How the Wizards can imitate Indiana's rise: 3 Players to target this offseason

I’ve written a couple of articles recently comparing the maybe-soon-to-be-NBA-champion Indiana Pacers to the Washington Wizards and outlining what the Wizards can learn from Indiana’s newfound success.

I genuinely believe that the way the Pacers have built their team is the perfect blueprint for success in this new era of aprons and parity in the NBA. I also believe the Wizards are uniquely positioned to follow the path that Indiana has charted in the coming years.

I’ve mentioned that I view the Wizards’ core of Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and Bub Carrington as closer to the ensemble cast of role players the Pacers have masterfully assembled than as the All-Star core of a future championship team. Though that may come off as dismissive, I really don’t think it is — I think all three will excel in their future roles.

Here are three stud role players I think the Wizards should target to Pacerfy their roster.

Reed Sheppard

The Houston Rockets selected Sheppard with the no. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, and he was completely marginalized in his rookie year on one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. The Rockets grabbed the number two seed in the Western Conference in their first playoff appearance since 2020, but their reigning no. 3 pick was not a part of that equation.

Sheppard entered the league as a knockdown shooter, but only played a few minutes a game as a rookie and couldn’t buy a bucket. 

If the Rockets do indeed make a blockbuster trade for a player like Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sheppard will almost certainly be a part of the outgoing trade package. The Wizards should either make a move for Sheppard beforehand or get involved in the trade to acquire Sheppard and take on some additional outgoing salary.

Terance Mann

Over the past several seasons, Mann was the LA Clippers’ reliable Swiss Army Knife. He could defend, make plays, and score enough to stay on the floor, and he also single-handedly presided over the best moment in Clippers franchise history. 

He’s a touch expensive (about $16 million per year), and he’s under contract for two more seasons, but I would much rather the Wizards spend money on do-it-all, floor-raising role players like Mann than on borderline NBA players like Richaun Holmes.

The Hawks are the most directionless franchise in the NBA, and whether they initiate a fire sale or go star-hunting, Mann’s $16 million contract is a piece likely to be moved this summer. As they should do with Sheppard, the Wizards should get in on the Terance Mann business as a third team in a larger trade.

Tobias Harris

Hold up.

I know Harris’ reputation is not the most glistening in the NBA. But his veteran presence (among other things) helped the Detroit Pistons rebound from being one of the worst teams in NBA history in 2023-24 to being a playoff team in 2024-25. 

As with the first two trade targets I mentioned, Harris is likely to be on the move this summer if the Pistons decide to go star hunting. Beyond Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart, I don’t really see any of the Wizards’ veteran players filling the “mentorship” role that rebuilt teams like the Pistons and the Indiana Pacers are proving are incredibly important. 

Harris can still play — sure, he disappears for long stretches on the court sometimes, but he would provide so much value to a Wizards team that is not quite looking to “win now,” but certainly needs to start picking up a few more wins after two straight sub-20 win seasons.