New Year’s Resolutions for the Wizards for 2022

It’s a time-honored tradition to come up with New Year’s Resolutions for yourself. Since we don’t know what each of the Washington Wizards is planning for themselves, Osman Baig and I came up with some suggestions for each of them on this week’s Bleav in Wizards podcast.

I’ve included each of my high-level resolutions here for discussion in the comments section below. For the full breakdown from Osman and I, please check out the full episode. Are there any obvious ones we missed or any you’d strongly object to? Let us know!

Spencer Dinwiddie

Please be the same player with Bradley Beal that you are without. If you’re not healthy, rest. If you are healthy, trust your body and attack.

Raul Neto

Be more consistent. Especially with Dinwiddie being so up-and-down, the Wizards need a steadying presence at point guard. Osman said, “pass more” and I thought that was a pretty good one too.

Aaron Holiday

Take a seat. But not on the bench, take a seat in terms of defensive stance. I would like to see Holiday go all out in his minutes and pick up opposing guards full-court. Being more of a pest out there would be a good change of pace for the Wizards. Osman suggested he should try to limit his fouls and I’m fully in support of that.

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Bradley Beal

I originally had get vaccinated but he beat me to that one. I think Beal should resolve to just have more fun out there. You could see it in the most recent Cavaliers game, when he’s having fun his teammates feed on that energy.

Corey Kispert

Stay confident, bend your knees, get some arc on that ball and make shots. Keep it simple.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Try to be the best perimeter defensive player on the court at all times. The Wizards need him to shutdown opposing guards and wings. Keeping a better eye on shot selection might be a good call too.

Kyle Kuzma

Play within yourself. Do what you do. We really elaborated on this in the episode (like where his shooting % is highest, etc.) but Kuzma is considerably more effective with his feet set and when he isn’t trying to do too much.

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

Deni Avdija

When you’re not on the court, tie your right hand behind your back. Eat left-handed, brush your teeth left-handed, text left-handed. His ceiling is capped until he can effectively beat people off the dribble with both hands.

Davis Bertans

I had some slightly less professional suggestions that you’ll have to listen to the episode to get but, for official purposes, Bertans should try to be a more complete player. Early in the season he tried to defend and rebound more. He needs to get back to that.

Daniel Gafford

Get a football JUGS machine and practice catching.

Montrezl Harrell

Do not pout on nights when the match-up isn’t favorable for you. The Wizards need him to be a leader and not a distraction.

Anthony Gill

Keep being a mentor for the young guys and a cheerleader on the bench. With the revolving door of young hardship exceptions being called up, Gill is well-suited to take them under his wing and explain what it takes to find a way onto a roster.

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Thomas Bryant

Study Harrell. If Bryant can play with similar energy to Harrell, he could make Harrell more expendable at the trade deadline.

Rui Hachimura

Get your mind right and don’t come back until you’re ready.

Isaiah Todd

Find an older player to mentor you and play one-on-one with. Avdija has spoken about how helpful it has been to have Kuzma to play one-on-one with. That seems like a good move for Todd.

Joel Ayayi, Jordan Goodwin, Jaime Echenique, Jordan Schakel, and Cassius Winston

Stay ready. This seems like a revolving door situation so they’re likely going to be called upon more.

Craig Sword

Enjoy the ride. As I explain in the episode, I covered Sword during ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament this past summer and really started to root for him and his story. He’s been grinding it out in the G League for years and finally broke through at 27 years old. Sword should take pride in that and soak it all up.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Wes Unseld Jr.

Be flexible...to a point. Give players a bit more latitude to help keep them engaged but don’t go so far that they try to walk all over you.

Tommy Sheppard

Keep working. The job isn’t done just because you got extended.

NBC Sports Washington

Give us more Chris Miller and Glenn Consor, please.