The Washington Wizards headed into this NBA offseason on a mission to change how the franchise is run and the outlook of the team’s future in the years to come.
After years of mediocrity, the Wizards got aggressive immediately by trading star forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics in a three-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The team acquired Tyus Jones in that deal, which was a solid move to address the backcourt, considering Porzingis was likely to leave in free agency.
Then the team made another move that no one saw coming as they rerouted veteran point guard Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors in a trade that brought Jordan Poole to Washington.
Acquiring Poole to be the new face of the franchise was the most significant move for the team thus far, and he’s already taken a leadership role as he texted rookie Bilal Coulibaly after the team drafted him via ClutchPoints and Hoop Central.
Bilal Coulibaly says Jordan Poole reached out to him after he was drafted:
"Jordan Poole sent me a text, 'Welcome to DC, can't wait to start working and playing with you.'"
(h/t @ClutchPointsApp)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 25, 2023
At this point, there’s no telling how the Wizards will do with Poole as the head of the snake in Washington, as he was heavily criticized for his style of play with the Warriors, which is likely why he was moved this summer.
However, considering the team was going nowhere as it was constructed with Bradley Beal leading the way, shaking things up like this was likely a step in the right direction as the team can move forward with the youth movement.
Jones and Poole form a formidable backcourt that could prove to be a winning combination.
NEXT: Wizards Rookie Bilal Coulibaly Makes Jersey Number Announcement
