The Washington Wizards are days away from their offseason officially beginning, and while there are plenty of moves to come, arguably the most obvious move is for the team to sign rookie standout Julian Reese to a standard deal.
Washington's abundance of young talent on the roster has put the team in a position heading into the coming months where major decisions will be made.
President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger made it clear ahead of the NBA trade deadline that this offseason would be a pivotal time for the team to decide which young players will be a part of the team's long-term future and which prospects could be moved to free up space.
And while some players' future in the DMV may still be up in the air, it's become crystal clear that Reese has already carved out a role on his hometown squad.
Julian Reese deserves a standard deal, Wizards have to find room
It's not every day that a team finds a dominant rebounder in the league, and it certainly doesn't come by way of an undrafted free agent much.
Not to mention, Reese's signing with the Wizards didn't come until February, just over a month before the regular season came to an end.
Averaging an impressive 11.8 points and 11.6 rebounds on an efficient 52.5% shooting from field goal range, while etching his name in the history books more than once over the course of the last month, Reese has made his case to stay on the team beyond this season.
And not only should Reese remain on the team, but he should be promoted from his two-way deal to a standard contract, especially given the upside he's shown to be an impactful player on the boards and the offensive end.
Reese is the perfect complement to Anthony Davis & Alex Sarr
The Wizards' starting frontcourt has essentially solidified with the pairing of Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr heading into next season.
However, the team still has plenty of room for a quality backup big man to emerge, and it's safe to say Reese has done exactly that.
The young forward plays with a chip on his shoulder, and the edge he offers would be the perfect complement to the team's starting frontcourt.
Not only could the undersized big man be an answer for next season, but he could be the perfect developmental piece alongside the rest of the young core moving forward.