The Washington Wizards are in the middle of a rebuild, and how they attack this offseason could have a big impact on how quickly they manage to complete their rebuild. The first step involves addressing their current crop of free agents, and it looks like they have come to a decision on the future of Richaun Holmes.
Holmes was picked up by Washington in their trade with the Dallas Mavericks for Daniel Gafford, and he played well in a limited stint to finish the season with his new team (7.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 55.7 FG%). Holmes had a $12.8 million player option in his deal, and while he declined that option on Saturday, it was done so that he could sign a new two-year, $25.9 million extension with the Wizards.
Wizards hoping Richaun Holmes can become key contributor moving forward
Holmes has flashed his potential several times throughout his career, but he's been marred by inconsistency time and time again. While he has the ability to be an impactful two-way big man, he struggles to do so for long stretches of time, which is why he continues to find himself bouncing from team to team so frequently.
After failing to find a role with the Mavericks, they moved him to the Wizards, where he was able to find a bit more success on the court. The hope is that Holmes can hold down the fort in the frontcourt for Washington over the next two seasons while they look to find young prospects and develop them into stars.
If Holmes plays up to his full potential, he could be a consistent contributor for a lacking Wizards team in the 2024-25 campaign. In the 2020-21 campaign, which was easily the best of Holmes' career, he put up solid numbers for the Sacramento Kings while starting 61 games (14.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 63.7 FG%). Whether Holmes can still play at that level in this stage of his career remains to be seen, though.
On a fairly moribound Wizards team, though, Holmes should have a shot to earn a consistent role with this team. Washington will obviously prioritize developing their young talent moving forward, but considering how the team is willing to pay him up to $13.3 million for the upcoming season, it's fair to assume they are hoping that he can produce for them on the court.
Given the price tag associated with this deal, this is a decent move for Washington that will give them a solid option to hold down the fort on the frontcourt for the time being. There's no telling whether or not Holmes will be a consistent producer for the team, but if he can find a role for himself, this could end up being a sneaky good move for the Wizards over the next two seasons.
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