The Washington Wizards have seen lots of change over the past couple of months. Key players including Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis as well as general manager Tommy Sheppard highlight the departures from this offseason as the team looks to rebuild. For the first time in several years, the Wizards seemed to have moved out of the gray area they were stuck in and created a vision for the future.
While changes to the roster saw some of the Wizards’ best players leave, those acquired may give fans something to be excited about. Many are predicting them to be among the worst teams in the league, with sportsbooks setting the line at 24.5. However, these three players could get basketball in D.C. back on the right track.
Jordan Poole
This is the obvious choice for the most impactful addition to the Wizards lineup. Acquired in a trade that sent 38-year-old point guard Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors, Poole arrives in D.C. as the number one scoring option. As a player whose scoring average reached a career-high 20.4 points per game last season, the 24-year-old has a bright future ahead of him in The District.
For the first time in his career, Poole won’t be playing alongside NBA sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Instead, the young guard from Milwaukee gets the chance to prove himself capable of leading a team to success as the “bus driver”. Of course, he’ll have help from returners like Kyle Kuzma, but this season should serve as a big one for a player looking to prove he can succeed outside of the Warriors’ dynasty.
On top of scoring, fans could see his 4.5 assists per game and 2.7 rebounds per game increase as well. His heightened role will set him up for opportunities to become a true leader of an NBA team and to show his teammates what it takes to be an NBA champion.