The Washington Wizards have had an eventful NBA offseason following a first-round playoff loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. They lost in five games and transformed the team through free agency, trades, and the draft. The biggest move was trading star guard Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers and two second-round picks for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22nd pick.
They then flipped the 22nd pick for guard Aaron Holiday and the 31st pick. One of their biggest moves was a sign-and-trade deal for Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie will come to the Wizards on a 3-year deal and be a great player for them. The Wizards' moves have put themselves in a position to make a playoff run this season.
With that said, here are the Washington Wizards 2021 NBA free agency grades for every signing.
Wizards acquisitions:
Spencer Dinwiddie: A+
The Wizards needed to add a point guard to pair alongside star Bradley Beal, and Dinwiddie fits well. They were able to restructure the entire roster well, and the signing of Dinwiddie was perfect. The Wizards signed him to a 3-year $54 million deal, which is a steal of a contract.
Dinwiddie suffered a partially torn ACL early last season but balled out the season prior. During that season, Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points per game along with 6.8 assists. He is a dynamic guard that can play off Beal at a high level. Dinwiddie talked about why he chose to sign with the Washington Wizards in his introductory conference. “It was a place I wanted to go to, being familiar with Beal and his game, matching up both age-wise and play-style-wise,” Dinwiddie said. “It just became a fit that popped on the board pretty recently and I’m blessed to be here.”
“Obviously, free agency is almost like a game of musical chairs,” Dinwiddie said.”I think this year’s market was highlighted by point guards, first and foremost Kyle Lowry, in terms of the unrestricted free agents that could make decisions, and also highlighted by the blockbuster Russell Westbrook. When you look at the game of musical chairs and then possible fits, the Wizards really stood out.”
It's safe to say Dinwiddie is excited to join the Wizards and should be a big part of their future.
Raul Neto: B
Coming off of a career year with the Wizards, Raul Neto resigns on a 1-year minimum contract. Neto was a productive bench guard for the Wizards last season and will look to continue that role. Last season, Neto averaged 8.7 points per game while shooting 39 percent from behind the arc.
This is not a big signing, but Neto will still play a role off the bench for them. He can space the floor and is a good defensive player. Neto showed his defensive worth by getting 1.1 steals per game in only 21.9 minutes.
If Neto has another good season, the Wizards will need to work on inking him to another contract.
The Wizards have had an eventful offseason but only made two signings in free agency. They drafted two players in the first round in Corey Kispert and Isaiah Todd. The Wizards retooled the roster well during the offseason and are bound to have a great 2021-22 season. They are in a tough Eastern Conference, but they are still primed to make a playoff push.
Look for Dinwiddie to be a key addition and help lead the Wizards to the playoffs alongside Beal.
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