Washington Wizards should sign this recently waived big man
By Cem Yolbulan
The Washington Wizards are still in need of another center. They lack quantity and quality in the frontcourt rotation. They may have just struck gold thanks to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder just announced that they waived TyTy Washington and Usman Garuba. This doesn’t come as a surprise since OKC had 21 guaranteed contracts on their roster and had to move some players ahead of the 2023-24 season. Since Garuba and Washington were both acquired this offseason via a salary dump trade, OKC didn’t have too much invested in them. They have the young players they drafted and want to develop as a priority.
This is a difficult situation for Usman Garuba, who keeps getting moved for no fault of his own. Especially considering that he is still 21 years old and was a first-round pick only two years ago, so many teams giving up on him due to a roster crunch is confounding. But one team’s loss could be another’s treasure. And that team could be the Washington Wizards.
The Spanish national spent the first two seasons of his career with the Houston Rockets. The chaotic environment and team culture in Houston didn’t do wonders for any young player. Garuba also struggled. However, he showed enough flashes in short spurts that he deserves another chance. His performance with the Spanish national team has been promising for years now.
Garuba is a defense-first big man who could switch to smaller defenders. His ability to move his feet and stay in front of offensive players is impressive. He is undersized but he is strong and athletic. Plus, he has some ball skills offensively. He can put the ball on the floor and pass. He has a good touch and has the potential to be a shooter as well. He has all the building blocks to be a rotation-level big man in the NBA if a team gives him the opportunity to develop.
He is exactly what the Wizards need in their third center. He can switch, defend at a high level, and pass; basically everything Daniel Gafford and Mike Muscala can’t do. Depending on the level of interest he attracts, Washington should be able to claim Garuba off waivers. Considering his age and upside, he is certainly worthy of an offer.
