A hand-picked present for each member of the team.
On the latest Bleav in Wizards podcast, I went through and picked out ideal gifts for each of the Wizards so for the detailed list go check out the full podcast. But for now, here’s the short version of what I think Santa should bring each member of the Wizards this holiday season.
Bilal Coulibaly: Gilbert Arenas’s lack of conscience regarding shot selection.
I’d like to see Coulibaly average around 15+ shot attempts per game for the rest of the season.
Jordan Poole: A Shake Weight and some protein powder.
As good as Poole has been this season, there are still times when he gets moved off his spot too easily. Adding some strength would take his game to another level.
Bub Carrington: More on-ball reps.
Carrington has been at his best when the ball is in his hands so finding more opportunities for him to create for himself and others would allow him to do what he’s best at.
Kyle Kuzma: A one-way ticket to Sacramento.
He’d probably be happy being back in California, he’d make sense for the Kings, and the Wizards could get a fresh start and hopefully some draft capital.
Alex Sarr: A scholarship to the Hakeem Olajuwon Big Man Camp.
Sarr is shooting below 40% from the field so far this season, which is clearly suboptimal. Having a go-to move around the rim might help convince him he doesn’t always need to drift out to the perimeter.
Corey Kispert: A razor to shave that mustache.
Kispert is having a down year overall and I blame it on the ‘stache. Bring back our clean-cut Kispert that shoots closer to 40% from three.
Kyshawn George: Plenty of sessions with the shooting coach who helped Deni Avdija.
Avdija never made much progress as a shooter working directly with the Wizards’ staff, so he took matters into his own hands and brought in outside help. He’s been shooting in the high 30s ever since. If George could make a similar jump, it would unlock a lot of other aspects of his game too.
Justin Champagnie: A permanent spot in the rotation.
He’s earned his spot, and I don’t want to see him lose it in favor of veteran players who aren’t going to be here beyond this season. He’s a clear contributor on a team-friendly deal. They should prioritize success stories like this.
Malcolm Brogdon: Bubble wrap.
The Wizards need him to stay healthy between now and the trade deadline as he seems to be the veteran other teams are most interested in right now. Another injury would derail any chance of that.
Jonas Valanciunas: A season pass to either Disneyland or Disney World.
Both the Lakers and Magic appear to need a center so sending the hard-nosed veteran to a playoff where he’d get minutes seems like a nice reward for a good season so far.
Jared Butler: Consistent minutes.
Every time Butler plays, I feel good about his production and then he disappears from the rotation again. Imagine how much better he could be if he got consistent minutes and got into an actual rhythm.
Johnny Davis: A fresh start.
He likely has too many bad memories in Washington. Sending him somewhere he could get a clean state seems like a kindness for Davis at this point. It’s clear he’s not in their long-term plans here.
Marvin Bagley: The best physical therapist money can buy.
Poor Bagley. The guy just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to avoiding injuries. He left the game the other night with what appeared to be a serious knee injury (fingers crossed that isn’t the case). I still think he can be a productive NBA player but he has to be more available. Other NBA big men have benefitted from things like yoga or Pilates so maybe that could help Bagley too.
Anthony Gill: The assistant coach’s starter pack of polo, whistle, and clipboard.
I think Gill will make a great assistant coach whenever the Wizards decide they no longer need his on-court services.
Richaun Holmes: Some WD-40.
Now that Bagley looks like he may miss some time and Valanciunas could be on the trading block, Holmes may need to be ready to actually get into some games here soon after collecting a lot of DNP-CDs this year.
Patrick Baldwin Jr.: A jump shot.
If you’re going to try to make it as a stretch big man, actually being about to stretch the floor would likely be helpful.
Tristan Vukcevic: A new agent.
How he went from tearing it up on the court to end last season to being virtually non-existent from the organization this season is a big mystery to me. And I’m not buying he missed this much time due to a “knee contusion.” I’m putting my tinfoil hat on because something smells fishy here.