Are the Washington Wizards any closer to building a winner around Beal?

• 2022 – Johnny Davis (10th overall, too early to tell what he will end up being).
• 2021 – Corey Kispert (15th overall, had a pedestrian rookie season).
• 2020 – Deni Avdija (9th overall, hardly inspired in 143 games, better players taken after).
• 2020 – Vit Krejci (37th overall, never played for the Wizards. Now with the Hawks).
• 2019 – Rui Hachimura (9th overall, had some nice moments. Still has potential).
• 2018 – Troy Brown Jr. (15th overall, was so-so for Wizards, now with Los Angeles Lakers).
• 2018 – Issuf Sanon (44th overall, plays for Prometey. Has never made it to the NBA).

We could go on (the Wizards didn’t have any of their own draft picks in 2016 or 2017), but the point is clear. In order for the organization to get better, they just have to do a much sounder job of hitting on young prospects. Even teams like the Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings, who have had their fair share of draft night whiffs, have gotten some of their picks right in recent years.

Which is why they are in a better position than the Wizards right now. They drafted Beal a decade ago, and the best player they’ve taken since has been either Otto Porter Jr. or Jordan Clarkson. Both have done their best work elsewhere. Without getting the draft picks right, it is hard to get free agents to come and play in Washington. A place they will only go to if the team is winning.

What about the product on the floor with what they’ve got then? Tommy Sheppard took over from the much-maligned Ernie Grunfeld in 2019 but is yet to really put his stamp on the organization. Wes Unseld Jr. is into his second season at the helm as head coach, with Scott Brooks the man in charge for the previous five seasons before that.