1 Reason Not to Overlook Every NBA Team for the 2024-25 Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats & Rumors

If we want to stay true to the direction the Washington Wizards are going, we need to rethink the interpretation of “countdown.” For them, that probably means assuming they win more than 15 games.

Let’s not do that. This team may be a little too heavy on veterans, but the trajectory is deliberate, bending to foresight that could pay big dividends down the road.

But the Wizards could be a lot more active on offense right away, compared to the 25th offense they showed last season.

Much of that rests on veterans they aren’t long-term married to. Malcolm Brogdon is a drive-and-shoot machine. Kyle Kuzma shot just over 48 percent on drives amid a lack of spacing. Jonas Valanciunas can still keep big human defenses at bay and has some stretch in his shooting profile. Jordan Poole looked much more at home when he initiated the offense in the latter part of last season.

And then of course there are the young people.

Bilal Coulibaly knows how to make plays in transition and looked stronger during his time with the French national team at the 2024 Olympics. Saddling him with more volume on the ball is the move, and while growing pains are a given part of that exploration, he has the driving instincts to benefit from expanded usage.

Bub Carrington shone brightly in the summer league with total control of the attack. He had zero has a big frame for a primary guard and has advanced his dribbling game even further than optimists could have hoped.

Alex Sarr became a meme during his own summer league run. That’s certainly not a surefire sign of things to come. He needs to work harder to play physical and connect on screens, but the finesse in his game should serve him well in formations that spread the defense in the half-court.

Kyshawn George, meanwhile, could become a sleeper prospect. His defensive versatility earned him plenty of shine leading up to the draft. But at 6’8″, he drilled more than 40 percent of his three-pointers in Miami, Fla., and showed he’s comfortable off the dribble.