The dream starting 5 for the Washington Wizards 5 years from now
At center, the Washington Wizards start Onyeka Okongwu
Age in 2028: 26
Comparison: Serge Ibaka
I recently explored five options for players who could replace Kyle Kuzma should the Washington Wizards decide to move on from the star forward at the trade deadline. Onyeka Okongwu was my favorite choice as he would give the Wizards an exciting young trio in the front court with Daniel Gafford getting heavy minutes and Tristan Vukcevic also being an intriguing option.
Splitting the minutes up evenly between the three big men and using whoever’s talents are needed seems to be the best option here. If they need to clean things up on offense, Gafford, if they need to shut down opposing scoring, they have Okongwu, and if they need extra spacing, Vukcevic is the third option.
This would force other teams to constantly be adjusting their gameplan which would in turn take attention away from Cooper Flagg and the rest of the starters.
The main reason I would love to have Okongwu on this hypothetical roster is his high-quality defense. He is more than capable of blocking shots and his ability to keep his composure in pick ‘n’ roll situations is rare for a player his age.
Added experience and a higher quality of defenders around him like Deni Avdija, Johnny Davis, Bilal Coulibaly, and Cooper Flagg would only make him more dangerous defensively.
If the Washington Wizards can put this five-man roster together in the next few years, they will have the foundation of a dynasty put together. A strong combination of young talent and veteran play would make this team insanely fun.
