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Despite trading their two best players this summer, the Washington Wizards aren’t quite ready to enter a rebuilding phase.
According to The Athletic Josh RobbinsThe Wizards aren’t quite in “full rebuild” mode at this point, if that ever happens.
Robbins noted that Wizards officials view the 2023-24 season “as kind of a rejuvenation period” for the entire franchise “to rebuild the culture” that fell apart in recent years when the plan to build around Bradley Beal didn’t work.
“The Wizards will seek to create a culture of competitiveness, a creation of camaraderie and spirit where playing and being together for nine months brings occasional joys and successes as well as the hard lessons learned after losing,” David Aldridge from The Athletic added.
Beal, who signed a five-year, $251 million contract in July 2022, was exchange to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team deal also involving the Indiana Pacers on June 26.
Kristaps Porziņģis was treaty to the Boston Celtics in a three-way trade with the Memphis Grizzlies on June 23.
The Beal-Porziņģis duo averaged 46.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game last season.
Despite impressive numbers, the Wizards remained mired in the same mediocrity that has plagued the franchise for years. They finished 35-47 for the second straight season and were below .500 for the fifth straight year.
In an attempt to move the franchise in a new direction, Michael Winger was hiring as president of Monumental Basketball, giving him full executive authority over the Wizards. The 43-year-old arrived in Washington after spending the previous six seasons as general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers.
While those trades paid off a lot of the money owed to both players, the Wizards didn’t get anything significant by trading Beal. His contract and no-trade clause limited their options, so they got six second-round picks and four first-round pick swaps.
Porziņģis brought back the best asset of either trade when they acquired Tyus Jones from the Grizzlies. The 27-year-old has long held the title of best backup point guard in the NBA during his time in Memphis, playing behind Ja Morant.
Jones averaged a career-high 10.3 points per game and was related with former Wizards point guard Monte Morris having the league’s best assists-to-turnovers ratio last season (5.4).
The wizards also accepted a four years, $102 million He signed Kyle Kuzma to a deal at the start of free agency and averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game in 2022-23.
Washington also helped solidify its offense for next season by acquiring Jordan Poole from the Golden State Warriors for Chris Paul, who was acquired in the Beal trade.
Jones, Kuzma and Poole probably aren’t the foundation of the next great Wizards team, but it’s enough to keep them competitive against enough teams that they don’t completely bottom out right away.
At some point, the Wizards may decide to take a chance on the lottery when the right prospect comes along. For now, though, the wing and general manager Will Dawkins are trying to give the franchise some direction for the first time in a long time.
