What should the Wizards do this offseason?

[Mike lorenzo]

I love these threads and I love your ideas...helping see other teams' perspectives...
Wizards immersed in the beginning of what seems like a long reconstruction... what should they do this offseason...? they get selection n2

[Dan Z]

Draft the best available player (they need all the help they can get) and see if they can move on from Poole. Also, see if there's a decent trade for Kuzma.

[GoBobs]

Draft talent, and try to get mature guys so you build some sort of culture. Follow the OKC model where you can. Tanking moves from the front office are fine, but coach and players should be trying to win every game.

[NYG]

Kispert and Kuzma for Giddey and 1st?

[penbeast0]

Draft the best available player (they need all the help they can get) and see if they can move on from Poole. Also, see if there's a decent trade for Kuzma.

Kuzma fine, I don't think his value will increase significantly. Poole, no. After his past year, his value is at an all-time low. He is still young and talented enough to turn it around (as indeed he has since being moved to the 1 under new Coach Brian Keefe). I'm definitely in favor of moving him eventually as undersized selfish gunners who play no defense are not an archtype I care for, but not at this point. Asset acquisition should still be our primary goal.

Kuzma and Kispert for Giddey and a 1st would seem a possibility if OKC were indeed to offer it.

[drosestruts]

The Wizards are not only bad, they're often labeled as unserious and not competitive (yes I'm aware they just beat my Bulls the other night).

I'm a big believer in continuous losing creates a losing mind-set that can be hard to get out of.

The Wizards not only need an infusion of talent, they need an infusion of competitive spirit and leadership.

Draft:

#2 - Zaccharie Risacher
#25 - Terrence Shannon Jr (tournament performance could see his draft stock rise, but people undervalue upperclassmen)

Free Agency:

Wizards aren't projected to have cap space but should be able to use all or most of the MLE

And I'd look o bring Russell Westbrook back to Washington to be the point guard and to be a culture setter. This is a guy who always plays hard, and will also look to get these young player involved.

I'd then look to take a flyer on a young big man who could still blossom like James Wiseman and/or Goga Bitadze with the promise of a starting spot to either.


Trades:

Trade with Memphis

Washington in: Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard

Memphis in: Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert

Again, in Smart I'm adding a guy who will help set the culture both on the court and in the locker room.


Final 2024-25 Wizards roster:

Westbrook/Poole
Smart/Shannon Jr/Davis
Coulibaly/Kennard/Baldwin
Risacher/Avdija/Cooks
Wiseman/Holmes/Bagley

French Connection on the wings between Coulibaly and Risacher. Another shot for Wiseman with guards who like to get their big man involved. Veteran leaders who play hard in Westbrook and Smart. An older rookie in Shannon Jr who should be able to contribute immediately.

Avdija admittingly gets a little buried here - think there's the opportunity for him to go full point-forward with the second unit.

Could see a jumbo young lineup at times of Shannon-Coulibaly-Avdija-Riscaher-Wiseman

That would be my plan. Is Westbrook going to drastically impact winning? Recent history would say no, but I do think he'll have an impact on the team's identity and how hard they play. Instill that now then as guys like Coulibaly and Risacher develop and grow - watch out.

[theBigLip]

Step 1: get a Time Machine and get the 2022 Playoff version of Jordan Poole

Seriously, no point in trading him w his value at an all time low. Don’t waste assets getting rid of him. Duncan Robinson was a negative contract last year and now he’s far from that. At least wait until he’s a neutral contract.

Nothing specific here, but just but keep acquiring good young assets and don’t take on long money. After losing for a couple of years, you’ll have cap space and a good young core. Then go get some studs to add to your core.

Just don’t anticipate winning many games in the next few years.

[jayjaysee]

Trade Kuzma. Get Jones to agree to a front loaded 4 year deal, hope he’s a vet mentor that helps Bailey/Zacc develop and Bilal/Deni... Or at worst he’s a nice trade asset.

Kispert is traded if he’s worth trading, I’ll take back a bad salary to get a better return. there’s probably a deal there.

Deni the asking price would be really high. Yeah, half his value comes from a bargain contract that is wasted on a tanking team.. But I’ll add 30-40 million to the last year and make another bargain contract out of him.

