Welcome to IAI Sports! And welcome to the 2022-23 NBA Season!
To begin the season, we will be running through each NBA team and analysing what they’ve done throughout the off-season. Each article will start off with an introduction, telling a story of how this team is where they are at today. We quickly delve into the results of the 2021-2022 NBA season, before diving into the off-season in’s and out’s.
From there, we go into depth discussing some of the important rotation pieces for the upcoming season, before finishing with a quick analysis of a team’s win totals and a full conclusion of why this team has completed these moves, what their win total will be, and my own predictions of breakout players and what to expect from this team. It’s a season preview series with the purpose of getting you up-to-date with what has happened throughout the league.
A season preview of each of the 30 teams will be released, leading up to the beginning of the NBA season. All data and information included in these articles have been gathered from Basketball Reference, NBA.com and ESPN.
Today’s team is the Washington Wizards – a team hoping to break though and become a consistent contender in the playoffs.
Introduction
The Washington Wizards franchise has seen better days. In its first 27 years of existence, the Bullets/Wizards reached the playoffs in 20 of those seasons, winning their one and only championship in 1978. Since 1989, the franchise has made the playoffs 10 out of 34 seasons, and have not reached the Eastern Conference Finals since their NBA Finals loss in 1979.
The Wizards have been on the precipice of irrelevance for decades now. There was a brief 4 season window, from 2005 to 2008, led by Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, where the Wizards broke through and reached the playoffs, but never got as far as the 2nd round. Controversy surrounding Arenas ultimately broke the team and caused the Wizards to fall back into yet another rebuild.
With the 1st overall selection of the 2010 draft, the Wizards selected John Wall. Two years later, they brought in Bradley Beal with the 3rd overall selection. And the year after that, the Wizards used another 3rd overall pick to bring in Otto Porter Jr. This young trio, along with Trevor Ariza, Nene, Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris, got the Wizards back into the postseason four of the next five seasons, helping the franchise achieve three 2nd round appearances. But they couldn’t take the next step, losing to the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors across their 4 playoff matchups.
From there, the team began to crumble. Injuries to Wall and Porter Jr forced the Wizards hand, trading them both to the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls respectively. The team did what they could by retooling around Beal (who had ascended to an All-Star level of play) by taking on Dwight Howard (for 9 games) and bringing in Russell Westbrook in the John Wall trade.
The Beal and Westbrook duo got the Wizards another playoff run, finishing the 2021 season with a 34-38 record and sneaking in as the 8th seed. Despite Westbrook having another statistically significant season (22.2 points, 11.5 rebound and 11.7 assists per game) and Beal being 2nd in the league for scoring (31.5 points per game), they were no match for the Philadelphia 76ers, losing the series in 5 games.
Last Season
The Wizards made a massive trade during the off-season prior to the 2021-22 season. In a complex 5-team trade, the Wizards sent Russell Westbrook to the LA Lakers and got back Spencer Dinwiddie from the Brooklyn Nets, Aaron Holiday and Isaiah Todd from the Indiana Pacers, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell from the Lakers. The Lakers really wanted to pair Westbrook with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, so the Wizards were able to acquire depth pieces in order to facilitate that move.
With this makeshift roster, the Wizards got out to a really hot start, getting to a 13-7 record and the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference. They were even the #1 seed at one point, before the Nets overrun them. From there however, it started to slowly fall apart. By the end of January, the Wizards were sitting outside of the playoffs with a 23-26 record. To make matters worse, Beal would be ruled out for the rest of the season due to a wrist injury. Changes, once again, needed to be made.
Three trades were made at the trade deadline. They firstly sent Aaron Holiday to the Phoenix Suns. They also moved Montrezl Harrell to the Charlotte Hornets for Vernon Carey Jr and Ish Smith. And finally, they were able to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Dallas Mavericks for Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie. Because Beal would miss the rest of the season, Porzingis played 17 games before the team shut him down. Ultimately, the Wizards finished with a 35-47 record, 12th place in the Eastern Conference, with the 21st ranked offence and 25th ranked defence.
