The 2022 NBA offseason is an important one for the Washington Wizards as it could shape their franchise for the next few years. They will have to convince Bradley Beal that they can put a winning roster around him or risk losing him in free agency.
Beal has a player option for the 2022-23 season that many people expect him to decline so that he can sign a new, long-term deal. He is eligible for a supermax extension which would pay him $242 million over five years with the Wizards.
That would be a lot of money to pass up on, but there are some ready-made contenders, such as the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, that are rumored to have interest in Beal. The Wizards will have to fend them off and the 2022 NBA Draft will be the first opportunity for them to do so and show Beal they can upgrade the roster.
Washington currently owns the No. 10 pick in the draft and there are a few different ways they can go about using it. Given the depth already on their roster, they could look to flip this pick for an established player, preferably a point guard, as their depth chart is barren at the position right now.
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If they hold onto the selection, they could look to use the pick on one of the top center prospects in this year’s draft. Thomas Bryant is entering free agency, leaving Daniel Gafford as the only big man in the rotation.
Another name that could find his way to Washington is Bennedict Mathurin. The Arizona product went No. 10 in Jeremy Woo’s mock draft over at Sports Illustrated and he would be a fit with the team. Here is part of what Woo said about the landing spot.
“The Wizards are pushing to make the playoffs next season and don’t necessarily need to use this pick, putting them in position to be opportunistic with trades if they choose. But there should also be desirable players available, and if Mathurin is on the board he might make sense. His shooting ability and explosive athleticism could be an immediate boost for Washington, giving them a more dynamic perimeter option to play off of Bradley Beal and defend on the wing.”
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Washington seems like the bottom of Mathurin’s range, as some mock drafts have him going as high as No. 7 to the Portland Trail Blazers. His skill set is ready-made for the current NBA, as he can produce right off the bat but has a high ceiling to turn into a great two-way player.
That is the kind of player that the Wizards need more of. If they retain Beal, pieces that fit around him need to be unearthed and Mathurn would fit the bill. He is a more athletic, higher-ceiling version of their current 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is more than adequate at his job.