[JustBuzzin]

Trade for Lamelo

Kuzma/2 future 1st rd picks

[Mike lorenzo]

I came to publish this Kuzma for Giddey...later I would select Sarr..Sign Fultz as a local boy and leader. (I suppose much cheaper than Tyus) although very open to facilitating an ST.....

Sarr/Bagley
Avdija/Baldwin
Koulibaly/Kispert
Poole/Davis
Giddey/Fultz


Alternatively, what would an unprotected Beal +FRP 31 return look like for Poole/Kuzma?

[Dan Z]

Draft the best available player (they need all the help they can get) and see if they can move on from Poole. Also, see if there's a decent trade for Kuzma.

Kuzma fine, I don't think his value will increase significantly. Poole, no. After his past year, his value is at an all-time low. He is still young and talented enough to turn it around (as indeed he has since being moved to the 1 under new Coach Brian Keefe). I'm definitely in favor of moving him eventually as undersized selfish gunners who play no defense are not an archtype I care for, but not at this point. Asset acquisition should still be our primary goal.

Kuzma and Kispert for Giddey and a 1st would seem a possibility if OKC were indeed to offer it.

That's why I said decent value in regards to Kuzma. He's not bad, but he's not the future of the team.

As for Poole I agree that the Wizards should try to up his value, but even if they do I doubt they'd get much more than neutral value. My two cents is they should move on if it doesn't cost them much. He's not somebody I see working well with developing young players.

[penbeast0]

The Wizards are not only bad, they're often labeled as unserious and not competitive (yes I'm aware they just beat my Bulls the other night).

I'm a big believer in continuous losing creates a losing mind-set that can be hard to get out of.

The Wizards not only need an infusion of talent, they need an infusion of competitive spirit and leadership.

Draft:

#2 - Zaccharie Risacher
#25 - Terrence Shannon Jr (tournament performance could see his draft stock rise, but people undervalue upperclassmen)

Free Agency:

Wizards aren't projected to have cap space but should be able to use all or most of the MLE

And I'd look o bring Russell Westbrook back to Washington to be the point guard and to be a culture setter. This is a guy who always plays hard, and will also look to get these young player involved.

I'd then look to take a flyer on a young big man who could still blossom like James Wiseman and/or Goga Bitadze with the promise of a starting spot to either.


Trades:

Trade with Memphis

Washington in: Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard

Memphis in: Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert

Again, in Smart I'm adding a guy who will help set the culture both on the court and in the locker room.


Final 2024-25 Wizards roster:

Westbrook/Poole
Smart/Shannon Jr/Davis
Coulibaly/Kennard/Baldwin
Risacher/Avdija/Cooks
Wiseman/Holmes/Bagley

French Connection on the wings between Coulibaly and Risacher. Another shot for Wiseman with guards who like to get their big man involved. Veteran leaders who play hard in Westbrook and Smart. An older rookie in Shannon Jr who should be able to contribute immediately.

Avdija admittingly gets a little buried here - think there's the opportunity for him to go full point-forward with the second unit.

Could see a jumbo young lineup at times of Shannon-Coulibaly-Avdija-Riscaher-Wiseman

That would be my plan. Is Westbrook going to drastically impact winning? Recent history would say no, but I do think he'll have an impact on the team's identity and how hard they play. Instill that now then as guys like Coulibaly and Risacher develop and grow - watch out.

This is seriously awful.

(a) Wasting cap space on Russell Westbrook is just that, a waste. His value at his age is just decreasing if he has any. He doesn't teach good habits other than playing hard but is still a guy who tries to make up for bad judgment with great athleticism and it's getting harder and harder.

(b) I don't object to trading Kuzma and Kispert but at least get either better or younger. You have Smart playing in a lineup with no scorers (Westbrook isn't the guy you want taking as many shots as he did in OKC) which wastes his abilities. You have aging guards instead of developing the younger guys we have and building their trade value. And, you have little to no spacing around Westbrook as neither Smart nor the guys you have at forward are guys who can draw out a defense.

(c) Risacher is a slender teenager projected to be a 2/3. Coulibaly similarly (and a bit shorter). Avdija is easily the team's best player, defensive anchor, and an efficient #2/3 scorer considering his situation (neither Kuzma nor Poole are exactly pass first types), he would be starting and the rookie would be 6th man.

