The Washington Wizards currently own the second pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and with it, they will have an opportunity to select someone to help them further their rebuild.
Bilal Coulibaly is already in place, and after a solid rookie season, the Wizards should be aiming to snag another top-tier talent to pair alongside him for the foreseeable future.
While there are no Victor Wembanyama-level prospects in this year’s draft class, there are still some players who could help the Wizards greatly improve their future.
Guys like France’s Alex Sarr and UConn’s Donovan Clingan could be of use, and according to a recent report, the Wizards are set to complete another pre-draft workout soon.
Wizards will work out Zacharie Risacher, who was compared to Philadelphia 76ers star Tobias Harris
According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Wizards and San Antonio Spurs will work out potential No. 1 pick Zacharie Risacher of France sometime later in the week.
Went on NBA Today to discuss Bronny James, why he's only worked out for just two NBA teams so far, package deals and which teams that might have interest in him on draft night. pic.twitter.com/6gXMRjz1xo
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 19, 2024
He noted that Risacher completed a workout with the Atlanta Hawks, who own the first-overall pick, on Wednesday and that the Wizards and Spurs are up next.
Risacher’s elite shooting ability and intriguing upside have him toward the top of most big boards, but based on a recent comparison, he may not be quite as good as some think.
Every year, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer does a giant draft board, ranking his favorite prospects in the draft. This year, he has Risacher all the way down at sixth, and he believes his best NBA comparisons are Harrison Barnes and Tobias Harris.
Both are solid players, but if that’s who the Wizards would be getting with the second pick in the draft, it may be best to look in a different direction.
Barnes is a quality role player, but nothing more, and while Harris has likely become underrated at this point because of his massive contract, the entire Philadelphia 76ers has grown to hate him, as he consistently underperformed in the postseason this past year.
All that said, no one really knows what Risacher will become. That’s the point of conducting pre-draft workouts and getting to know players.
But if he’s going to end up being Harris, the Wizards should certainly consider going elsewhere with their selection.