Ultra-Efficient Guards Will Help Wizards Exceed Expectations

Tyus Jones and Delon Wright were two of the most efficient players in the NBA last season

Dan Karpuc - Sep 20, 2023, 1:02pm EDT

Turning The Page

After finishing exactly 35-47 in the first two seasons of Wes Unseld Jr.’s tenure as Washington Wizards head coach, the organization reshaped the top of their front office in the offseason. Michael Winger will oversee the team as President of Monumental Basketball. Under him, Will Dawkins will serve as Wizards general manager and Travis Schlenk joined as Senior Vice President of Player Personnel. John Thompson III was promoted to Senior Vice President of Monumental Basketball, too.

"What we're missing most is an identity," team owner Ted Leonsis said earlier this summer. "We need to be an organization, a team that you don't want to play against. We don't have that anymore. I don't want to look in the rear-view mirror, I just want to look going forward."

In an effort to rebuild and establish a new identity, the front office dealt stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, acquiring young players and draft picks in return. Not only that, but they shipped out Jordan Goodwin, Monte Morris, James Huff and Isaiah Todd while also letting Kendrick Nunn, Quenton Jackson and Taj Gibson walk in free agency. Jordan Poole, Landry Shamet, Ryan Rollins, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Jared Butler and Patrick Baldwin Jr. were acquired via trades and French wing Bilal Coulibaly was taken No. 7 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, the most impactful addition was point guard Tyus Jones, who you’ll learn more about below.

Turning The Page

Ultra-Efficient Point Guards

In the fast-paced world of the NBA, where statistics and metrics play a pivotal role in evaluating player performance, Tyus Jones and Delon Wright quietly emerge as an exciting point guard duo for the Wizards.

Tyus Jones, known for his exceptional playmaking skills, has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to maintain control of the ball while orchestrating offensive plays. Last season, he achieved a remarkable feat by posting the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA at 5.4. This accomplishment was not an isolated one; Jones has consistently excelled in this aspect over the last five seasons, finishing first in the league in the assist-to-turnover ratio every year in that span. His meticulous ball-handling skills culminated in a record-breaking 6.96 AST/TO ratio in the 2018-19 season and then he broke it by with a 7.04 mark in the 2021-22 season.

Again, he holds the all-time NBA record in that regard despite the fact that he’s been a sixth man and reserve for the majority of his eight-year career.

In his 22 games as a starter for the Grizzlies last season, his well-rounded performance showcased his effectiveness. Averaging 16.4 points on 50% shooting from the field, including an impressive 41.5% from three-point range, he also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and only 1.5 turnovers in 33.2 minutes per game. The impact of Jones' presence on the court was further highlighted by the Grizzlies' impressive 20-5 record when Ja Morant missed games, reflecting an average offensive output of 117.8 points per game while allowing just 104.2 points to opponents.

If he plays in the neighborhood of 30 minutes per game this season, he should be firmly in the mix for Most Improved Player and the longest odds you can get on that outcome are at +2200 (DraftKings).

Delon Wright's contributions for the Wizards were often overshadowed, but he will play an important role once again this year. His average of 1.8 steals per game would have ranked second in the entire NBA if he had played the required number of games during the regular season to become a qualified player.

Wright's defensive prowess was on display all season, but he also made strides offensively, where he posted a career-high assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.4 to 1. This statistic not only highlights his ability to create opportunities for his teammates but also underscores his calculated decision-making on the court, just like Jones.

With Wright on the court last season, Washington went 26-24. Without him, they went 9-23. That wasn’t a coincidence.

Moreover, both Jones and Wright shared a unique distinction as the leaders in steals per foul in the NBA, with Jones leading at 2.5 (insane) and Wright closely behind at 1.6. Again, No. 1 and No. 2 will be splitting time at point guard for the Wizards.

While Kyle Kuzma and Poole will get a ton of shot volume and are offensive-centric players, the point guard position will be manned by very efficient players on both ends of the court. Ultimately, I think this Wizards team will earn its way into the playoff picture and think they'll finish around .500. If that happens, it'd be due to their point guards controlling the game and being the floor generals they've proven to be.