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Wizards Draft Pick Finishes Strong, Future Starter?

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Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson directs Tristan Vukcevic

Make no mistake, Jordan Poole has established himself as the top dog on the Washington Wizards. A player who went from a relative unknown to a postseason hero to the butt of the joke, his ability to focus on his craft and take the reins after the Wizards traded away Bradley Beal/a> has to be commended. With that being said, the focus of the franchise hasn’t necessarily been Poole. Instead, it’s the triumvirate of Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Bilal Coulibaly.

Much like a king with three princes, Poole rules Washington right now. Yet, as he likely knows, he could be usurped at any time. This isn’t an indictment against Poole, simply a natural consequence of the Wizards’ state as a rebuilding team. Teams don’t use high draft picks on players that they don’t expect to be cornerstones. As luck would have it, the Wizards have had four consecutive lottery picks, three of which were used on Sarr, Carrington, and Coulibaly.

However, towards the end of the season, there was another recent draft pick who stuck out. So much so that it’s worth exploring whether he should be considered part of their deep young core.

Wizards Draft Pick Tristan Vukcevic Finishes Strong, Future Starter?

2023 No. 42 pick Tristan Vukcevic was drafted after spending three seasons with Real Madrid’s B team and two seasons with Partizan Belgrade. His first time turning the heads of American fans was likely in the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, after scoring 21 points in 17 minutes. Long and skilled, the big man looked like a low-risk, high-reward prospect.

After drafting Vukcevic, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said: “…I feel like I’ve watched him for a long time now, since he was a youth as well… [7-foot-0], skilled, can pass, can shoot.”

Vukcevic then went back to Europe to further develop. Towards the end of 2023-24, the Wizards bought him out of his contract with Partizan, signing him to a two-year deal. The 7-footer took advantage of the opportunity, making an immediate impact as a floor-spacer and rim-protector.

He’s taken his game to another level as a sophomore, his last 15 games particularly fascinating.

In 21.9 minutes per game, Vukcevic averaged 14.5 points and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 41.0 percent from 3. Despite his length, he’s not superb on the glass, but he still pulled down 5.1 rebounds per game. He even put his upside as a playmaker up as a window display.

The lineup data was also intriguing, especially when he played alongside the starters.

Lineup Data

Though a small sample size:

  • Five-man lineups featuring Vukcevic, Sarr, Poole, Carrington and AJ Johnson had a 119.5 offensive rating, 70.0 percent assist rate, 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio, and a 63.9 true shooting percentage in 17 minutes.
  • Five-man lineups featuring Vukcevic, Poole, Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Corey Kispert had a 145.2 offensive rating and a 93.5 defensive rating in 13 minutes. They also had a 62.5 percent assist rate, 3.33 assist-to-turnover ratio, and 76.2 true shooting percentage.
  • Four-man lineups featuring Vukcevic, Carrington, Justin Champagnie, and JT Thor had a 140.0 offensive rating and a 65.2 defensive rating in 11 minutes. Four-man lineups featuring Vukcevic, Poole, Kispert and George had a 123.4 offensive rating and 104.3 defensive rating in 21 minutes.

Of course, all of the numbers don’t favor Vukcevic. In fact, in the 74 minutes that he and Sarr have played alongside each other, they have a 101.7 offensive rating and 117.0 defensive rating. In the 290 minutes the he and Carrington have played alongside each other, they have a 103.9 offensive rating and 117.8 defensive rating.

For reference, Washington had 105.8 offensive rating and 118.0 defensive rating on the season.

Yet, it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation. Is it that those combinations didn’t work because they can’t work? Or is it because the Wizards just need to get better in general?

Staying The Course

Khris Middleton believes that the Washington Wizards “could definitely be a playoff team” next season, as he relayed to HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto. However, while Middleton’s experience as an NBA champion can’t be discounted, that doesn’t seem likely. Look no further than their 18-64 record, which was the second-worst the NBA, for evidence of that.

Looking ahead, the addition of one of the 2025 NBA Draft’s prized prospects could certainly alter their trajectory. To that point, Duke’s Cooper Flagg has the hallmarks of a player that can contribute at a high-level, and early. Nevertheless, the Wizards’ 2025-26 campaign is likely to end without a playoff berth, even if they’re more competitive. Over the past four seasons, Eastern Conference teams have needed at least 36 wins to reach the postseason.

For Washington, that represents a two-fold increase in their wins from 2024-25. It’s possible. Crazier things have happened. All of that being said, it certainly won’t be a cakewalk. Consequently, the team’s focus next season should be the same as this season’s.

With that in mind, with the way Vukcevic played to close out the season, his future role is worth pondering. As a starter, he and Sarr could open up the paint for teammates while enforcing the paint defensively in time. Yet, they need to continue to work on not only their bodies and games but their chemistry. They could truly be a dynamic duo, but they have to be willing to develop that cohesiveness.

© Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

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