3 Wizards who definitely won't be back next season
By Arrick Joel
With Sunday's 132-122 loss to the Boston Celtics in the books, the worst season in Washington Wizards history is complete. The team finished the season with a 15-67 record, four games worse than the franchise's previous worst team. Undoubtedly, there will be changes made this offseason.
General manager Will Dawkins' plan to tear down the existing team and infuse youth into a rebuilt roster is going according to plan. After one season, the Wizards are guaranteed a top-six pick in the draft lottery and are tied for the best odds to land this summer's first overall selection. The last time the Wizards won the first pick through the draft lottery dates back to 2010 when the team selected John Wall from the University of Kentucky.
Focused on the draft, Dawkins will have to open up room on the NBA roster for potential incoming talent. Thankfully, Washington has several impending free agents and players with options due this summer that could be on the move. These three players will certainly see their way out of the District this offseason.
Tyus Jones
The Wizards' biggest upcoming free agent, Tyus Jones' two-year, $29 million contract expired at the end of this season. In his 66 games in Washington, Jones shot a career-high 41.4 percent from three-point range, averaging 12 points and 7.3 assists per game. Tyus exhibited his ability to orchestrate an offense in his first opportunity as a team's everyday starter, which will certainly allow him to command a pay raise in free agency.
However, a back injury held Jones out of play for the Wizards' final 16 games in 2024. Jordan Poole outperformed him in his place, averaging 21.2 points and 7.1 assists per game in 14 starts with Jones out of the lineup. Poole's play over the final month of the season has likely earned him the starting role going forward.
Behind Poole, the Wizards agreed to a three-year contract with Jared Butler, who came up on a two-way contract and took advantage of the opportunity presented by Jones' absence. Butler logged just under 29 minutes off the bench in Washington's final home game of the season, recording the first double-double of his NBA career.
Although the Wizards' offense ran marginally more efficiently with Tyus on the court this season, opponents saw significantly more success against the Wizards when Jones was on defense. Teams increased their offensive rating by 7.7 points when Jones was on the floor, the largest discrepancy for any player on the Wizards. If the team plans to focus on defensive effort, letting Jones walk in free agency this summer is a step in the right direction.