(d) Wiseman has been a major bust everywhere he's gone. Holmes and Bagley both outplay him easily. You want to create a winning culture, don't put guys who don't understand how to play at the NBA level at the 4 and 5, that's a recipe for disaster.

[zimpy27]

Take on bad money when other teams need it.
Continue to be bad.
Get a top pick in 2025 draft.

[pad300]

A question
Pretty much all of the above proposals have Tyus Jones not resigned. Do people think he will not be open to resigning with the Wizards? (Or do you think that he's just not good enough to be worth resigning?)

[HartfordWhalers]

You really need to choose, go for a gut it this ugly for a few years and stack draft picks high up, or keep as much veteran buttressing as you can.

If you are win or bust, then I see the gut it down. Trade at least 2 of Gafford, Deni, Kuzma, and yes even Deni. Get bad and don't apologize. Sixers style, with all the warts. Trade anything for future anything as a rule.

On the other hand, only 1 team can even win it each year, and empty arenas follow 15 win teams. So, if you are happy to cash the checks from a 32-35 win team, then you would want to keep those 3, re-sign Tyus to what it takes, and maybe you even hit 31 wins next season.

[drosestruts]

You really need to choose, go for a gut it this ugly for a few years and stack draft picks high up, or keep as much veteran buttressing as you can.

If you are win or bust, then I see the gut it down. Trade at least 2 of Gafford, Deni, Kuzma, and yes even Deni. Get bad and don't apologize. Sixers style, with all the warts. Trade anything for future anything as a rule.

On the other hand, only 1 team can even win it each year, and empty arenas follow 15 win teams. So, if you are happy to cash the checks from a 32-35 win team, then you would want to keep those 3, re-sign Tyus to what it takes, and maybe you even hit 31 wins next season.

Confused how the Wizards would be doubling their win total while largely keeping the same team?

[mhd]

They owe a pick to the Knicks that is top 12 protected this year (no way it conveys this year), top 10 next year, and top 8 the year after that. If it doesn't convey in 2026, then they owe two 2nds instead. They are not going to be good intentionally for the next two years because of this liability.

Just stay the course and pick up as many assets as possible. Every move they have made since new management came in has resulted in at least one draft pick coming in. That is the goal. If teams need a dumping ground for bad contracts, take them.

Kuzma is fine as a guy who takes the load off of everyone else. His contract is declining, so he'll never have bad value. If not, keep him as a guy who takes the pressure off of everyone else. By all accounts, he likes being in DC and the team likes him as a vet.

[JRoy]

Draft well. Try to rehab the value if Poole and Kuzma and move both if possible without having to add much.

[penbeast0]

A question
Pretty much all of the above proposals have Tyus Jones not resigned. Do people think he will not be open to resigning with the Wizards? (Or do you think that he's just not good enough to be worth resigning?)

I was a big advocate of resigning Tyus to an overmarket but declining contract to create a trade piece down the line but with Jordan Poole shooting above league average since being moved to PG, Tyus becomes a bit less important and down the line, he's not a central piece like Avdija, Coulibaly, or this year's 1st. If we sign him, it's with the intent to trade him if a good offer comes and that may not be what he's looking for.

[nate33]

The Wizards are not only bad, they're often labeled as unserious and not competitive (yes I'm aware they just beat my Bulls the other night).

I'm a big believer in continuous losing creates a losing mind-set that can be hard to get out of.

The Wizards not only need an infusion of talent, they need an infusion of competitive spirit and leadership.

It has only been one year of pathetic play. Panicking and trying to win-now is exactly what they should NOT do. Particularly when the next draft has Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey.

I think they genuinely wanted to win more this year - like 25-30 wins. They just didn't expect such a spectacular flame out by Poole. But I'm sure the plan all along has been to tank in the 2024-25 season and that's exactly what I expect them to do. There is absolutely no chance they sign a guy like Westbrook.

The Wizards are going to do exactly what a team in this position should do. They'll look to trade their vets for future picks. They'll look to take on bad salary in exchange for picks. And they're going to play their young guys and tank.