Shooting is the premium skill in the NBA. It makes or breaks NBA teams as well as individual careers. Not only do you need elite shooting in multiple positions to have a successful offense in the NBA, but it’s also a must for player development. More important than the shot going in or not, having the threat of shooting helps open up the floor and makes everything easier for the rest of the team. Optimal floor spacing is one of the most important yet underappreciated elements of an NBA offense. The Washington Wizards are certainly lacking in that department, which could hamstring their ability to develop their young players. It is of utmost importance for the Wizards to add more shooting so that they can fully evaluate their prospects’ ball-handling and playmaking skills.
The Wizards currently have 16 players on their roster. They obviously need to cut at least one player before the season. Or they could engage in a trade that sends two players out while bringing in one. Players like Delon Wright, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Anthony Gill, and Landry Shamet are candidates to be moved at some point before or during the season. Obviously, moving Muscala, Shamet, or Gallinari would only worsen the shooting woes, but it should be considered for a younger and more reliable shooter.
Since the Wizards are not trying to be competitive or contend anytime soon, they could target shooters with some weaknesses. A lot of great shooters come with physical, athletic, or defensive deficiencies. This could prevent them from being high-level playoff contributors but that is not a concern for the Wizards for now. Fortunately for Washington, there are plenty of sharpshooters who should be easily acquirable. Let’s explore a few of them that they could look to add into the mix.