Three Decisions That Impacted The Wizards This Season
Looking back on the Wizards season, here were some critical decisions that the team made.
Re-Signing Three Time All Star Bradley Beal.
This decision by both the Wizards and Beal answered two questions many had been asking for some time.
1. Did the Wizards view Beal as their leader of the current and future? Yes, obviously given the contract.
2. Did Bradley Beal want to stay in Washington? Yes. Beal has said publicly on many occasions he wanted to stay in the District.
Trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (KCP) and Ish Smith to the Denver Nuggets for Monte Morris and Will Barton.
The Wizards Waived Will Barton in February. Barton went on to finish his season with the Toronto Raptors. KCP and Ish Smith will be playing in the Western Conference Finals with their new team. It’s safe to say this trade did not work out as Washington would have hoped. Not that anyone did not want KCP and Ish to find success in their new homes, but to not even make the playoffs while two traded players in this season are in the Western Conference finals has to sting just a bit.
Well, make that three traded players in this season.
Trading Rui Hachimura to the Lakers for Kendrick Nunn and draft picks
Hachimura (along with Troy Brown Jr) will be facing a few of his former teammates in this year’s Western Conference finals. After the Hachimura trade occurred, the Wizards President/General Manager Tommy Sheppard told NBC Sports Washington sideline reporter Meghan McPeak during an interview that a big reason for the Hachimura trade involved the need for Deni Avdija to see the court more and get more minutes.
The overall question is: Did any of the above decisions make the Wizards better?
The new GM will have their hands full with trying to course correct on a year where critical decisions did not reflect immediate success for the Wizards.
Also read:
There are 15+ Former Wizards That Made The 2023 Playoffs
Tommy Sheppard Released As Wizards President and General Manager
