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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
The Wizards, who have been in the midst of a rebuild for several years, pulled off a coup in this regard by selecting Bilal Coulibaly in the 2023 Draft. On the strength of this experience, the franchise could try to repeat it this year.
In a conference where star injuries are piling up, can they pull off a surprise next year? It seems somewhat premature. The Wizards are only at the beginning of their rebuilding project, and don’t seem to have the roster needed to play a leading role in the East. On the other hand, they could well be among the main movers in the upcoming draft.
A new Wizards’ poker move at the Draft?
Despite finishing the season with one of the worst records in the league (18-64), Washington only inherited the 6th pick in the draft. Given the promise of this 2025 crop, its front office could be content with this position. It could also be forced to give it up to obtain the 5th, currently owned by the Jazz. At least, that’s what Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints recently suggested:
Brett Siegel: The three names most often associated with the Utah Jazz in the run-up to the NBA Draft are (Tre) Johnson, (Kon) Knueppel and Jeremiah Fears. In recent days, Fears’ stock has risen sharply following his second workout in Utah. Perhaps this is just a ruse on the part of the Jazz to try and get the Wizards, who are supposedly very interested in Fears, to put together a trade to win a spot.
Such a move by the Wiz’ would come as no surprise to their fans, who already witnessed a similar manoeuvre in 2023 to get their hands on… Bilal Coulibaly :
Brett Siegel: Bigger draft fans may remember that Washington and Michael Winger made a similar move when they went from the 8th to the 7th pick to get Bilal Coulibaly in 2023.
It only cost the Wizards two future second-round picks, probably the same price to pay to convince the Jazz.
Does the talented Jeremiah Fears justify a sacrifice similar to the one made for Coulibaly two years earlier? That’s yet to be determined, especially as the Jazz’s little game seems pretty clear this time around:
Brett Siegel: Drafting Fears would offer Utah a high-potential guard, but the franchise already has a well-stocked backcourt with young players such as Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier. Would adding another guard who will need time to develop be advantageous? This question explains why scouts expect the Jazz to select Johnson or Knueppel.
