We are less than six weeks away from the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. The training camp and preseason are right around the corner, so it’s time to get into the basketball mood and start thinking about the new-look Washington Wizards.
The Wizards made the decision to reshape their roster this summer. All-Stars like Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis departed. However, there is still plenty of talent on this team. The team is younger, more dynamic, and more athletic. But, who is the best on the team in each individual skill? Let’s explore.
Best scorer: Jordan Poole
The Washington Wizards have two players who averaged over 20 points per game last season: Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole. They are both certified bucket-getters who have a variety of scoring moves in their arsenal. They can both create their own shots, score off-the-dribble and put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the court. It’s a tough choice distinguishing between the two, but Jordan Poole may be the more complete scorer.
Looking at the last two seasons, Poole has a slight edge over Kuzma in almost all scoring metrics. He scores more per possession, gets to the free-throw line more, and has a better shooting percentage in 2-pointers, 3-pointers, and free-throws. Poole has a True Shooting Percentage of 58.4 compared to Kuzma’s 54.6 despite shooting more per possession.
Obviously, Poole was in a more favorable situation with the Golden State Warriors. He isn’t the main focus of opposing defenses who had to worry about Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins. But, Poole managed to maintain his scoring efficiency and volume, even when Curry wasn’t available. He just has more versatility to his scoring with his combination of shifty drives, crafty finishing, and long-distance shooting. If any Wizard is going to average over 25 points next season, it’s likely going to be Poole.
Best defender: Deni Avdija
The Washington Wizards are short on defense. They will almost certainly be one of the worst defenses in the league next year. There are just too many young, inexperienced players on the roster without a defensive anchor in the backline to cover their mistakes. Yet, that doesn’t mean there isn’t defensive talent on the team.
In fact, Deni Avdija has proven himself to be a consistently solid defender ever since he came into the league. His offensive game hasn’t progressed the way the Wizards fans and organization were hoping for, but Avdija’s defensive ability has been excellent throughout.
What makes Avdija’s defense even more impressive is the fact that he doesn’t have elite physical or athletic tools. He is not particularly long, quick, or athletic. He is just a smart player who plays hard and communicates well. He knows where to be, has quick hands, and great instincts. His ability to guard multiple positions, including smaller guards or bigger centers, provides valuable flexibility and versatility to the Wizards.
Avdija should continue to improve on the defensive end. He will be the go-to guy for the Wizards when it comes to defending opposing superstars. In the past years, Washington entrusted him with guarding the best offensive player on the other team, and this season shouldn’t be any different. And the way Avdija can move his feet, stay in front of people, and not get pushed around easily will continue making him one of the most underrated defenders in the league.
Best passer: Tyus Jones
There is a reason Tyus Jones is in line to get the starting role in the crowded backcourt of the Washington Wizards. He is a master of taking care of the ball and never turning it over. He may not be the flashiest passer but he is nonetheless a creative one.
Jones may have gone under the radar amidst all the transaction and rebuilding buzz in Washington this summer, but he has the chance to be the breakout player for the Wizards in the 2023-24 season. He has consistently been one of the best assist-to-turnover players in the NBA, and now he has the ability to showcase it as a starting point guard for a full season for the first time in his career.
Jones was overqualified as a backup point guard in his four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. He has shown an impressive ability to set the table on offense for his team when he got the chance in Ja Morant’s absences. Now he will have the opportunity to do it for the entire season in Washington. He is arguably the best pick & roll operator on the team, and he will play a huge role in putting Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole in favorable positions to score. He should be able to build a nice pick-and-roll chemistry with Daniel Gafford and get him easy buckets around the basket as well.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Jones were to average around 8 assists next season, and his name is mentioned in the Most Improved Player conversations.
Best shooter: Corey Kispert
This category is perhaps the easiest. Corey Kispert has some competition on the team from the likes of Landry Shamet and Danilo Gallinari, but as one of the most effective three-point shooters in the league, it’s not particularly close. Gallinari especially has had elite shooting seasons in his career and is at 38.2% from downtown in his 13-year career. That is nothing to scoff at. He will have an important role as a floor-spacer and shooter for the Wizards if he is part of the rotation next season.
