superior to the version of Dinwiddie we saw in D.C.

Killian Hayes is not the scorer or the shooter that White is, but he does put up decent assists numbers (6.5 per 36) with a modest usage rate of 16%. He’d likely be a better fit for the team, but his inability to shoot the ball well is likely to affect his ceiling.

Either one could presumably be had by trading lottery picks. Deni for Coby? Rui for Killian? Vice versa? Does any of that make sense?

So what’s the answer here? Do the Wizards go cheap with a veteran and hope their two former all-stars are enough to carry them forward? Do they draft a young guard with high upside and hope for the best? Or do they take a big swing and mortgage their future for a third star, putting themselves one injury away from another first-round exit?

Regardless, it all feels a little bleak, and unless the Wizards get lucky, they’ll be looking for a point guard next season, too.