The Washington Wizards made numerous moves in free agency, but they were quiet ones. They landed Ish Smith and Isaiah Thomas for their backcourt, traded for Davis Bertans, and retained young big man Thomas Bryant.
None of those acquisitions moved the needle for a Wizards team that is in desperate need of meaningful change.
Washington won just 32 games this past season as John Wall missed most of the year after tearing his Achilles. Bradley Beal was essentially a lone wolf; the Wizards didn't have any other bright spots.
Now, Washington is entering a 2019-20 campaign that could either represent the first year of a rebuild or a completely lost season.
Here are three questions remaining for the Wizards after free agency:
3. What are They Trying to Do?
What is the Wizards' goal for next season? Is it to fight for a playoff spot? Is it to make some trades and eventually tank? Is it to just see where the wind takes them like this past year?
Washington made a change at general manager this offseason, parting with Ernie Grunfeld and naming Tommy Sheppard its new GM, but whether Sheppard will bring much change remains to be seen.
The Wizards have been going through the motions ever since falling to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs in 2017. They declined in 2018 and didn't even make the playoffs in what was a disastrous season this past year.
At some point, Washington is going to have to choose a direction, and I'm not sure the Wizards have done that yet.
2. What's Next for John Wall?
Wall has been the face of the franchise for the Wizards since 2010, but after suffering a torn Achilles last year and with $171 million coming to him over the next four years, you have to wonder what's next for the former All-Star.
The 28-year-old already saw some of his shine come off during a disappointing 2017-18 campaign in which he played just 41 games and saw the Wizards get bounced in the first round. Now, Wall has plunged into the depths of irrelevance.
Chances are, no team will be willing to take on his contract after such a horrific injury. If or when he eventually returns to the floor for Washington next season, it's debatable how effective he'll actually be.
Let's remember that Wall relies almost exclusively on his speed and explosiveness, and after an Achilles tear, he almost surely won't have the same type of athletic ability anymore.
1. Will the Wizards Trade Bradley Beal?
Trading Beal is something the Wizards should absolutely do. He still has two years remaining on his deal, so he will have plenty of value, and Washington needs to blow it up.
It's obvious the Wizards are going nowhere fast with this current core, which was never that great to begin with. The best solution would be to trade Beal at the peak of his value (which is right now), recoup a bunch of assets, and start a rebuild.
That is the only way Washington is going to move forward while being saddled with Wall's contract. Otherwise, most of the Wizards' money will be going to Wall and Beal, and they will rinse and repeat.
Of course, just because Washington should trade Beal doesn't mean it will.
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