Three questions facing Washington Wizards ahead of 2024-25 season

The new NBA season is right around the corner. To help get ready for the 2024-25 NBA season, we're looking at three questions each NBA team could face next season. 

Here, we have the Washington Wizards, who are still in the early stages of a total rebuild. 

Will Jordan Poole prove himself? 

Poole was widely expected to have a career year after being traded to the Washington Wizards last summer. The sharpshooting guard had been impressive for the Golden State Warriors, but found his path to a consistent role in the starting unit limited due to the presence of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. However, Poole's first season with the Wizards wasn't the success everyone expected.

Poole produced respectable numbers, averaging 17.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 41.3 percent shooting from the field and 32.6 percent from three-point range. Now, with a full season as a starter under his belt and an offseason to work on some of his flaws, he must hit the ground running next season. 

At 25 years old, Poole is young enough to spearhead the Wizards' rebuild and become a leader within the locker room. However, if he struggles to prove himself as a future All-Star guard, his tenure in Washington could come to an end, especially if a contending team finds value in the idea of bringing him off the bench. 

Can Alex Sarr make an immediate impact? 

Sarr endured a rough start to his NBA tenure, hitting just 19.1 percent of his field goal attempts through his four games in Las Vegas Summer League. However, his rebounding and relentless motor showcased his upside as a rim-runner of the future. 

Washington selected Sarr with the second overall draft pick this summer. As such, we should expect to see him consuming a significant amount of minutes at the center position. Nevertheless, there will be an inevitable developmental period where Sarr could struggle and play through the teething issues that await. 

If the Wizards are patient and stick with him, he could become an impactful member of the rotation before the end of the season. And if not, his future in the league will still look bright. Washington knew they were drafting a raw prospect; now they must give him the playing time he needs to fulfill his potential. 

Will Kyle Kuzma finish the season with Washington? 

Kuzma has been floated in trade rumors for the past few seasons. At 29 years old, he doesn't fit the franchise's rebuilding timeline and could help net them some additional trade or draft assets. Kuzma has been with the Wizards for the past three seasons, proving himself as one of the most reliable forwards in the Eastern Conference. 

With three more years remaining on his $90 million deal, teams could be tempted to acquire Kuzma, knowing that he is under team control for the remainder of his prime years. Washington will likely be open to trading the veteran forward as it continues to build around its young core. 

Kuzma is good enough to find himself on a contending team in the near future. His presence doesn't make sense for the Wizards' new direction. As such, it will be interesting to see if he is still on the roster beyond the Feb. 6 trade deadline. If he is, he may become a trade candidate next summer.