3 Wizards players who definitely should not be back next season

The Washington Wizards are too comfortable with mediocrity. The mandate from their owner has been simple: to “make the playoffs.” They have accordingly pursued a strategy of maintaining the status quo over one that would give them a chance at contending for a title.

That narrow target cost general manager Tommy Sheppard his job last month, as he missed out on the playoffs two seasons in a row. The search is now on for a replacement, and the question becomes whether he will come in and try to maintain the status quo or bring a longer-term vision of building a team that is actually good in Washington.

Are the Washington Wizards building for today or tomorrow?

The Wizards are probably best served in the long-term by tearing everything down and finding a future star in the draft. That’s unlikely to happen. The other side of the coin is what will most likely happen; the Wizards re-sign everyone and run it back with a group that failed to reach the Play-In Tournament.

Let’s try to thread the needle here, keeping the core of a competitive team in place but not mortgaging the future in the process. Bradley Beal is already on a max contract with a no-trade clause; let’s avoid compounding that mistake.

With that in mind, here are three players on the Wizards that the team should not prioritize moving forward, but rather should allow to play on other teams next season. Give the Wizards credit for already taking the necessary steps with Rui Hachimura and Will Barton; here are three more to set free.