In an offseason edition of our NBA Power Rankings, we take a look at where each team stands after the NBA Draft and Free Agency.
The yearly lull of the NBA offseason is nearly here. We’ve worked through the 2023 NBA Draft and the first couple of waves of Free Agency. There are a few potential difference-makers still on the open market but many, if not all of them, are waiting for the Damian Lillard domino to fall.
These are the dog days of the offseason when many team decision-makers take vacation. While there’s still a chance that we could see a Damian Lillard or James Harden trade go down, it’s become unlikely that will happen before the beginning of August.
This is a good time to take a step back and break down what took place at the peak of the offseason. In doing that, we offer up our first NBA Power Rankings of the season, which reflect where all 30 teams stand after the draft and free agency.
30. Washington Wizards
Key offseason move: Acquired Jordan Poole, re-signed Kyle Kuzma
The Washington Wizards finally made the pivot toward a rebuild. It may have been a few years too late but they pulled the trigger on Bradley Beal (trading him to the Phoenix Suns) and then made the low-risk, high-reward move for Jordan Poole. They also decided it was in the best interest of the team to re-sign Kyle Kuzma. At the very least, they retain an asset. At the most, he emerges as a key part of the team’s early rebuilding process.
The Wizards have some talent on the roster but are unlikely to be a team that contends for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There’s a chance that the Wizards end up being the worst team in the league this season. But that is something that is to be expected in the first year after a franchise decides to make the pivot toward a rebuild.
The future for the Wizards may be bright but it’s absolutely going to take some time to begin to see it all come to fruition.