The Washington Wizards are at a critical point during the 2024 NBA Free Agency period. Washington seeks to improve its team after a subpar 2023-24 showing. Furthermore, the Wizards have made a decisive move on Landry Shamet’s contract that has implications for their 2024-25 roster.
Washington is declining Landry Shamet’s $11 million option going into the 2024-25 season, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The sharpshooting guard will now join the free agent market.
Landry Shamet joined the Wizards for the 2023-24 season after spending two years with the Phoenix Suns. The 27-year-old comes off a year with averages of 7.1 points per game. Shamet shot 33.8 percent on his three-pointers in 2023-24, but he is a career 38.4 percent shooter. It will be interesting to see if he takes a pay cut to return to the Wizards or joins another team during the 2024 NBA Free Agency Period.
One of the biggest highlights of Washington’s offseason has been their NBA Draft selection. The Wizards selected French big man Alexandre Sarr with their second overall pick. At 7’1″ with a 7’4″ wingspan, Sarr can cover ground like few can. Offensively, he can play on the perimeter or the post. The 19-year averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game with the NBL’s Perth Wildcats. In addition, he shot 50 percent from the field and 27.6 on three-pointers.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel gave Washington’s draft grade of Sarr an “A+”. This is what the insider had to say about Sarr:
“Alex Sarr got his wish of wanting to go second overall to the Washington Wizards instead of being in consideration for the Hawks’ No. 1 pick. It is clear to see that the Wizards are rebuilding, and they now get their hands on Sarr, who could end up being the best frontcourt player from this draft. His length and athleticism at the power forward and center positions make Sarr the perfect long-term prospect to pair with Bilal Coulibaly, whom Washington selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. This is a match made in heaven,” Siegel wrote.
Wizards caught in more NBA Free Agency rumors
Despite drafting what looks to be Washington’s center of the future, the team still finds itself swarmed in rumors. Most notably, Kyle Kuzma, one of the Wizards’ go-to scorers from 2023-24, could be moved during the offseason.
“Four names that have been consistently linked to the Lakers on the trade market have been Jerami Grant, Kyle Kuzma, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cam Johnson,” Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on July 3. “And as I recently reported at The Athletic, I’ve heard that the Lakers have held trade talks with Portland, Brooklyn, and Utah among other teams in recent days. So the Portland and Brooklyn talks would align with those players being on the trade market, and at this point, it’s a matter of haggling over picks and which players are involved.”
If Washington parts with Kuzma, it will shift the team into a further rebuilding state than they already are. Surely, the front office has a plan to help the team continue its progress toward improvement as the 2024 NBA Free Agency period continues.