The Washington Wizards are still drawing wildly different reactions around the league, but one former player isn’t buying the optimism. Montrezl Harrell, who spent half a season in Washington before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2022, had some blunt words about the roster during an interview with Brandon Robinson.
“I don't know what the hell Washington is doing, to be honest with you. It doesn't make sense,” Harrell said. He followed that up with, “It (the roster) looks like a disaster.”
Harrell’s comments came with a strange projected starting five attached to them. He listed Trae Young, Khris Middleton, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis, and Deandre Ayton as the Wizards’ starters.
He got three of those names right in the sense that they were part of the discussion, but the rest of the projection missed the mark badly. Ayton was described as Washington’s best offseason move, and the source made clear he is expected to bring real size and rebounding off the bench. Starting him over Alex Sarr was called absurd.
Sarr’s second season was framed as a real breakthrough. Before the All-Star break last year, he was producing borderline All-Star numbers with 17.2 points and two blocks per game. The addition of Young is expected to help him get back to that level, and the case was made that Sarr has to be in the starting five.
Middleton, meanwhile, was acknowledged as a useful pickup, but not one that changes the core rotation picture. He was described as depth insurance more than a top-10 rotation piece.
That leaves the last starting spot unresolved, and the competition appears to be among Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson. The most likely path, according to the source, is that the role shifts depending on need.
George is expected to get the most starts because he offers a blend of offense and defense. Johnson would be the choice if the Wizards want shooting.
Coulibaly would be the option if Brian Keefe wants to tighten up the defense.
So while Harrell sees a mess, the source argues the bench and lineup structure point in a very different direction. The claim is that Washington’s second unit will feature Ayton along with two of Johnson, George and Coulibaly, which is why the roster was pushed back against as anything close to a disaster.
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Anthony Gill May Be Key To Keeping The Wizards Together
Anthony Gill has settled into one of the more important jobs on the Wizards roster, even if it does not always show up in the box score. After seven seasons in Washington, he is now viewed as a steady veteran presence who can help set the tone for younger players, reinforce defensive habits and provide some needed continuity in a locker room that has seen plenty of turnover.
Gills value also comes from the perspective he has built inside the organization. He knows the system, understands the expectations and has already navigated multiple coaching changes, which gives him a useful role as a voice between different groups in the room. As the Wizards try to take a step forward, that kind of glue player can matter just as much as the more visible names on the floor. [Read more 🡒]