The Washington Wizards are in the midst of a rebuild. They have three first-round picks in 2024 and have a plan to develop each into a basic element. Washington hopes Alex Sarr becomes a superstarbut the franchise is still far from being able to compete with the Wizards. The Wizards are focusing on developing talent and accumulating assets.
Management is getting creative with its roster. It acquired Malcolm Brogdon in the Deni Avdija trade. The Wizards signed Jonas Valanciunas as a free agent and aren’t afraid to add veterans who can help their young talent develop. There are also hidden opportunities to find undervalued talent.
They took their photo on August 28 by signing of Kira Lewis Jr., Leaky Black and Jaylen Nowell to expose 10 contracts. These are practically invitations to training camp with a bonus to remain with the Wizards G League franchise if they are released. These risk-free moves have brought a former lottery pick to the nation’s capital for what could be his last chance in the NBA.
The 13th overall pick in 2020 had a rough start in the NBA. The 6-foot-1 point guard is small and struggled defensively when he arrived. The Pelicans hoped his speed would be enough to cause him problems, but that wasn’t the case. Lewis Jr. has battled injuries, including a torn ACL in 2021, and hasn’t played more than 54 games in a season.
The 23-year-old was traded three times in three weeks around the 2024 deadline, going from New Orleans to Indiana to Toronto to Utah. The 6-foot-1 point guard has had limited opportunities at each stop, but he still has potential. He’s never going to be a starter. The Wizards are hoping they can turn him into a valuable rotation option.
In 2023, Lewis Jr. produced a 0.1 Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) and a 0.122 win share per 48 minutes, which is well above the league average of 0.100. That was in just 25 games and just 235 minutes, but it shows his potential.
Tyus Jones left in free agency and the Wizards need a point guard. They got Brogdon, but the veteran could be moving on to a new team before the deadline and has serious injury concerns. Rookies Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr will join Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole as the team’s other primary creators. Carrington is the closest thing to a traditional point guard and Washington could definitely use some creativity.
Lewis Jr. will have the opportunity to land a backup point guard role, but his first four NBA seasons should raise plenty of doubts.
The Washington Wizards took three risk-free chances to round out their training camp roster. All three are 25 or younger and have shown promise. Kira Lewis Jr. was a lottery pick just four years ago. The Wizards hope he improves significantly, but there’s no risk if they have to cut him short. It’ll be up to the 6-foot-1 point guard to prove he’s ready to play a regular role in the NBA.
