Are the Washington Wizards having a successful season?
Photo credit: Kelley L Cox- USA Today Sports
The word success means “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”. Success normally correlates to winning, but that is not the factor for the Washington Wizards. Losing is actually successful for the Wizards.
During the 2023 off-season, the Washington Wizards made blockbuster trades, trading away their star players Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis.
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Kristaps Porzingis averaged 22.9 points per game (PPG), 8.5 rebounds per game (RPG), 2.7 assists per game (APG), and 1.5 blocks per game (BPG) in 82 games for the Washington Wizards in his career. Porzingis looked like a star for the Wizards, but the Wizards wanted to go in a different direction and reset completely. Porzingis was traded to the Boston Celtics in a 3-team trade:
Celtics receive:
Kristaps Porzingis (via Wizards)
No. 25 pick in 2023 Draft (via Grizzlies)
2024 first-round pick (top-four protected, via Warriors)
Grizzlies receive:
Marcus Smart (via Celtics)
Wizards receive:
Tyus Jones (via Grizzlies)
Danilo Gallinari (via Celtics)
Mike Muscala (via Celtics)
No. 35 pick in 2023 Draft (via Celtics)
Bradley Beal is arguably one of the best Washington Wizards players of all-time. He averaged 22.1 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 4.1 RPG in 695 games for the Washington Wizards. He also won the scoring title for the Wizards during the 2020-21 season. Beal was known for being one of the most loyal NBA players in the league, but the Wizards had enough of being mediocre and decided to rebuild. The Wizards traded Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in a 3-team trade:
Suns get:
Bradley Beal
Jordan Goodwin
Isaiah Todd
Wizards get:
Chris Paul
Landry Shamet
Bilal Coulibaly (No. 7 pick, via Pacers)
2024 first-round pick swap
2024 second-round pick
2025 second-round pick
2026 first-round pick swap
2026 second-round pick
2027 second-round pick
2028 first-round pick swap
2028 second-round pick
2030 first-round pick swap
2030 second-round pick
Pacers get:
Jarace Walker (No. 8 pick, via Wizards)
Future second-round pick (via Wizards)
Future second-round pick (via Suns)
Both these trades were shocking for everyone because the Wizards are known for being a mediocre team every year and not going all in for the “tank”. Each year, the Wizards have a draft pick around the 9-10 range, which isn’t very beneficial for them, but in 2023, that will not be the case.
This season, the Wizards have a 7-31 record and have the second-worst record in the whole NBA. This means that they will be projected to have the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. The Wizards will be able to draft a top prospect and future cornerstone for the team.
Photo credit: JC Pozo- Olano
Finally, the Wizards have players now who are putting up great stats, which can be future trade pieces for them. For example, Kyle Kuzma averages 19.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 3.8 APG in 168 games for the Washington Wizards. Kuzma has no intention of being on this team. He deserves to be on a contending team. Teams would offer the Wizards multiple first-round picks for the type of player he is. The Wizards would acquire more picks for the rebuild and more young players for their franchise.
In the fan's eyes, the Washington Wizards aren’t having a successful season, but finally, the team is committed to the “tank,” and they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do.