Wizards picking Kyshawn George after trade: Instant reaction & analysis

The Washington Wizards have picked Miami wing Kyshawn George with the No. 24 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and with the selection, they have pulled off a perfect switch-up from the rest of their young core.

Washington acquired the pick in a deal with the New York Knicks. New York sent them the No. 24 pick, and the Wizards sent back picks No. 26 and 51, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic. Perhaps the Wizards really wanted George and decided to move up.

George is a big wing at 6-foot-7, and he’s a proven three-point shooter. He was great from range at Miami and has a smooth stroke that will help the Wizards’ offense slow. Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer compared him to veteran forward Joe Ingles.

After selecting Frenchman Alex Sarr with the second-overall pick and Pittsburgh’s Bub Carrington with the 14th pick, the Wizards now have a solidified young core to work with moving forward.

If they wanted to roll with a full-on youth movement, they could throw out a lineup of Carrington, George, Coulibaly, Sarr, and another young player next year. That’s a great place to start from.

George is an NBA-ready three-point shooter who will instantly space the floor for Coulibaly, Sarr, and Carrington. For Coulibaly and Sarr, that will help clear up driving lanes, and for Carrington, it will provide an outlet while running the offense.

On top of that, George has also shown some skills as a playmaker, which will give the Wizards another guy who could develop into someone who can run their offense.

With Jordan Poole’s questionable decision-making and Tyus Jones’ impending free agency, bringing in ball-handling help was crucial for Washington this summer. They addressed it twice in the NBA Draft.

When the Wizards traded Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the draft, the vision became clear—completely reset heading into the future with a new young core.

On draft night, they took three players with great upside who could develop into impressive NBA players. Sarr is a defensive monster, Carrington shown flashes of being a monster ball-handler, and George is an amazing shooter.

In Coulibaly and Sarr, they have two defensive beasts, and in Carrington and George, they have an outline for an offense that could develop into something fun.