If you're a fan of big man play, the Wizards probably made you pretty happy last weekend.
On Friday, they turned what looked like a developing dire situation in the front court into a strong move on the margins. With little to no depth behind Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, the Wizards needed someone to fill in behind, and they got that, acquiring Deandre Ayton for two second-round picks and Jaden Hardy.
It didn't stop there. The Wizards' bigs got another big boost -- this time on the coaching front.
The Wizards added the legendary Patrick Ewing . The former all-time great NBA center returns to the Wizards coaching staff, after 23 years. He served as an assistant in the 2002 season. After stints with the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, and his tenure as the head coach of Georgetown University, he returns to serve as a prominent voice as they begin their ascension. Additionally, the Wizards added a new defensive mind in Steve Clifford, who has manufactured some formidable defenses in his coaching career.
For the Wizards, it doesn't just signal a vastly different roster and staff — it's a brand-new identity altogether.
It appears the Wizards are focused on utilizing their combination of size and athleticism to their advantage going forward.
Outside of Trae Young, the Wizards don't have a shortage of height. Technically, D'Angelo Russell is the second-shortest player on the team at his listed height of 6'3. However, it's still unclear if Russell will be with the team this year. He did not report to the Wizards following the trade in February. Expectedly, he exercised his $6 million player-option.
After that, Bub Carrington would be the next shortest at 6'4. The Wizards now have eight players 6-foot-9 or taller.
Next year's lineup construction appears significantly different on paper, based on the roster. If both Davis and Sarr are available, that type of lineup is an instant shakeup. The Wizards rarely ever had multiple bigs on the floor at the same time last season. Sarr and Marvin Bagley ||| never shared the floor once. He and Tristan Vukcevic both saw the court at the same time for four total minutes.
Sarr, 21, had an impressive season protecting the rim, notching two blocks per night. He did this despite being put at a massive disadvantage because of the defensive structure. Sarr averaged 16.8 rim FGA contested per 100, which was the most in the league by a large margin. Still, he disrupted opponents to -8.8 FG% vs expected at the rim.
Now that Sarr treaded through choppy waters for the first two years of his career, he should massively benefit from Washington's new look lineups.
Washington has to improve defensively. That's a non-negotiable if the Wizards hope to improve their win total this season. It hopes adding Steve Clifford to the staff brings forth those fortunes. Clifford, who previously worked as a coaching advisor with the Phoenix Suns last season, helped them to a top-ten defense in the league.
A jump from the worst defense in the league to that level in one season for the Wizards is lofty and probably unrealistic expectations, but Clifford developed a reputation to build up defenses quickly during his time as a head coach.
Between these additions to the staff, adding Ayton for depth, and trading for second-round pick Felix Okpara , Washington views a future centered around its bigs anchoring everything defensively.
It make sense. Young is not projected to provide much help defensively for the Wizards. That's not why he was signed to a long-term contract. With Young on the floor, you need size behind him. Washington has plenty, and it appears it plans on making that a new identity going forward.
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