This season was an odd one in D.C. for our Washington Wizards. A quick hot start to the season gave fans hope for a resurgence.
However, the train started to come off the rails fast. After the month of November, the Wizards did not post a winning record in each month.
Bradley Beal was lost for the year due to surgery on his injured wrist in February. Kristaps Porzingis was brought in during the trade deadline in a big move with the Dallas Mavericks.
However, the Wizards missed the playoffs with a 35-47 record. The off-season will be important for a team that wants to be in the postseason as soon as possible. It needs to be a successful one and here is how the Wizards could achieve that goal.
Find a Point Guard
The weakest spot on the roster at the moment has to be at the point guard position. Before the start of this season, Spencer Dinwiddie was handed the keys to the team, as he signed with the Wizards last off-season.
With the nice start, we saw a world where this backcourt could work out for now and the future. Unfortunately, the relationship between Dinwiddie and the Wizards soured. This led to him being shipped to the Dallas Mavericks for the aforementioned, Kristaps Porzingis.
For the remainder of the season, we saw Ish Smith and Raul Neto take over the starting spot. Tomas Satoransky helped out as well.
Those guards are all fine in their own right, but are simply not the men for the job going forward. That is why this off-season should have a focus on that position.
There are options in the draft, but as of today, the lottery order is not known. Free agency is not littered with star point guards, but there are a few that can be an upgrade.
Tyus Jones is someone that could possibly be within reach; depending on how the market turns out. He is extremely efficient and has one of the best assist to turnover ratios in the league for multiple years. Decision-making is something that the Wizards desperately need, which is why Jones would be a great fit.
Take a Risk in the Draft
Taking a risk in the NBA draft can hinder a franchise for several years. It could lead to dismantling an entire organization from top to bottom.
However, sometimes you can strike gold. The Wizards could easily make the jump to the top four of the draft, but the odds are not in their favor.
The likelihood is for them to stay at the 10th spot. This leads to a philosophical fork in the road potentially. Do they build on the current roster, or do they swing for the fences?
Corey Kispert had a decent rookie season, but the issue might be that his ceiling may have been reached already. He is 23 years old and might not have more to grow within his game.
Deni Avdija was the selection in 2020 and that was somewhat of a risk. For 2019, the Wizards took Rui Hachimura, who was somewhat of a known product. Should the Wizards take a big swing on a prospect? Does the risk outweigh the reward?
Figure Out What to do With Beal
The franchise guy over the last couple of years has undoubtedly been Bradley Beal. However, with Beal at the helm, the Wizards have not found success. This off-season is time to make the toughest decision in regards to the future of this team.
Beal can opt-out and demand a max contract extension of five years for approximately $235 million. That is a hefty price for a player that has not led the team to much success.
The Wizards could possibly move him if they do not see Beal as the leader of a team. This might be the biggest decision to make this off-season for the Wizards; and could shape the future of the franchise.
Make Sure Porzingis is Healthy and Ready
Kristaps Porzingis entered the league as a rookie project, but began to blossom into a star with the New York Knicks. This led to an All-Star nod, but that was taken away once he tore his ACL.
Since that injury, he has had trouble staying on the court. For several seasons now, Porzingis has dealt a multitude of injuries that have stunted his growth.
The writing was on the wall for Porzingis and his time with the Mavericks once he suffered another injury. The Wizards decided to move on from Dinwiddie and take a chance on the former All-Star.
Now the goal is to make sure he is healthy and ready to perform. There is hope he can reach into his old self and leave the injuries behind.
To Tank or Not to Tank
This somewhat coincides with the decision of Beal, but this is more specific. The Wizards could enter a complete and full-on rebuild.
This is something that they have been reluctant to do for approximately a decade. There was fear of losing John Wall, which has led to the fear of losing Beal. However, there is a time to think about realistic goals.
Sure, it would be great to make the playoffs, but the likelihood of building a contender seems slim in a much tougher Eastern Conference.
Moving pieces around, while facilitating a sign-and-trade with Beal, might set up a nice future. The league in a way rewards tanking.
Some teams have been able to strike and change the trajectory of their franchise. This could be the best move this off-season for the Wizards and their future.