The Washington Wizards entered the offseason without a definitive cornerstone for their rebuild, but Tre Johnson showed franchise-player tools during his freshman season at Texas and encouraging Summer League flashes. The team selected Johnson at No. 6 after missing the top five in the NBA Draft Lottery. Cooper Flagg was the preferred dream target, yet his generational upside could have brought excessive expectations and external pressure that might force a rushed win-now approach. Johnson provides a lower-pressure path that enables patient development, continued high-upside roster moves, and the chance to pair him with other young prospects during a methodical rebuild.
Not only did he show during his freshman season at Texas that he has the tools and talent to be a franchise player at the next level, but the flashes he showed during Summer League play for the Wizards all but added fuel to the fire of the hype train behind the No. 6 overall pick. Johnson was a nice consolation prize for the Wizards after falling out of the top five during the NBA Draft Lottery.
Cooper Flagg was the dream target, and while his generational talent would have been a huge domino to fall in the Wizards favor during their rebuild, if we're being completely honest, Flagg may not have been the ideal prospect to land in Washington. Obviously, Flagg offers upside to completely alter the future of a franchise, but what he brings with him is high expectations and plenty of eyes to a rebuilding team and city that may not be ready for that.
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