The Washington Wizards have high hopes for their top overall draft pick Tre Johnson heading into his rookie season.
Considering the offensive upside he put on display in Summer League averaging 19.5 points per game, it's easy to understand why.
Johnson has all the tools and talent to be the cornerstone player the Wizards have desperately been searching for since the departure of Bradley Beal and arguably John Wall in a sense.
Looking around the landscape of the league, nearly every team has the luxury of having a No. 1 option on the roster; even other rebuilding squads.
When you look at the Charlotte Hornets, you think of LaMelo Ball.
When the San Antonio Spurs come to mind, so does Victor Wembanyama.
Pelicans? Zion Williamson.
The fact of the matter is, regardless of the abundance of talented players on the roster for the Wizards, the team has struggled to find a player they can turn to when they need a bucket. A 1A alpha who can put the team on his back when the going gets tough.
Jordan Poole could get a bucket in spurts, sure. But putting the team on his back wasn't exactly something Washington felt comfortable doing which offloading him to the New Orleans Pelicans for CJ McCollum all but proves.
Nonetheless, Johnson has shown early signs that he could be the man for the job.
Obviously, that's a heavy burden to put on the shoulders of an incoming rookie but when there's pressure on a player, you'll almost certainly see if they have the ability to take the challenge head on.
Just look at rookie year Jayson Tatum when he led the injured Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The most intriguing part about Johnson's game is his ability to finish plays and get buckets without needing the ball in his hands.
Washington may want to make it a priority to run actions that allow for the Texas product to be freed up on offense with the option to step into his jumper or make a lane to the basket.
Not to say that Johnson can't create his own shot, but the explosiveness of his offensive game make the potential of the threat he can be for the Wizards intriguing.
Regardless of how the Wizards get Johnson the rock, it should be a priority to have him involved heavily from the jump, especially after seeing what he can do in limited time during summer league play.