5 NBA teams that should sign Omri Casspi for a playoff run
By Dre Elder
Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Since Christmas, the Wizards are 28-9 and are 2.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern conference. They have arguably the most balanced starting five in the league, as each starter averages 11.5 points or more per game.
Contrarily, the Wizards have the league’s second-worst bench by points per game. Remember when LeBron James asserted the Cavaliers were top heavy? Well, the Wizards are actually one of two teams ahead of the Cavaliers for that honor.
Like the Rockets, the Wizards do not have enough reliable depth at forward and will need more to make a deep playoff run. The Wizards acquired Bojan Bogdanovic from the Brooklyn Nets via trade to fuel bench production. Bogdanovic has averaged 16 points per game during his first ten games with the Wizards. However, there are only seven players in the entire NBA with a worse defensive real plus-minus than Bogdanovic.
Omri Casspi would be an upgrade over Bogdanovic because he brings comparable offensive prowess, but is appreciably better on the defensive end. Casspi ranks top-half in the league in defensive real plus-minus.
In addition to shooting 40 percent on 3-pointers for the better part of the last three seasons, Casspi can create his own shot and finish at the rim. His value will not be exclusive to his jumper. Casspi is nimble enough to fill a lane on a John Wall-led fast break and would improve their chances of dethroning the Cavaliers.