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Without Bradley Beal, who is out for the remainder of the season due to wrist surgery, the Washington Wizards seem dead in the water. They are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference at 27-31. There's not much intrigue around the team, especially with their star player out.
It has been hard to find what the Wizards' direction is for a while now. They haven't made a serious push to get significantly better yet refuse to start over from scratch. The organization has shown a desire to be a competitive team despite the team being unable to do so.
While Beal recovers, the healthy Wizards players can all use the remaining games this season to prove they have what it takes to be part of a playoff-caliber core. One player, their marquee midseason addition, stands alone with the most to prove.
The 1 Wizards player with most to prove after 2022 All-Star break
Kristaps Porzingis landed in Washington at the trade deadline after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks. The players that the Wizards traded away for him show that Porzingis' value is relatively low now. Spencer Dinwiddie was already on the trade block and Davis Bertans is on a contract that vastly overpays him.
This season, Porzingis is averaging 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. He is shooting 45.1 percent on field goals and 28.3 percent on 3-pointers. His lack of mobility, playmaking and independent shot creation led to his exile from Dallas. The biggest reason may have been his lack of availability, which he is often getting roasted for.
The Wizards' addition of Porzingis does give them a big man that can shoot and rack up blocks but it is still a major gamble. He wasn't good enough to be Luka Doncic's sidekick, so the odds that he will become a good one for Beal is unlikely.
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However, Porzingis has the chance to accomplish something that he previously hasn't done: lead a team into the playoff picture. Washington sits one game outside of the play-in tournament. Porzingis getting them there would show that he isn't just an injury-riddled stat padder. As a former All-Star, the weight is on his shoulders to lead the team.
Of course, the path to the play-in won't be easy. The teams in front of the Wizards — the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets — are both led by an All-Star point guard and have a better supporting cast than Porzingis will. Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are his best teammates. Porzingis still has injury and inconsistency concerns around him that will likely flare up. Still, Washington will be very close once the season picks up again.
If Porzingis can help the Wizards stay competitive, it'll give the front office much more faith in his abilities. Even if the team around him doesn't step up, Porzingis can help his cause by posting high-scoring games. He should have plenty of chances to do so on a team devoid of scorers.
Will the Wizards securing a play-in tournament spot show that they are finally on the right track? Not at all. Even when Beal returns, it doesn't seem like they will become a bonafide playoff contender. Porzingis, if he plays well enough, may delude the front office into thinking they can still compete for a playoff berth.
Porzingis claimed that he hasn't yet reached his true potential. There's no better time for him to reach that potential. He will have to prove that the Wizards made the right choice to pick him as Beal's eventual co-star and a key building block.
