Under the new leadership of Michael Winger and co, the Washington Wizards are likely to be more aggressive this offseason, according to reports. Whether this means going all-in with their current roster or if they plan on pitching trades featuring Bradley Beal to every team is still unknown.
It’s likely, though, that the Wiz are looking to aim for contention as they already have a versatile ‘core four’ of Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, and Daniel Gafford. All of these players performed extremely well when they shared the floor together. The biggest problem has been surrounding them with players that fit their playstyles.
Luckily for the Wizards, there are a few players at every position that fit these four guys like a glove available in free agency this summer.
The point guard for the Washington Wizards to target is Patrick Beverley
A defensive menace with a decent ability on offense, Pat Bev is a huge addition to every team he has been on. He is the definition of a culture guy, having transformed the way his teams play nearly everywhere he goes.
The Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Chicago Bulls all looked far better with Beverley on the roster than they did before and after his departure. Although, we have yet to see the Bulls in their post-Beverley era.
He seems like the perfect fit next to Bradley Beal in the backcourt due to his defensive prowess and ability to hit open looks when given the chance.
To make his fit even better, he will likely be available for close to the veteran’s minimum.
Damion Lee seems like a great addition to the Wizards’ bench
Up next for the Washington Wizards is the shooting guard position. Here, they would ideally want a scrappy defender who can hit his shots and occasionally be a secondary ball handler. The player who should be willing to take a smaller contract and fits all of these categories is Damion Lee.
The brother-in-law to two of the greatest three-point shooters in the NBA, Stephen and Seth Curry, Damion Lee, fits right into the family. He shot 44.5% from three-point range this season for the Phoenix Suns.
Lee has experience playing for playoff teams as he won the 2021-’22 championship with the Golden State Warriors before leaving for the Phoenix Suns to come off the bench for Devin Booker. He was even one of the two-way players on the 2018-19 Warriors. This could prove to be useful should the Wizards decide to sign him.
While he may not be one of the league’s premier clutch-time performers, Lee has a history of hitting timely jumpers and hitting game-winning buzzer-beaters in his five-year NBA career.
Damion Lee seems to be the best shooting guard in terms of fit with the Washington Wizards available this offseason.
Joe Ingles would be an elite bench piece for the Washington Wizards
When it comes to doing whatever your team needs you to do on a nightly basis, Joe Ingles is one of the first players to come to mind. He is a versatile scorer with the ability to really step up on the defensive end of the floor.
The 35-year-old has spent much of the last two seasons recovering from an ACL tear, causing his numbers and impact to dip this past season. However, before that, he has a very short list of injuries and multiple seasons playing the full 82-game schedule.
Ingles’ three-point ability is what really makes him stand out. He is a career 40.8% shooter from three-point range and has five or more three-point shots per game four times.
Ingles is worth around 20-25 minutes per game of solid two-way play off the bench. This could give Kyle Kuzma a break and allow Corey Kispert to play the shooting guard position more often, where he could be more effective as a defender, that has yet to be tested though.
A willing passer, Ingles is also well known for making the right play nearly 100% of the time. He had a three-year stretch where he averaged 5.2 assists per game despite being a player who specializes off the ball.
If Joe Ingles is willing to take the same contract he was on last season, the Washington Wizards would greatly benefit from signing the multi-faceted forward.
Jalen McDaniels would make for a great player behind Kristaps Porzingis
An extremely athletic combo forward, Jalen McDaniels would fit right in off the bench for the Washington Wizards. His defensive versatility would allow him to come in and play either one of the forward positions, especially if he can replicate his shooting performance following his trade to the 76ers.
Though he plays small forward more often, it could be incredibly helpful for the Washington Wizards to slide him into the rotation at the four. His six-foot-nine frame allows him to easily switch between the two positions. The biggest drawback to this would be his thinner frame potentially leading to him getting backed down in the post.
While he may not be quite as good as his younger brother Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jalen McDaniels can be an incredibly gifted role player.
The 25-year-old is an explosive athlete who can put plenty of pressure on the rim on offense. He is also capable of occasionally knocking down open three-point looks, although he is far from the best shooter at his position.
Having him on the floor next to Bradley Beal, Corey Kispert, and Daniel Gafford could be interesting due to his sheer athleticism and his defensive abilities. He can grab steals or guide players into Gafford who can block the shot.
Giving him and Deni Avdija minutes at the power forward position could be incredibly helpful in keeping Kristaps Porzingis healthy as he won’t have to be on the floor quite as often.
Nerlens Noel should easily be atop the Washington Wizards’ free agent target list
One of the few players who can transform a defense from the secondary unit, Nerlens Noel should be a player whose talents are highly sought after. However, for one reason or another, that hasn’t been the case. He was bought out by the Detroit Pistons earlier in the year and hasn’t played since.
During his time with the New York Knicks, Noel was the heart and soul of their suffocating defense. He was the one who stepped up when Mitchell Robinson went down with injury and helped the Knicks make their first playoff berth since 2013.
His amazing timing mixed with solid athleticism and seemingly never-ending arms allow him to block shots at a ridiculous rate. This would make everybody’s job easier as all they would need to do is guide their assignment toward Noel and it will end in a miss more often than not.
On top of his incredible defensive abilities, Noel is a fantastic lob threat and can make good reads out of the post. This puts more pressure on the rim while he’s on offense, opening up shooters more often.
He is absolutely the man for the Wizards to back up Daniel Gafford at the center position.
If the Washington Wizards are able to sign one or two of these five players, it would do wonders for their rotations. They would gain depth as well as experience on contending teams, both of which were severely lacking from the roster last season.