The Washington Wizards are back in the playoffs for the first time in three long years.
Their duo of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook looked rocky at first, but they were able to pick things up along the way.
The Wizards franchise has been a model of inconsistency.
There have been years of being close to contending, which are then followed up by lottery picks.
For this season, it was a mixture of both.
They began the season going 0-5 and 4-12 for the first two months of the season.
That was literally flipped towards the end of the season with them going 17-9 in the final two months.
Now they are in the playoffs as the eighth seed battling the first-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
Not done yet 😤
Wizards beat the Sixers to force Game 5. pic.twitter.com/jo6R97o7Pm
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 1, 2021
The Wizards are going into the off-eason soon with a couple of decisions to make.
A couple players will have to go.
Here are the three players that will likely be gone from the Wizards by next season.
3. Chandler Hutchison
Chandler Hutchison was acquired in the Daniel Gafford trade this past trade deadline.
He was drafted back in 2018 by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 22 overall pick.
There was some promise of him becoming a role player at the very least.
However, that has not been the case so far for his career.
He played a total of 25 games this season and shot 38 percent from the field.
Another contract does not seem likely at this point.
The Wizards will probably decline that team option and let him hit the free agency market.
2. Alex Len
The Wizards needed some center help once they lost starting big man Thomas Bryant for the rest of the season.
This is where they decided to bring in Alex Len.
He was actually productive during his time with the Wizards this season.
He had averages of seven points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Also, he was able to reach his career high in field goal percentage at 62 percent.
However, Len has fallen out of the rotation due to emergence of Gafford.
Great game from 22-year-old Wizards center Daniel Gafford in a win over the Sixers: 12 PTS, 5 BLK, 4 REBS in 26 MIN. Changes so many shots around the rim. Vertical spacer. Plays with non-stop energy. Can step out and guard the perimeter a little bit. Knows who he is as a player. pic.twitter.com/ngQH23SxwJ
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 1, 2021
Now that Gafford has played great in the playoffs and with Bryant returning next season, it looks like Len will not be back on the roster.
1. Robin Lopez
The Wizards brought in Robin Lopez for some veteran leadership.
He has been on a few deep playoff teams throughout his career and has always been a good role player contributor.
Lopez has been decent this year, regardless of the up and down season.
His presence on a team is always a plus.
That is why it is tough to see him on the Wizards after this season.
He will be a free agent, and at 33 years old, he wants to win a title.
The Wizards are not positioned for a championship run in the near future.
Lopez is a good fit for most teams around the league.
A true contender will definitely be calling for his services.
The Wizards would love to have him back, but it just unlikely for that to occur.
Leave a Reply