With the 2023-24 NBA season approaching, the Washington Wizards are going to be a team that’s going to draw attention. Fans will be tuned in to see what Jordan Poole can do with a bigger role and the keys to the offense. The Wizards will open the 2023-24 season on Oct. 25 against the Indiana Pacers on the road. Ahead of the start of the regular season, we will be making our Wizards bold predictions that will certainly include Jordan Poole.

Last season certainly was a forgettable one for the Wizards. They finished with a 35-47 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. They brought in a new executive in Michael Winger who immediately began to clean house. He traded Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns and dealt Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics in a sign and trade.

The keys to the franchise are effectively in the hands of Poole and Kyle Kuzma. With that said, let’s move on to our Wizards bold predictions for the 2023-24 season.

Jordan Poole will lead the league in scoring

When the Wizards acquired Chris Paul in the Bradley Beal trade, it was assumed it would only be a matter of time before Paul was ultimately rerouted to a more veteran team. Sure enough, Paul was moved to the Golden State Warriors with Jordan Poole arriving in return. While Poole’s game had developed in a major way, his preseason altercation with Draymond Green seemed to have sealed his fate.

Poole has certainly shown he can score the basketball. He averaged a career high 20.4 points per game last season although his shooting efficiency dropped a little bit from the previous year when he helped the Warriors to the 2022 championship. Look for Poole to take closer to 20 shot attempts this season. With a defined role as the Wizards go-to guy, Poole’s game will be unleashed. He’s going to be putting up a lot of points and will have a chance to lead the NBA in scoring.

The Wizards will win the Jordan Poole/Chris Paul trade

The one thing missing in Chris Paul’s Hall of Fame career is a championship ring. He’s hoping to finally get that ring with the Warriors this season. But what kind of impact will he have on the Warriors as compared to the players the Wizards received in return? Poole wasn’t the only player the Wizards received. They also acquired Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins. Neither player got much of a chance with the Warriors last season but that will change in Washington.

Both players were fairly productive last year when they got live game reps in the G League. There is an avenue towards both players getting regular rotation minutes this season. Baldwin is a very good three-point shooter who clocked in at 38.1 percent as a rookie. Rollins showed during summer league that he’s a capable ball-handler and playmaker, shifting to more of a combo guard role. With Paul in the twilight of his career, the overall production from Poole, Baldwin and Rollins will make it clear that the Wizards actually won the trade.

Tyus Jones will be one of the best point guards in the NBA

Throughout Tyus Jones’ NBA career from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Memphis Grizzlies, many fans and analysts alike have always pined for him to have a bigger role. He’s been a backup point guard for his whole career but this is the opportunity people have been waiting for.

Jones should be the Wizards starting point guard from the get-go. He’ll fit right in alongside Poole in the backcourt. Jones playing with Poole is actually another reason why Poole can lead the league in scoring because he’ll have an efficient playmaker like Jones feeding him the ball. Jones averaged a career best 5.2 assists per game last year and look for that number to increase this season. Jones will also be unleashed this season and people will be talking about him as a top 10-12 point guard in the NBA by the season’s end.

The Wizards will make the playoffs

Whether it’s fighting their way through the play-in tournament or making the postseason outright, the Wizards will earn a playoff berth. This is young and hungry group with something to prove. They’re going to be coming out every game ready to knock opponents in the teeth. The Wizards are going to surprise a lot of people and make these bold predictions look accurate.

Source: clutchpoints.com