Four silver linings from a disappointing Wizards season

Kristaps Porzingis had his first career healthy season as a rotation player.

Kristaps Porzingis proving he can stay healthy for a full season is massive for the Wizards’ prospects in the future. The Latvian star is on pace to play the most games in a season since his rookie year as he didn’t miss any significant time due to injury all year. The 27-year-old played close to an All-Star level as he averaged career-best efficiency with a 62.4% true shooting percentage, and a career-best 23 points per game. Porzingis being one of the most reliable Wizards this season has certainly been a revelation for the fans.

Having a rim-protecting center who can also play the power forward and can space the floor for his teammates is a huge luxury in the league. Porzingis also improved immensely in taking advantage of mismatches, as he consistently punished smaller defenders with his turnaround jumpers and post moves. He shot a career-best 48% from all mid-range shots and there is no reason to believe this can’t be sustainable if he continues to stay healthy. This level of two-way production from the center position makes roster-building so much easier. It looks like the Wizards certainly won the trade that brought Porzingis here.

Porzingis has a player option for the 2023-2024 season. After the season he just had, it is almost certain that he is going to decline it. It is in the Wizards’ best interest to lock Porzingis up with a multi-year deal, and they will feel much better about doing so following this performance. Considering he was by far the Wizards’ best player, with Washington being 7.5 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the court -easily the best mark on the team- the choice of whether to resign him or not seems easier than before.