Under-the-radar free agent who could improve the Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are in a dilemma. They have an incredibly talented big three but lack the money to sign any big free agents. Unfortunately, this includes most role players as the Wiz will likely be restricted to the mid-level exception in any contract negotiations unless they let Kyle Kuzma and/or Kristaps Porzingis go.

This will inevitably cause the new front office to focus in on the lesser-known players looking for minimum contracts. This isn’t too big of a problem though, as there are plenty of great options in that price range who could greatly benefit the Wizards.

Names like Patrick Beverley, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love are all players who had a profound impact on the team they ended the season with and are expected to sign for a minimum contract. There are other great names available as well. One of the players flying almost completely under the radar is Juan Toscano-Anderson.

Juan Toscano-Anderson would be a fantastic addition to the Washington Wizards’ bench

While he may be an unrecognizable name to some, he was a fan favorite during his time with the Golden State Warriors. He was raised in Oakland on 95th Street which is what inspired his choice of jersey number.

Following the 2021-’22 championship run, Toscano-Anderson left his hometown team to join the Los Angeles Lakers. He was then involved in the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell back to the team that drafted him.

The strongest aspect of the champion forward’s game is his defense. He is a hard-nosed defender who will put 110% into every loose ball and fight for every rebound. This makes him a valuable player as a third string forward as an energy guy who can make a big play and get the team riled up.

He is also extremely athletic, being featured in the 2022 NBA dunk contest. While that may not be the best year to have participated in the event and he did not perform particularly well, it is still an achievement in and of itself.

Toscano-Anderson is also interesting as a shooter. He has had a season shooting 40% from beyond the arc on decent volume, but his most recent season saw him shoot only 18.6% from deep.

If he can replicate his 2020-’21 season with the Warriors, Juan Toscano-Anderson could be a huge addition for the Washington Wizards. A versatile defender with the ability to rebound, move the ball, and play to the analytics is exactly what the doctor ordered for this team.