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Draft positioning aside, losing twice in a row to the New Orleans Pelicans (7-29) without Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Brandon Ingram (ankle) isn't ideal from a competitive standpoint. However, Kyle Kuzma, Jared Butler, and Alex Sarr should all give the Washington Wizards' fanbase hope.
Butler had quite the weekend, scoring 17 points (6-of-12 FG, 1-of-3 3Pt) with four rebounds, five assists, and a steal against the Pelicans in Sunday's 110-98 loss just one day after tallying 19 points and five assists in the G League.
#Wizards guard Jared Butler scored 19 points with five assists for the Go-Go today, not even 24 hours after appearing in Washington’s NBA game in New Orleans last night.
He admitted that “it’s a lot…but I play basketball every day, so it’s like going into the office.” pic.twitter.com/sPGAcAxgZj
— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) January 4, 2025
“It's a lot, like lack of sleep,” the Baylor alum admitted after the Capital City Go-Go's (Wizards affiliate's) 123-114 win over the Indiana Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers affiliate) on Saturday. “But I play basketball every day, so it's like going into the office, nothing new.”
Butler also played one minute off the bench in Washington's 132-120 loss in New Orleans on Friday night before flying back to D.C. to play for the Go-Go on Saturday afternoon. That's three games in two cities across three days, which is standard business for an underrated player trying to prove himself.
“The goal is definitely to carve out a role with the Wizards,” Butler assured. “A lot of it is a numbers game and opportunity. In the meantime, just trying to get better as a basketball player.”
Butler certainly got an opportunity on Sunday, as his 20 minutes played tied veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas. This came after averaging 15.5 minutes across eight games in December. His Sunday outing, though, was his highest-scoring of the year in NBA play.
Butler opened up about what his ideal role on the Wizards (6-27) would be.
“Max player,” the former NCAA champion said with a smile. “Nah, honestly, whatever the team needs. I think I'm a very solid point guard, so whatever capacity that looks like on the team, I think I can fill in.”
While Butler isn't on a max deal yet, he still spoke his dreams into existence. The two-way player has constantly bounced between the NBA and G League since the Pelicans drafted him No. 40 overall in 2021, but he's never doubted his scoring or playmaking abilities.
“I can set guys up, I can set the table for guys to get their shots, and I'm also a guy that can get in the paint at will,” Butler said. “That's either to score or to playmake and get guys easy shots…Whatever the team needs at the moment is what I focus on.”
With starting point guard Jordan Poole (hip) and shooting guard Bilal Coulibaly (illness) out on Sunday, Washington needed Butler to help make up for the missing production. The 24-year-old delivered, tying for the team lead in assists.
Butler's emergence is yet another testament to the Wizards' developmental program, as fellow two-way player Justin Champagnie is averaging 10.9 points on 55.9% shooting with 6.7 rebounds this season. Combine that with bigger names like Kuzma and Sarr producing, and there's plenty to be excited about in Washington.
Kyle Kuzma, Alex Sarr continue red-hot efficiency for Wizards
Kuzma had his best game of the year on Sunday, scoring a season-high 28 points (13-of-23 FG, 2-of-5 3Pt) with five rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals across 31 minutes. The former NBA champion has been dialed in since returning from his rib injury on Dec. 30, shooting 60.5% over four games.
There's a chance that Washington deals Kuzma before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, via NBA insider Jake Fischer. However, the 29-year-old is proving that he can still be a reliable piece for the rebuilding Wizards. At the very least, he's now fully healthy for the first time this season, as he also dealt with a right groin strain early on, via The Washington Post's Varun Shankar.
“I’ve been over that hurdle now, and I feel really comfortable and very confident in my body and my movements,” Kuzma said. “I think you’ve been seeing that over the past couple games being back.”
On one hand, this stretch increases the former Los Angeles Laker's trade value as Washington's front office looks to stockpile draft capital. Kuzma, though, is a talented player in his prime under contract through 2027, which is when the Wizards should be a playoff-caliber squad again. Retaining him while the rest of the team grows could be fruitful, especially if he keeps making over half his shots. Either way, his current hot streak is a good development for the franchise.
Speaking of growing, Sarr hasn't lost momentum since winning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for December. The No. 2 overall pick scored 18 points (6-of-9 FG, 3-of-6 3Pt) with 11 rebounds and three assists across 28 minutes on Sunday. He's shooting 50% from the field since New Year's Day after shooting 46.1% in December, 39.5% in November, and 29.7% in October.
That rapid increase is impressive for a player that was drafted for his defense. If Sarr keeps shining offensively, he'll have a shot to win Rookie of the Year.
Next up for Washington is a home date with the Houston Rockets (23-12) on Tuesday.