Off-Season
Ins:
Johnny Davis (10th pick, NBA draft)
Yannick Nzosa (54th pick, NBA draft)
Monte Morris (trade with Denver Nuggets)
Will Barton (trade with Denver Nuggets)
Delon Wright (free agency, originally with Atlanta Hawks)
Taj Gibson (free agency, originally with New York Knicks)
Outs:
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade to Denver Nuggets)
Ish Smith (trade to Denver Nuggets)
Raul Neto (free agency, moved to Cleveland Cavaliers)
Thomas Bryant (free agency, moved to LA Lakers)
Tomas Santoransky (free agency)
The off-season for the Wizards was spent bringing in pieces that would complement Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. On draft night, they used their lottery selection to bring in Johnny Davis at 10th overall, while using their 54th pick on draft-and-stash Centre Yannick Nzosa. They brought in two solid rotational pieces in Monte Morris and Will Barton from the Denver Nuggets, whilst also signing Delon Wright and Taj Gibson to fill out their bench. Importantly, Bradley Beal re-signed with the organisation on a 5 year $251m extension.
In the Nuggets trade, the Wizards had to give up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. Raul Neto and Tomas Santoransky were no longer needed in Washington, after the team picked up PG’s Morris and Wright. Neto signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Santoransky remains unsigned. Thomas Bryant signed with the LA Lakers, going after more opportunities for increased playing time.
2022-23 Roster
Starting Five
PG – Monte Morris
| H: 6’2″ | W: 183lbs | Age: 27 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$18.9m | Years Pro: 5 |
Career Averages:
10.5 pts, 2.3 reb, 3.7 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.2 blks, 0.8 to, 48.1%/39.4%/83.0%, 25.2 mins
Averages Last Season:
12.6 pts, 3.0 reb, 4.4 asts, 0.7 stls, 0.2 blks, 1.0 to, 48.4%/39.5%/86.9%, 29.9 mins
2022-23 Projections:
11.6 pts, 2.8 reb, 4.0 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.2 blks, 0.9 to, 48.2%/39.2%/83.9%
Monte Morris is regarded as one of the most trusted backup PGs in the NBA. He’s renowned for having a strong assist-to-turnover ratio, able to facilitate an offence and shoot very well from 3-point range (39.4% for his career). Morris started in place of Jamal Murray last season and performed admirably in the role. He is predicted to do the same here in Washington.
SG – Bradley Beal
| H: 6’4″ | W: 207lbs | Age: 29 |
| Contract:5 yr/$251m | Years Pro: 10 |
Career Averages:
22.1 pts, 4.1 reb, 4.2 asts, 1.1 stls, 0.4 blks, 2.4 to, 45.6%/37.2%/82.1%, 34.8 mins
Averages Last Season:
23.2 pts, 4.7 reb, 6.6 asts, 0.9 stls, 0.4 blks, 3.4 to, 45.1%/30.0%/83.3%, 36.0 mins
2022-23 Projections:
26.2 pts, 4.7 reb, 5.5 asts, 1.0 stls, 0.4 blks, 3.1 to, 46.5%/32.9%/85.7%
When injury free, Bradley Beal is in the upper echelon of elite NBA scorers. When Wall was traded, Beal put the franchise on his shoulders, having consecutive seasons of averaging 30+ points per game in 2020 and 2021. He is a 3-time All-Star and was selected to the All-NBA Third team in 2021. Beal missed the second half of last season due to a wrist injury and struggled to reach his normal efficiency from 3-point range in the games he did play. He signed a massive 5 year/$251m extension over the off-season.
SF - Will Barton
| H: 6’6″ | W: 181lbs | Age: 31 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$14.4m | Years Pro: 10 |
Career Averages:
11.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 2.7 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.4 blks, 1.4 to, 43.3%/35.4%/78.7%, 25.9 mins
Averages Last Season:
14.7 pts, 4.8 reb, 3.9 asts, 0.8 stls, 0.4 blks, 1.8 to, 43.8%/36.5%/80.3%, 32.1 mins
2022-23 Projections:
12.8 pts, 4.4 reb, 3.3 asts, 0.7 stls, 0.4 blks, 1.6 to, 43.3%/36.6%/79.1%
Will Barton was an important starter for the Denver Nuggets last season. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr missing significant time due to injury, Barton was the secondary scorer next to Jokic – using his athleticism and league-average shooting ability to provide support. He’s been a consistent source of offence for the Nuggets for 7 ½ seasons, and will do the same for this Wizards team.
