5 stars you forgot played for the Washington Wizards

Al Harrington

The Washington Wizards were hoping to take a step forward at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. They had a young core of John Wall and Bradley Beal and had just drafted Otto Porter Jr. They desperately wanted to make the playoffs. In order to achieve that goal, they traded for Marcin Gortat and signed Al Harrington and Garrett Temple in free agency.

Harrington was a 15-year veteran with plenty of experience in the league. The Wizards were going to be his 7th team in his career. He was coming to Washington as one of the most underrated scorers of the last two decades. One of the original stretch bigs of his generation, Harrington was a dangerous three-point shooter, who even averaged over 20 points per game in a season.

By the time Harrington got Washington, however, his best playing days were behind him. Harrington’s experience and veteran leadership were nevertheless helpful for Washington, as they not only made the playoffs after six seasons but also won their first-round matchup against the Chicago Bulls.

It’s hard to argue that Harrington did much more than mentorship. He struggled with injuries most of the season, playing in only 34 regular-season games. He averaged 6.6 points in 15 minutes per game but only shot 39.6% from the field.

After a single season with the Wizards, Harrington continued his basketball career in China before retiring in 2015. When he is remembered today, his Pacers, Warriors, and Nuggets days are remembered way before his stint with the Wizards.