Bradley Beal is no longer the face of the franchise. The Washington Wizards are headed for a full rebuild after sending away their frontman to the Arizona desert to join forces with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the Phoenix Suns.
With newly crowned execs Michael Winger, Will Dawkins, and Travis Schlenk serving as D.C.'s brain trust, expect Beal to be the first big domino to fall in what's sure to have a ripple effect on the franchise's next moves. They won't stay still for long.
Here are two (2) big moves the Wizards must make after the Bradley Beal trade to Suns:
Find new homes for Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma
With Bradley Beal gone, it's no surprise that the two remaining parts comprising the Wizards' Medium 3 should soon follow suit.
The goal in Washington is to contend for the league's worst record for the next 2-3 seasons. Employing two players who could conceivably contend for an All-Star team next season won't help that cause one bit.
Kristaps Porzingis was able to rejuvenate his career (and his trade value) thanks to a bounce back second season with the Wizards. He averaged 23.2 points on 49.8 percent shooting from the field – both career highs – which is impressive considering how dynamic he was as a scorer during his time with the New York Knicks. KP is not as agile as he once was but he's still a solid rim-protector and floor-spacer that would be an ideal addition for any would-be contender.
Porzingis has already been cited in trade rumors as a target for several teams looking to make an offseason splash. He may not be the ideal center to defend Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic, but offering up a 7'3″ shot-blocker who made 38.5 percent of his three-point attempts last season should net the Wizards at least some value on the trade block. He has opted into the final year of his contract which pays him just over $36 million. That money could counterbalance against a bad contract that would allow Washington to net some additional draft capital for the years to come.
It's a little more complicated with Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma, at times, looked like the de facto first option in Washington considering Beal missed half the season. His versatile scoring ability (21.2 points per game) and passable playmaking (3.7 assists per game) from the forward spot last season would be an attractive option for teams looking to add frontcourt depth.
The thing is, his own player option was for about a third of Kristaps Porzingis's at $13 million, a figure that he could easily beat on the open market. He'd have to either be re-signed by the Wizards or be part of a sign-and-trade. That's where Winger and co. have to earn their keep and be able to extract value from Kyle Kuzma rather than just watch him walk for nothing.
Replace Wes Unseld Jr. with Wizards' coach of the future
Between Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma's gaudy numbers listed above and Bradley Beal's All-Star status, it's a bit of a head-scratcher that Washington didn't even sniff the playoffs.
They finished six games out of the final play-in spot, tied with the Indiana Pacers and just one game better than the Orlando Magic. Both those teams were destined for the lottery before the season even began. The Wizards tried with all their might to be good, nay, competent and yet ended up in the exact same spot that they finished in a season ago.
Nobody would have mistaken them for contenders, but there was some legitimate talent on their roster. Deni Avdija made strides as an offensive creator. Corey Kispert lived up to his pre-draft expectations as a 42.4 percent outside shooter in his sophomore campaign. Delon Wright and Monte Morris gave them a veteran backcourt that should have allowed Washington to keep their head above water during the games that Beal missed.
Some of that has to fall on Wes Unseld Jr. The 47-year-old son of arguably the greatest player in franchise history could still develop into an above-average coach, but he's clearly not there yet as things stand. His duties during the rebuild would go beyond just coaching the team for wins, but rather aid with player development and talent evaluation.
With the Wizards entering a new era, finding the right man to lead the way in the locker room is pivotal. The Memphis Grizzlies found their man in Taylor Jenkins during the year they drafted Ja Morant, going from lottery team to Western Conference contender. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of the same thing, hiring Mark Daigneault to oversee the team once it handed the keys to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They've improved every year and are poised to contend for a playoff spot next season.
Is Wes Unseld Jr. that guy for the Wizards? What he's shown so far in his first two seasons doesn't exactly evoke confidence that's the case. Given that he wasn't hand-picked by Winger and friends, expect his leash to be tighter than normal.
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