PF - Kyle Kuzma
| H: 6’9″ | W: 221lbs | Age: 27 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$13m | Years Pro: 5 |
Career Averages:
15.6 pts, 6.2 reb, 2.2 asts, 0.6 stls, 0.5 blks, 1.9 to, 44.9%/33.9%/72.3%, 30.4 mins
Averages Last Season:
17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.5 asts, 0.6 stls, 0.9 blks, 2.6 to, 45.2%/34.1%/71.2%, 33.4 mins
2022-23 Projections:
15.8 pts, 7.5 reb, 2.9 asts, 0.6 stls, 0.8 blks, 2.2 to, 45.1%/34.8%/71.6%
Kyle Kuzma thrived away from the spotlight that came with being a Laker player. In his first season with the Wizards, Kuzma showcased a considerably improved defensive rebounding ability – making it more of an emphasis with his positional switch to PF. He was also given more opportunity to have the ball in his hands, achieving a career-high in assists per game (3.5). Kuzma will play a key role as the 3rd guy alongside Beal and Porzingis.
C - Kristaps Porzingis
| H: 7’3″ | W: 240lbs | Age: 27 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$33.8m | Years Pro: 6 |
Career Averages:
18.9 pts, 7.9 reb, 1.6 asts, 0.7 stls, 1.9 blks, 1.6 to, 44.4%/35.3%/82.0%, 30.8 mins
Averages Last Season:
20.2 pts, 8.1 reb, 2.3 asts, 0.7 stls, 1.6 blks, 1.6 to, 45.9%/31.0%/86.7%, 29.0 mins
2022-23 Projections:
19.9 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.2 asts, 0.7 stls, 1.6 blks, 1.5 to, 46.2%/33.8%/85.5%
Kristaps Porzingis is one of the more unique players in the league. Standing 7’3”, he can not only use his height and wingspan (7’6”) to be a rim protector (1.6 blocks per game for his career), but can also shoot from 3-point range. He was elite during his lone All-Star year in 2018 (39.5% on 4.8 attempts per game), but has struggled to remain on the court due to injuries, resulting in a drop in his efficiency. The Wizards hope that Porzingis can remain healthy and be the secondary star alongside Beal.
Backups
G - Delon Wright
| H: 6’5″ | W: 185lbs | Age: 30 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$16m | Years Pro: 7 |
Backup PG Delon Wright is as reliable as they come. Standing 6’5”, he’s a solid perimeter defender, where he can use his height to outmatch smaller PGs and switch to other wing players. Wright is also a trusted offensive general, who is able to facilitate an offence and score from outside. In Atlanta, he was used sparingly as he backed-up Trae Young, but he has the chance to start for the Wizards.
G - Johnny Davis
| H: 6’5″ | W: 196lbs | Age: 20 |
| Contract: 4 yr/$21.9m (RC) | Years Pro: 0 |
The Washington Wizards used their 10th overall selection to bring in combo-guard Johnny Davis. Davis has the chance to be a meaningful piece in the Wizards rotation. He showed at college an ability to score points (19.7 per game last season) and was a very strong rebounder for someone standing 6’5” (8.2 rebounds per game). Davis will need to re-establish his 3-point shooting efficiency, after he lost it with higher volume (30.6% on 3.9 attempts).
F - Deni Advija
| H: 6’9″ | W: 210lbs | Age: 21 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$11.2m (RC) | Years Pro: 2 |
Deni Avdija was one of very few players in the league who played all 82 games last season. Avdija has struggled to translate his 3-point efficiency from Israel to the NBA (38.7% prior to his draft year vs 31.6% for his NBA career). Still 21 years old, Avdija has time to build his game on both sides of the ball, where he can become a go-to option off the bench.
F - Rui Hachimura
| H: 6’8″ | W: 230lbs | Age: 24 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$6.3m (RC) | Years Pro: 3 |
Rui Hachimura has struggled to stay on the court in his first three seasons in the league (averaged 49 games a season). He’s shown himself to be a reliable source of offence (albeit inefficiently), starting every game he played in for his first two seasons. Last season, Hachimura took a step back as the team acquired Kyle Kuzma. It’s going to be an important year for him, as he’s after a new contract and the Wizards will need him to produce off the bench.
C - Daniel Gafford
| H: 6’10” | W: 234lbs | Age: 24 |
| Contract: 4 yr/$42.1m | Years Pro: 3 |
Daniel Gafford has thrived in limited minutes after being traded from Chicago to Washington. He was the starting Centre before Porzingis’ arrival, scoring at an elite efficiency in the paint (69.2% from the field for his career) and maintaining his strong rim protection skills that got him drafted (1.4 blocks per game). He gives the Wizards flexibility with their line-up – he can come in and start next to Porzingis or be a high-level rim protector in backup minutes.
