Washington Wizards: 3 buy-low candidates to target this offseason

Josh Christopher & TyTy Washington

These two players are in a different situation than the previous two on this list. Christopher and Washinton haven’t actually disappointed in their stint with the Houston Rockets. They just never had the opportunity to show what they can do. And with the new additions to the Rockets, their path to playing time seems even less plausible. This could be an opportunity for the Wizards.

Christopher was the 24th overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft. He has good athleticism and strength at the shooting guard position with an upside as a dynamic scorer. Tyty Washington was Houston’s 29th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He is not the flashiest or most athletic point guard, but he is an intelligent floor general that can quickly rack up points and assists.

The misfortune of both players is the fact that they are low on the pecking order in Houston. The Rockets have a surplus of young talent that was drafted above Christopher and Washington, and they are rightfully prioritizing them. With Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr, Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore already a big part of the Rockets’ future, there simply isn’t a role for both Christopher and Washington. They need playing time to develop and the Wizards can offer more of that than the Rockets.

Both players are on small, rookie-scale contracts, and considering Houston’s cap flexibility, a trade involving one of them should be feasible. Washington can send a bigger salary to the Rockets to take a flyer on either of these young prospects.

These are the sort of moves the Wizards should be chasing: low-risk, high-reward swings in upside players without giving up significant assets. Let’s see who they end up targeting.