Michael Jordan. Gilbert Arenas. Bradley Beal. John Wall. These are the names associated with the Washington Wizards of the last two decades. These are the players that come to mind first when the Washington Wizards are mentioned. Their times with the franchise were unforgettable. Not every star player was so lucky. There have been plenty of big-name players whose paths crossed with the Wizards but failed to make any memorable impact in Washington. In fact, even some of the most ardent Wizards fans may have forgotten that these players played for their team.
Let’s refresh our memories and recall the times these players wore a Wizards uniform.
Mike Bibby
The Washington Wizards’ and Bibby’s paths crossed in the 2010-11 season. After spending 3.5 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Bibby was traded to the Wizards at the trade deadline. Washington was in the midst of a transition season, in which they traded Gilbert Arenas mid-season and gave the reins to their no. 1 overall selection John Wall.
The addition of a veteran guard like Mike Bibby didn’t help the miserable season. The Wizards finished the season 23-59 near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Bibby only suited up for two games for the Wizards, making only 1 of 9 shot attempts and scoring 2 points in total.
After only a week with the team, Bibby was waived by Washington. He was signed by the Miami Heat to chase a championship ring but came up short when they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
Bibby’s stints following his immensely successful 7 seasons with the Sacramento Kings have all been less than memorable. But perhaps none of his stops were as forgettable as his week in Washington.
Shaun Livingston
The three-time NBA champion Shaun Livingston had two separate stints with the Washington Wizards. Signed as a free agent in the middle of the 2009-10 season and the beginning of the 2012-13 season, both of Livingston’s stints were short-lived. Both of those Wizards seasons were utter disappointments as they won less than 30 games. Livingston couldn’t do enough the change the Wizards’ fortunes.
At the time when he was a Wizard, Livingston was still trying to establish his career. After suffering a gruesome knee injury playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, his NBA career was in jeopardy. However, through perseverance and hard work, he was able to adapt his game despite losing some athleticism.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Wizards who reaped the benefits of his hard work. After he was waived by Washington in December 2012, he found a home with the Golden State Warriors. In his five seasons with Golden State, Livingston played a crucial role off the bench in three championships. A mid-range master and a solid defender, Livingston carved himself an important role in one of the most important dynasties of our generation.
In his 43 games with the Washington Wizards, however, Livingston averaged a meager 7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. In a long list of players who the Wizards failed to develop, Shaun Livingston would find himself a spot toward the top.
Josh Howard
After blossoming into a solid two-way wing for the Dallas Mavericks and earning an All-Star selection in 2007, Josh Howard found himself as a member of the Washington Wizards at the 2010 trade deadline. Along with Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, and James Singleton, Howard was traded to Washington in exchange for Caron Butler, Deshawn Stevenson, and Brendan Haywood.
While Butler, Stevenson, and Haywood all won a title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, Howard failed to make an impact with the Wizards. Things didn’t go the way 30-year-old Howard and the Wizards were dreaming of.
After tearing his ACL after a month in Washington, Howard was never the same player. He attempted a comeback with the Wizards towards the end of the 2010-11 season, but he wasn’t the two-way veteran contributor that the Wizards were hoping for. The Wizards let Howard’s contract expire at the end of the season as he signed with the Utah Jazz.
In 1.5 seasons, Howard only played in 22 games for the Washington Wizards, averaging 9.5 points on 37.5% shooting. His time in Washington was as forgettable as his stats suggest. He is still remembered as a Dallas Maverick and his disappointing Wizards tenure has been long gone from the collective memory of Wizards fans.
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.
Dwight Howard
After losing in the First Round of the 2018 Eastern Conference Playoffs to the Toronto Raptors, the Washington Wizards signed Dwight Howard in free agency. Following two disappointing seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets, Howard was trying to revive his career and build a dangerous trio with John Wall and Bradley Beal. However, things didn’t go according to the plan for the 8-time All-Star and 3-time Defensive Player of the Year.
After playing 81 out of 82 games the previous season, Howard’s time in Washington was less fortunate. He missed all of training camp and the start of the season before playing in nine games in November for the Wiz. In these nine games, Howard averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 26 minutes. These were the only games he would suit up for in Washington.
He suffered from back and hamstring injuries and had to go through spinal surgery. At the end of the season, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies who waived him before he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fortunately for Howard, his stint with the Lakers was much more successful as he played a crucial role in the Lakers’ championship run in 2020.
Career-wise, Dwight Howard may have been one of the highest-profile players to ever wear a Wizards uniform. However, when thinking about his first-ballot Hall-of-Fame career, his time in Washington will surely be forgotten. He will forever rank high in the “What could have been?” lists for Wizards fans.
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