Washington Wizards Report Cards for the First Trimester

Starters

Kyle Kuzma: A-

Despite having a larger role than ever in his career, Kyle Kuzma has stepped up his game this season. With a career-high usage rate of 31.5%, he is having his most efficient season with 56.3% True Shooting. He has increased his assist percentage to a career-high 21.9% while lowering his turnover rate. He is shooting the best percentages of his career from all over the court, resulting in an impressive stat line of 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.

He has been a good team leader, communicating with his teammates, playing hard, and taking responsibility for the Wizards’ struggles. If he played better in the clutch, this grade would have been even higher.

Jordan Poole: F

Unlike Kuzma, Jordan Poole has failed to thrive in an increased role. Even though the Washington Wizards thought of Poole as one of their leaders and go-to scorers, he hasn’t stepped up to the challenge. In fact, his efficiency took a dive as he is shooting the worst percentages of his career since his rookie season from two, three, and the free-throw line. His assist rate has gone down significantly while having a career-high turnover percentage.

Poole was widely expected to average over 25 points per game and play at a near All-Star level as a Wizard. He is so far from both of those goals that any grade other than an F would be difficult to justify.

Deni Avdija: B+

Avdija has started the season hot but slowed down over the last two weeks. He has still been one of the more consistently productive Wizards this season. Averaging career-best points and assist averages, Avdija is much improved in all aspects of scoring. He is a better finisher, three-point shooter, and free-throw shooter. As a result, he has above-league-average True Shooting for the first time in his career. His individual defense is still solid, but he hasn’t been able to impact the overall team defense positively yet.