Crafting the Washington Wizards' ideal 5-man starting lineup after the trade deadline

PG: Marcus Sasser

The Detroit Pistons selected Sasser with the 25th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The point guard out of Houston has initially impressed with his play at the beginning of the season but fell out of favor as Detroit started playing their veterans more to chase that elusive win during their longest losing streak in NBA history.

Sasser is an intriguing point guard prospect who can run the pick-and-roll, shoot off-the-dribble or off-the-catch, and make plays for his teammates. Considering how little he plays for the Pistons now, he should be acquirable for the Wizards, and he would be an excellent and younger replacement for Tyus Jones.

SG: Bilal Coulibaly

One change that definitely needs to happen post-deadline in Washington is Coulibaly moving into the starting lineup. Despite the 19-year-old rookie thriving off the bench, the Wizards need to see what he is capable of in a larger role. Playing against starters would give Coulibaly more of a chance to guard the best players, while also getting reps running offense against better defenses. The second half of the season should be about exploring the studio space for Coulibaly and starting him gives him the best chance to do so.  

SF: Deni Avdija

Avdija’s role as the starting small forward should stay the same after the deadline. He is still 22 years old and has shown intriguing development this season. His shooting cooled off after a hot start, but he is still a much better finisher and an overall more efficient player this season. After the trade deadline, the Wizards should give him the ball more and see what he can do running the offense.