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The Washington Wizards are under new management with Michael Winger taking over basketball operations. After perusing NBA purgatory for years, the new front office wants to take a more long-term approach to building the team. The 2023 NBA Draft will be an important night for Winger and company.
There is one specific position that Washington is rumored to target in the 2023 NBA Draft, their first chance to make a splash. With the eighth pick, the Wizards are “believed to be primarily eyeing guards at this spot,” according to Jeremy Woo of ESPN. It's always tough to tell who will be available that deep in the draft and the Wizards could end up trading up or down. But if they choose to hold onto their original pick, they have a lot of good options.
Anthony Black, the Arkansas product that falls to the Wizards in ESPN's mock draft, has the physical tools and defensive ability to fit in a variety of lineups and schemes. The 6-foot-7 wing/guard can attack the basket and swing the ball to the open very well, though has work to do as a perimeter shooter.
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Another prospect with strong defensive upside is Cason Wallace. The Kentucky point guard is a hound on the defensive end, making life tough for not just everyone he guards but the entire opposing offense. He would fit very well next to Beal as a defensive stopper with playmaking upside, though his shooting is less than ideal.
Michigan's Kobe Bufkin could also interest the Wizards. His ability to score could bolster the Wizards offense and has decent size for a guard at 6-foot-5. The Wizards may also be weary of drafting someone like Bufkin or Wallace over someone like Black, who has more positional flexibility given his impressive size. Regardless, the Wizards will have a lot of directions to consider.
The Wizards looking into guards spells a bit of doom for Johnny Davis, the 10th overall pick from last year's draft. Although it's true that teams need multiple reliable guards, the fact that he didn’t do much as a rookie makes it seem like his lineup spot is not secure. Trading away Bradley Beal could give him more reps as Washington rebuilds slowly. It's not an impossibility but also has to happen before Washington can see where to put Davis and the rookie guard it potentially drafts.