The Rest
11. Corey Kispert (SF)
12. Taj Gibson (PF/C)
13. Anthony Gill (SF/PF)
14. Isaiah Todd (PF)
15. Vernon Carey Jr (C)
T-W. Jordan Goodwin (SG)
T-W.
Season Projections
Sports betting agencies currently have the Washington Wizards win totals sitting at 35.5 wins, 12th best in the Eastern Conference. It’s right where they should be in regards to the hierarchy of their fellow competitors in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are not one of the top teams, and while they do have the Beal-Porzingis duo, they’re not positioned as a rebuilding/developing team. They’re stuck in the middle of the pack – where a play-in spot could be up for grabs.
Conclusion
The Washington Wizards are stuck in that awkward position no franchise wants to be in: neither good or bad. While there’s a chance this roster can take the next step and be in the playoff conversation, a lot has to go right for that to happen.
Draft night for the Wizards was uneventful. Stuck with the 10th pick, they selected Johnny Davis, who has the chance to be a meaningful rotation player from day one. He has a lot to work on (including his outside shot), but projects to be a future 6th man or off-ball guard/forward next to Bradley Beal.
Bringing in a complementary scoring option like Will Barton should give the Wizards offense a much-needed boost. Barton showed in his time with the Nuggets capable of being a starter or coming off the bench. He, alongside Monte Morris, was acquired in a trade with the Nuggets for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. It was one of the rare trades where both teams got what they were after, with the Wizards able to bring in a starter-calibre scorer (Barton) and depth for their PG position (Morris).
Speaking of the PG position, the Wizards starting PG will be chosen by committee, after acquiring Morris and bringing in Delon Wright in free agency. Morris started in the place of Jamal Murray for the Nuggets last season, where he performed admirably as a low turnover facilitator. Wright has been a perennial backup for most of his career, providing solid perimeter defence, combined with the skills to be a trusted floor general. Washington now has two quality complementary options they could run, depending on the situation. As he started last season, Morris should get first crack at the starting gig. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Wright ended up being a better fit next to Beal and Barton on the perimeter.
The biggest question that the Wizards have to face: how can they become a contender in the Eastern Conference? Looking at their off-season, bringing in Barton, Morris, Wright, and re-signing Beal proves that the franchise has the mindset on playoff success. Improvement is needed on both sides of the ball, after the team ranked 21st and 25th for offensive and defensive efficiency last season. The Wizards have to find a way to ascend up these efficiency rankings in order for the team to genuinely be considered to be a playoff contender.
Offensively, having Beal play a full season alongside the gifted floor spacer Kristaps Porzingis should not only give Beal, but his teammates better scoring opportunities. For the Wizards’ sake, Beal has to play a full season, otherwise any thoughts of achieving the playoffs are gone straight away. He’s one of the purest scorers in the NBA, and if he’s not on the court, the Wizards’ offence stagnates badly.
What might be the issue for the Wizards’ is their defence. Porzingis will need to embrace this side of the ball and use his 7’6” wingspan to become an above-average rim protector and go after blocked shots. Additionally, the team do have defensive-minded options that can come in and play starter minutes (such as Wright and Daniel Gafford). Combined, I don’t believe these changed are enough for the Wizards to take massive strides and become playoff contenders. Rather, they’re going to need to be a team that scores their opponents out of the park.
Another issue is their depth, particularly at the Forward position. Kyle Kuzma is a really solid option to have at either forward spot, since he has had the capacity to shoot from the outside, and bring a presence as a rebounder. But the rest of the options available to the Wizards have limitations in their games. Barton is more of a SG than SF, and is not a trusted defender. Rui Hachimura can score, but durability and defence are two big concerns with his game. Deni Avdija is still a developing prospect, while Corey Kispert is more of a shooter. If the Wizards want to take the next step, they will need Barton to play career-best basketball, while see significant strides in one of Hachimura, Avdija, or Kispert.
There’s a chance the Wizards can put everything together and be a playoff contender. But there are so many things that have to go right in order for that to happen. They need Beal and Porzingis to play full seasons, see developments in their SF/PF position, and, over all – improve on both sides of the ball. To add, the Eastern Conference has just gotten so much tougher, with the quality of the teams competing for a playoff spot improving immensely during the off-season. For these reasons, I’m predicting the Wizards to win 35 games this season, and be battling with the New York Knicks for the final play-in tournament spot. If Beal and Porzingis can stay healthy, it will be an interesting watch to see how this duo plays together. I’m expecting Kuzma to play at the level he produced last season, while Hachimura will be the one to take the leap and play high-quality 6th man minutes.