If you are in Tommy Sheppard’s shoes as the Washington Wizards’ President of Basketball Operations, you know you need to find diamonds in the rough. The Wizards are in salary cap purgatory (or jail) given that much of the team’s salary is committed to Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis. If things play out right, all three will be back next year.
Enter Xavier Cooks.
The Wizards officially signed him last week, and he made his debut last Saturday against the Sacramento Kings, grabbing two rebounds in about five minutes, not long after he led the Sydney Kings to the NBL championship in Australia.