Brandon Scott here, the host of the daily Locked On Wizards podcast, with your daily Locked On Wizards newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Wizards and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The curious case of the 2023 NBA Draft, is it time for the Wizards to bargain shop?
Let me start by saying that the Wizards decision to trade for Bilal Coulibaly (7th pick) in exchange for Jarace Walker (8th pick) on the 2023 Draft night was the right move. Looking at this same Draft class, there were a couple of players who were not only targeted by the Wizards Front Office and/or fan base but they could be added to this team and it wouldn’t break the bank. Let’s start with the player who was technically drafted by the Wizards, Jarace Walker.
Jarace Walker was drafted by the Washington Wizards with the 8th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and then traded to the Indiana Pacers for Bilal Coulibaly’s draft rights. Since then, he only played in 33 games in his Rookie season, averaging only 10 minutes played, and has not played at all this season. Eventually, the Wiz will trade Kyle Kuzma and the Power Forward position could be vacant. He would be a nice compliment to Alex Sarr in the Front Court and even if the Wizards get the number one overall pick in the upcoming Draft and select Cooper Flagg, Walker could be a great bench player if given minutes. Walker was also born in Baltimore. Let’s talk about another Maryland product that was much coveted by the Wizards fanbase, Cam Whitmore.
Maryland’s own Cam Whitmore was the name that a lot of Wizards fans wanted to hear on Draft night but he slid to the 20th overall pick which was made by the Houston Rockets. When given minutes, he has been productive and has been good. Displaying natural scoring instincts and athletic attacks to the rim, he’s a dawg. Playing time is the problem. Like Jarace Walker, he played sparingly in his Rookie season, and in the case of this season, not at all. Bring him home and pair him with Bilal. Now where he would play is the question. He’s a wing who can also play the Power Forward position. If he plays the wing, they would have to slide Bilal to SG, and Bub would revert to 6th man and run the second unit. Kyle Kuzma being traded is the move that needs to happen before you even entertain a potential deal for Whitmore or Walker but both players could be solid pieces for the Wizards and they could be acquired on the cheap. What do you think?
Klay Thompson’s homecoming to The Bay started well before he hit the floor last night at Oracle with the Mavs and roughly 19,000 fans started waving nautical Captain hats.
It started mid-way through last season, when Golden State didn’t signal they’d immediately be resigning Thompson as the franchise had, up to then, always been in a hurry to. There were shades of it along with Thompson’s frustrations in his game changing, the splashy shots not falling as fluidly as they used to. Clues came in the way the Warriors felt their frustrations as a team: once together, a cohesive unit, and then splintering and individually.
“Even from July, when Klay decided to go to Dallas to us showing up for training camp and him not being here, it was kind of like a slow build to this night for everybody,” Warriors point guard, Steph Curry, said after last night’s game.
Basketball isn’t played in a vacuum, and Curry sharing the psychic and emotional timeline of the team underscores that in a rare glimpse behind the curtain. Sometimes its brightest full-circle moments have to struggle through discomfort, angst and loss in order to come back around. Often, the storylines with the most ups and downs are the ones that end the most cathartically.
Since this season began, Thompson’s been candid about how necessary the move to Dallas was for him. “Every pro athlete’s human, and uncertainty can bear on you,” he told ESPN prior to Tuesday night’s homecoming game.
“Honestly, it’s rejuvenated me and done something I needed bad just for my mental [state] and my career,” Thompson said.
It’s a knife’s edge between animosity for an athlete’s who’s left a franchise they share a storied history with and sympathy for their decision. What tips fans to one side or the other can skew personal, so isn’t always easy to predict, but Thompson’s tendency toward honesty helps. He’s always been someone who wears what he’s feeling on the floor openly, and for that fans — for the most part — respond with empathy. There’s a sense that through all the years he played for the Warriors there was an open conduit of conversation between him and the fanbase.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Celebrate Check out the Wizards’ vibrant new City Edition jerseys and court, showcasing a fresh design for the season. (Bullets Forever)
Preview The Washington Wizards go head-to-head with the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center at 8:30 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Legacy Klay Thompson feels “free” after his late-career move to Dallas. (ESPN)
Fantasy Basketball Takeaways From Tuesday - Robert Williams Day
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) shoots the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) during the first half at Moda Center. |Photo by Soobum Im/Soobum Im-Imagn Images
Tuesday’s NBA games offered a wealth of insights for fantasy basketball managers. Here’s a closer look at the key takeaways and strategic moves you should consider:
Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic
- Grant Williams: With his move to the starting lineup, Williams is a viable short-term pickup, especially while the Hornets deal with injuries. His ability to contribute in multiple categories makes him a solid addition in deeper leagues.
- Moussa Diabate: Diabate’s rebounding prowess is noteworthy, especially with the Hornets’ frontcourt injuries. He’s a strong option for those in need of rebounds in deeper formats.
- Franz Wagner: Wagner’s performance underscores his value, particularly with Paolo Banchero out. Consider selling high if you can get a top-tier player in return, as his current production may dip once Banchero returns.
Miami Heat vs. Detroit Pistons
- Tyler Herro: After a 40-point explosion, Herro is a prime sell-high candidate. His shooting percentages are unlikely to sustain, so capitalise on his current form to bolster your roster.
- Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey: Both players showed their potential to fill the stat sheet. Cunningham remains a must-start, while Ivey’s bounce-back game suggests he’s worth holding onto for his upside.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Wizards podcasts.
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