It’s no secret that the Washington Wizards had a historically horrible season. To go along with the 15-67 record, they finished within the NBA’s bottom five in both offensive and defensive ratings.
With those numbers, they will have to address a lot of issues this summer. However, in order to fix them, the front office will have to examine the Wizards’ current roster.
The defensive issues might not need much addressing. Bilal Coulibaly, the Wizards' No. 7 draft pick in 2023, has already given them hope, as he proved he can be a great defender. Despite facing a wrist injury in March, he finished sixth on the list of total blocks by a rookie with 48.
As for offense, there are a few question marks. This year, small forward Kyle Kuzma was led the Wizards in scoring with an average of 22.2 points a night. Shooting guard Jordan Poole, who they acquired from the Golden State Warriors prior to the season, contributed with 17.4 points. But he was faced with harsh scrutiny due to his inability to remain consistent.
Taking into account Poole’s recurring offensive struggles, Washington might want to consider viewing the large range of shooting guards available in the offseason market.
Wizards should target Klay Thompson or Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason
The main offensive factor the D.C. team struggled with this season was 3-point shooting. One player they can realistically acquire to fix this issue is Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
Throughout his 11-year career, Hardaway executed his position as a role player with his high-level 3-point shooting. During his time with the Mavericks and his two former teams, New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks, he was an essential piece of the respective benches.
Although he never won a Sixth Man of the Year, he finished within the top ten spots of the award’s voting polls three times.
His shooting from distance was huge for the Mavericks in this year’s Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics. Though Dallas lost 4-1, Hardaway was praised for his 3-point shooting as he recorded five 3-pointers in the 178 minutes he played off the bench, most of them being catch-and-shoot situations. He finished with a percentage of 41.7%, the highest of any playoff series he played in his career.
With Poole unlikely to be traded or moved to a reserve role, Hardaway would be an excellent addition to a Wizards bench that finished 19th in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage with 34.6%.
Another choice, though unlikely to occur, would be Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson. As of right now, Thompson and the Warriors are unable to see eye-to-eye which could result in the five-time All-Star departing to another team.
With the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers being the front-runners to grab him, it puts Washington out of the equation. But if a miracle happens and they are able to sign Thompson, he would be another player who could stretch the floor.
With a fairly new front office and a head coach, the Wizards could be making major changes this summer.