


That's an element John Wall and Russell Westbrook, great as they were, never provided. Your point about having more shooting next to Beal than he's used to is an astute one, as Morris in particular could shoot upwards of 40% with decent volume. Neither Morris or Wright is likely to make 200 threes next season, but both have proven they can shoot at a league average or above percentage from long range. He's got excellent size for the position and a long track record of being a disruptive player who forces plenty of turnovers.Īmong the positives, however, would be their shooting. Wright, on the other hand, should be a standout on that end of the floor. But you get mixed opinions when you ask NBA scouts, opposing players and people who watched a lot of him in Denver. I believe Morris has a chance to give them league average defense, specifically when it comes to stopping the ball off the dribble, which is really what they need most from that spot. I thought they had a solid defensive trio in Spencer Dinwiddie, Raul Neto and Aaron Holiday and they ended up being a collective liability on that end of the floor. While I think there is a chance the Wizards got better in that regard, we saw last year how you can't count eggs before they hatch. four games played) and 39.5% from three.Ĭhase, though the Wizards improved at the point guard spot, what question marks still appear when discussing the incoming class? Pairing Beal with arguably the best shooting point guard he’s played with in his career is a welcome sight for the veteran, as Morris shot a career-best 48% from the field in 2021-22 (min. Washington, surprisingly, already had the league’s eighth-best turnover rate in the league last season, so Morris’ arrival will help further stabilize the backcourt. Here's a stat I saw recently that bodes well for Washington’s point guard room this season: Morris had the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio (4.2) in the entire NBA last year among qualified players, trailing only Tyus Jones and Chris Paul. Wright provides bench defense in the backcourt, which could complement that of Davis nicely during their time on the floor together. Morris was a rather large fish in the trade market, and in him Washington gets an effective shooter and creator who is comfortable playing his role next to the team’s superstar (Beal) as he did in Denver (with Nikola Jokic). Todd: There’s really no debate that the Wizards got better at point guard with the moves they made this offseason. * players listed with an asterisk indicate they could play a part in multiple position groups Point Guardĭepth Chart: Monte Morris / Delon Wright / Johnny Davis* In this article, NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes and Bijan Todd take a deep dive into the 2022-23 Wizards and go position-by-position to analyze how the depth chart could, and should, shake out. Washington’s roster looks settled as the season draws nearer, but that doesn’t mean the squad has an answer to every question. With their star player locked in, general manager Tommy Sheppard added a few Robins to Beal’s Batman in trading for Monte Morris and Will Barton, signing Taj Gibson and Delon Wright and by drafting Johnny Davis out of Wisconsin. The Wizards’ biggest roster move this offseason was unquestionably re-signing Bradley Beal to one of the largest deals in NBA history a 5-year, $251 million extension. Washington is gearing up for the 2022-23 NBA season and once again faces a familiar question: how good will it be this year?