Kispert, however, is in a different league. He hit 42.4% from three last season on over 5 attempts per game. He has a ton of versatility in his jump shot, he comes off screens, and can shoot it going either direction and while on the move. His off-ball gravity is a serious threat that induces fear in the opposing defense’s hearts. There aren’t many other Wizards players we can say that about.
His track record as a collegiate player only strengthens the argument that Kispert is an elite shooter. He hit over 43% from downtown in back-to-back seasons at Gonzaga and finished his career there as a 40.8% three-point shooter.
Considering his mechanics, soft touch, and elite mid-range and free-throw accuracy, there is no reason to believe that Kispert can’t maintain this elite level of shooting. It would be a major surprise if Kispert didn’t lead the Wizards in three-pointers made and three-point percentage next season.
Most athletic: Bilal Coulibaly
We haven’t seen the rookie on an NBA court yet, but it’s rather obvious that he is already the best athlete on the Washington Wizards roster. The 19-year-old Frenchman is the most electrifying prospect the Wizards had in a long time.
Coulibaly has shown glimpses of his impressive athleticism duringthe Las Vegas Summer League. He has lightning speed in transition,an explosive first step when attacking, and an elite vertical leap when protecting the rim. He has an effortless way of jumping and can easily soar above everyone else at the rim, as proven by his impressiveshot-blockingg. He will undoubtedly have plenty of highlight reel-worthy chasedown blocks this season.
Every opportunity Coulibaly gets on the court, he will surprise fans with his athleticism. He has long strides, quick hands, and elite bounce. He will almost certainly catch NBA players by surprise as well.
He doesn’t have too much competition on the team in this department, either. Two-way players Eugene Omoruyi and Jared Butler are good athletes, and Daniel Gafford has solid bounce and speed for his size, but none of them can reach the raw athletic potential of Coulibaly. He will be a joy to watch all season.
Most underrated: Delon Wright
NBA players who aren’t flashy or athletic, and don’t score a lot of points tend to get underrated. Delon Wright is the perfect description of a player who regularly goes under the radar. He does whatever is necessary for his team to win basketball games, and those things usually don’t show up in the box score. There is a reason the Wizards were 26-24 last season when Delon Wright played and 9-23 when he didn’t.
Wright was one of the most impactful Wizards last season. The team was 6.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the court than off. His impact was most felt on the defensive end, as the Wizards allowed 4.3 points per 100 possessions fewer when he was playing. This is due to his elite defensive playmaking, communication, and effort. He was not only the leader of the bench units, but he also led by example through his hustle, demonstrated by his impressive steal and offensive rebounding numbers.
As a veteran journeyman who played for seven different teams in eight seasons, Wright was never given the attention he deserved as a player. This is mostly due to the unfortunate circumstances of playing in non-contender teams. If the Wizards decide to hold onto him for another year, he will likely have another solid but under-the-radar season. As much as Wizards fans would love to have him around and set an example for the young players, it may be time for him to compete for championships and get the love he deserves.
Best all-around player: Kyle Kuzma
Kyle Kuzma may not be the best shooter, scorer, passer, or athlete on the team, but he is certainly the most complete player of all. Sometimes in the NBA, having no weaknesses is more important than your strengths, and Kuzma has almost no weaknesses. This makes him a very valuable player not only for a rebuilding team like the Washington Wizards but also for a championship contender.
Kuzma’s ability to do a little bit of everything on a basketball court is a skill in itself. 6’9 wings that can handle the ball, pass, shoot, and score while playing solid defense are very rare in the NBA. Kuzma may not do any of these at an elite level, but he is arguably average or above in all of them. He can be a dynamic 6th man on a championship team as he did with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, a solid role player on a playoff team, or a primary option on a young, rebuilding team. He can play various positions and roles with an ability to scale his usage accordingly. This makes him the best all-around player on the team.
Rather surprisingly, Jordan Poole is usually ranked above Kuzma in player rankings. This may be understandable due to his flashier, more creative high-scoring style. But score-first, one-way combo guards are easier to replace than two-way physical wings. Therefore, Kuzma is the best player on the 2023-24 Washington Wizards, and he should only get better as he enters his prime.