The Washington Wizards have done a respectable job revamping their roster this off-season. More than the specific trades themselves, the overall decision to move on from Kristaps Porzingis and Bradley Beal to embrace a rebuild is praise-worthy. With limited resources, the new front office was able to turn things around enough and built an intriguing young team with fascinating prospects. However, the roster obviously has significant weaknesses. One of the major ones is the lack of frontcourt depth.
The center rotation for the Wizards is lacking in both quality and quantity. Daniel Gafford and Mike Muscala are solid players with different strengths and weaknesses. Muscala is a good backup to Gafford and his floor-spacing will be valuable for the young Wizards. However, that is about it in terms of big men for the Wizards. They desperately need another center, ideally one that can do different things than Muscala and Gafford.
A center that can switch would give the Wizards additional defensive versatility. The ability to play different defensive schemes is key for player development.
A center who can anchor the defense, point out the mistakes of young players, and be the defensive leader and communicator will go a long way. Young teams need accountability and a defensive-minded center is one of the best ways to provide that. If this center can also work as an offensive hub on the other end, this could take the Wizards to another level.
Obviously, the important element here is the fit. This newly acquired center doesn’t only need to fit on the court, but he also needs to fit Washington’s timeline. There is no need to try to accelerate the rebuilding. The target age needs to be under 25, a player who can grow with the rest of the team. However, to accomplish this goal, the Wizards shouldn’t be giving up too many future assets. An ideal center candidate should be acquired via a trade with a few second-round picks or another similar-level player who plays a different position.
Fortunately for the Wizards, there are plenty of undervalued centers around the league that could fit this bill.
Isaiah Hartenstein
The 25-year-old center has been one of the best big man off-the-bench in the last two seasons. First bursting onto the scene as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, Hartenstein had another solid year with the New York Knicks last season, playing in all 82 games. He is a solid two-way player who can protect the rim defensively and make plays offensively.
Hartenstein doesn’t have a path to being a starter with the Knicks. He is behind Mitchell Robinson, a player the franchise drafted and coach Tom Thibodeau clearly loves. And neither player has the ability to play power forward. This means that Hartenstein can only play between 15-20 minutes per game if Robinson is healthy. He averaged 19.8 minutes per game last season.
This could mean that Hartenstein is gettable. He would play more minutes with the Wizards and have a bigger offensive role. He has a nice floater game, passing ability of the high post, and offensive rebound chops. He would add a different dimension to the Wizards offense.
His contract is expiring at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Wizards could re-sign him to a new contract or sign and trade him if it doesn’t work out. He is a worthy gamble who could do much better in an expanded role and have intriguing trade value for rebuilding Washington.
Paul Reed
Another center who has impressed as a backup so far in his career but doesn’t have a path to start is the Philadelphia 76ers’ big man Paul Reed. The outlook for Reed is even less promising as he is behind the reigning MVP Joel Embiid.
However, Reed always found a way to shine in the limited minutes he played in his career. Last season, he played 11 minutes per game in 69 games, averaging 4.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks. There is every reason to believe that he would significantly increase his numbers in an expanded role elsewhere.
The Wizards could give him this expanded role. He is only 24 years old and provides something the rest of the Wizards’ big-man rotation can’t. He is quick, athletic, and can guard multiple positions. His ability to switch out to the perimeter and defend smaller players is truly impressive. He combines his lateral quickness with solid help defense as well. He can protect the rim, get steals, and run in transition.
He can be squeezed out of a rotation spot in Philadelphia’s frontcourt logjam. Besides Embiid, Philadelphia has PJ Tucker and Mo Bamba who can get minutes at center, limiting Reed’s playing time. Reed had signed a 3-year, $23 million offer sheet with the Utah Jazz this summer before Philadelphia agreed to match. There is a scenario in which Reed is disgruntled and wants to move to a team where he can play more minutes. The Washington Wizards should emerge as a candidate in that situation.
Xavier Tillman Sr.
A similar situation to the ones above exists in Memphis as well. The Grizzlies’ frontcourt rotation consists of Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Santi Aldama. Despite being a solid and consistent contributor in the last three seasons, Xavier Tillman Sr. might get squeezed out of playing time in that crowded rotation.
Tillman Sr. has demonstrated an intriguing skillset since he was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft. He is undersized at 6’8, but he makes up for it with his strength and mobility. He can stay in front of smaller players thanks to his lateral quickness and behind bigger players thanks to his strong build. In a larger role, he could easily blossom into a defensive anchor and tone-setter.
Moreover, he has an intriguing offensive skill set as well. He is active on the boards, has good hands, court vision, and a soft touch. He can keep the offense flowing when he gets the ball. That is a vastly underrated skill for a defense-first big man.
His contract is expiring at the end of the 2023-24 season. Considering the financial crunch the Grizzlies will be in with huge contracts to Desmond Bane, Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr, they might be unwilling to satisfy Tillman Sr.’s contract demands. If an extension with Memphis is not in the cards, Tillman Sr. should have plenty of suitors, including the Washington Wizards. The 24-year-old has the potential to be much more than what he was able to show as a Grizzly. The Wizards should give him that chance.
3 must see games for the Washington Wizards this season
The Washington Wizards don't have many intriguing matchups this season, but there are three that are going to be must see TV.