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1. Moses Moody, Golden State Warriors
Entering his fourth NBA season, Moody still has no clear path to a major role with the Warriors. Worse still, it’s hard to see him securing a significant deal in restricted free agency with the Dubs, who have major commitments on the books and players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski ahead of him in the “likely to get paid” pecking order.
The Washington Wizards should be all over the 22-year-old wing, who has shot at least 36.0 percent from deep in all three of his pro seasons while also contributing solid perimeter defense.
2. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
When you’re as early in the rebuild process as the Wizards, you can afford to take risks on second-draft prospects. Ivey is one such option.
Inconsistent three-point shooting and substandard (to put it kindly) defense make Ivey a difficult fit next to Pistons cornerstone Cade Cunningham, but Washington doesn’t have the type of promising young talent that dictates what skills his supporting pieces need. Maybe Ivey could reset his career and operate without worrying about fitting a specific mold with the Wizards.
3. Bennedict Mathurin or Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers
The Pacers seem like they’re trying to marginalize their two recent first-round picks, neither of whom seem to matter as much now that Indy is focused on contending in the present. Mathurin could be more than a fourth guard in the Wizards’ rotation, and Walker, well…maybe he’d actually see the floor in Washington.
Both players have real talent. Mathurin, in particular, flashed electric scoring chops as a rookie in 2022-23. The Wizards offer low expectations and high levels of opportunity for young players who’ve fallen out of favor with their original teams.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale.