About two weeks in the past “a good friend” of mine from the 202 ran into ESPN’s Zach Lowe at a bar outdoors his Harlem condo. Inevitably, “my good friend” ruined the temper by referring to the Washington Wizards, compelling Lowe to droop over. To say it was a vibe killer is an understatement. I’ll neither affirm nor deny that I’m the nameless Wizards stan, however that’s irrelevant.
But when that’s what the mere point out of the Washington Wizards can do to a basketball junkie, simply think about how damaging it’s for the psyche of a complete era of town’s inhabitants. It’s sufficient to fracture even essentially the most steady psyche. This offseason the Wizards jettisoned the final vestiges of the Ernie Grunfeld government tree by firing his former deputy, Tommy Sheppard.
The Wizards are bottoming out. Washington is unhealthy this season. They’re taking part in at a breakneck tempo with essentially the most immature roster since Javaris Crittenton and Gilbert Arenas’ locker room excessive -oon showdown. Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma are firing at will, placing dents within the rim and taking part in sloppier protection. With one eye skilled on Washington’s ghastly lineup, the eyes of one of many league’s most hopeless franchises is targeted on the decrease rungs of basketball.
Sadly, Washington is tanking for the improper draft. In contrast to 2023’s version, the 2024 NBA Draft is devoid of a generational expertise on the prime. Shepherd may have traded Beal earlier than the 2022 commerce deadline, however selected to take a position a long-term contract in Beal, then waited till he and Kristaps Porzingis had helped them win simply sufficient video games to finish up within the mushy center between lacking the play-in AND averted placing themselves in place to to win the draft lottery. Every week after the draft, his successor traded Beal to Phoenix for belongings which they flipped into Poole.
Three developments this week forged an excellent longer shadow over the Wizards longer than the Victor Wembanyama’s. One was the aforementioned Wembnayama scoring 38 on Phoenix, the opposite was Washington getting run off the ground by the Philadelphia 76ers. The 146-128 loss dropped the Wizards to 1-5, with their lone loss coming in opposition to the winless Memphis Grizzlies.
The very last thing was ESPN’s chief draft analyst,Jonathan Govony dropping his prime 25 rating of 2024 prospects. Any one of many prime 10 prospects may wind up being the perfect participant within the class. Nonetheless, that’s the very last thing you need to hear in case your’re a franchise with a cataclysmic draft historical past over the past decade.
Right here’s a sampling of the clunkers Washington has drafted within the final decade:
Regardless of drafting within the lottery on a number of events, Washington’s prime picks in that interval embrace Tomáš Satoranský, Otto Porter, Kelly Oubre, Troy Brown Jr., Rui Hachimura, Deni Avidija, Corey Kispert, Johnny Davis and Bilal Coulibaly. Except for Coulibaly, who is barely six video games into his skilled profession, the earlier regime’s observe document skips like broken vinyl. Shepherd’s final lottery choose, Johnny Davis, resembles a two-way contract benchwarmer. The specter of drafting a stinker one 12 months after opting out of the sweepstakes for the perfect two-way prospect in 40 years may be very actual.
The great thing about preseason rankings is that they’ve the potential to vary. Previous to the 2018-19 faculty basketball season, no person may have seen Ja Morant coming. Washington is in want of the same draft riser who can separate themselves from the pack.
Givony’s prime prospect, Ron Holland, isn’t even taking part in faculty basketball this season. As a substitute, he’ll be suiting up for the G League Ignite alongside Matas Buzelis. And as we’re studying from Scott Henderson’s tough begin, assessing NBA readiness in opposition to G League competitors is a dangerous endeavor. USC level guard Isaiah Collier could possibly be the primary level guard taken, however he doesn’t even have the perfect identify recognition of anybody on their roster. That may be Bronny James, who’s extra notable for his dad’s contributions to basketball than his personal sport.
Kentucky ought to discipline one among its most enjoyable one-and-done rosters in a decade. Ahead Justin Edwards, heart Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner and Rob Dillingham are all prime 25 blue chippers. Edwards tasks because the superior prospect, however he’ll be 20 in December and will additionally wind up smacking up in opposition to his ceiling because the second-coming of RJ Barrett.
Purdue’s Zach Edey is the top-returning participant, however he’ll even be a 7-4, 22-year-old stiff subsequent 12 months, who tasks as a second-round choose. The Participant of the 12 months shortlist contains a bevy of John Doe’s, whereas FAMU is extra of school basketball’s inspirational Ted Lasso spinoff than an incubator for higher echelon particular person expertise. Alex Sarr could possibly be the highest huge man in 2024, however he’s taking part in off-Broadway for Perth within the Australian NBL. I
t could be a disgrace to spend a 12 months watching Poole lob backboard alley-oops in transition throughout double-digit losses just for the Wizards to whiff once more. This franchise and its fanbase have skilled sufficient trauma.
Observe DJ Dunson on X: @cerebralsportex
