Wizards Opening Night Roster Provides Rookies Opportunities

The Washington Wizards have their roster to start the season, including three rookies.
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (17) dribbles against Houston Rockets guard Kira Lewis Jr (60) during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (17) dribbles against Houston Rockets guard Kira Lewis Jr (60) during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are beginning their season against the defending champion Boston Celtics, and the franchise has its roster to start the year.

Here's a look at the players on the roster:

Guards: Malcolm Brogdon, Bub Carrington (rookie), Johnny Davis, Jordan Poole

Forwards: Patrick Baldwin Jr., Saddiq Bey, Kyshawn George (rookie), Anthony Gill, Corey Kispert, Kyle Kuzma

Centers: Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes, Alex Sarr (rookie), Jonas Valanciunas

Two-Way: Jared Butler, Justin Champagnie, Tristan Vukcevic

The Wizards have one of the tallest rosters in the league with most of their players at the forward and center positions. Some forwards like Corey Kispert and Kyshawn George can double as guards, but the Wizards will be rolling out some of the league's tallest lineups.

The Wizards are coming into the season with a few injuries as Malcolm Brogdon (hand) and Saddiq Bey (knee) are recovering from their respective surgeries. Both of them should make an appearance in the coming weeks.

Having two veterans out will give the younger players on the roster more of an opportunity to play.

The team has three rookies on the roster with No. 2 pick Alex Sarr, No. 14 pick Bub Carrington and No. 24 pick Kyshawn George all making their NBA debuts this season. All three of them have the chance to be players for the Wizards future, so there should be more buzz surrounding them as the season goes along.

Coach Brian Keefe will have a good problem on his hands trying to figure out when to give the rookies and other young players on the roster an opportunity to play, but this doesn't have to be resolved immediately as the Wizards move into a long season.

The Wizards season begins tonight against the Celtics at 7 p.m. ET inside the Capital One Arena.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.