Washington Wizards: 2019-20 NBA season preview
By Leo Versel
2019-2020 Roster
Key Additions: Rui Hachimura (draft), Admiral Schofield (draft/trade), Isaiah Thomas (free agency), Davis Bertans (trade), C.J. Miles (trade), Ish Smith (free agency), Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones (trade).
Key Subtractions: Tomas Satoransky (trade), Jeff Green (free agency), Bobby Portis (free agency), Jabari Parker (free agency), Trevor Ariza (free agency), Dwight Howard (trade).
This offseason, Sheppard prioritized preparing the Wizards for the future. He took a risk by trading more experienced players or allowing them to sign elsewhere in free agency.
During the 2019 NBA Draft, then-interim general manager Sheppard and the team’s management chose Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura with the ninth overall pick. Hachimura is the first Japanese-born player selected in the first round of the draft.
The Wizards acquired an additional selection by trading cash considerations for Tennessee guard-forward Admiral Schofield, the 42nd pick. Both Hachimura and Schofield were standouts at their respective colleges, with Hachimura receiving recognition for 2019 WCC Player of the Year and Schofield named to the 2019 All-SEC First Team.
The 2019 draft was just the start of an active offseason for Washington. During free agency, Sheppard established his vision for a younger Wizards squad that can benefit from a few veteran players’ guidance.
Aside from trading starting point guard Tomas Satoransky, Sheppard and the Wizards’ management also permitted Jeff Green, Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and Trevor Ariza to sign with other teams.
In early July, the Wizards also signaled a culture change by trading Howard to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for 14-year veteran guard-forward C.J. Miles. Sheppard later called this deal the “quickest trade I’ve ever done in my life.”
An important question remains: With the high turnover, what will the Wizards look like next season?
Along with Hachimura and Schofield, the team’s young players include German center Moritz Wagner, point guard Isaac Bonga, and small forward Jemerrio Jones, all entering their second year in the NBA. The Wizards acquired this trio of former Los Angeles Lakers in the three-team Anthony Davis trade this summer.
26-year-old 3-point marksman Davis Bertans rounds out the young high-profile acquisitions. But there are a few more names that went under-the-radar.
Virginia Tech point guard Justin Robinson, Lipscomb shooting guard Garrison Mathews, and Villanova guard Phil Booth, who won two NCAA championships with the Wildcats, each agreed to deals with Washington this summer.
Sheppard said the following about the Wizards’ young talent during a Sept. 24 discussion at The Washington Post, which best summarizes the experience they will bring to the team:
"“The young players that we brought in, they’re not one-and-done kids. They all played for great college coaches, great programs, three-year players minimum. They’re rookies, but by pedigree they’ve accomplished a great deal, so they’re coming in the door, we’re not starting remedial basketball. It’s getting players who have been coached, and they can extend that knowledge out.”"
When it comes down to the Wizards’ more experienced additions, resilient point guard Isaiah Thomas signed a one-year deal, and former Detroit Pistons guard Ish Smith agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract.
The Wizards’ 2019-2020 roster consists of several high-upside students of the game, who Sheppard and the front office hope will improve with time and mentorship from Beal, a recovering John Wall, and their trio of veteran additions.
With the supporting cast set, it’s important to consider a few storylines that may shape the season ahead.