It’s been a tough season for the Washington Wizards as the team owns an 11-48 record ahead of Monday night’s contest against the Miami Heat. The franchise is seemingly in a rebuild as the front office has prioritized adding prospects to the roster in recent years.
In an effort to continue acquiring prospect-level players, the Wizards made a move to claim JT Thor off waivers, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Thor was previously on the Cleveland Cavaliers on a two-way contract and played for South Sudan in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The Washington Wizards have claimed two-way forward JT Thor on waivers, league sources told @hoopshype. The 22-year-old forward was on a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this season and played for South Sudan in the Olympics over the summer. pic.twitter.com/DxYV4XZiwp
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) March 3, 2025
Thor came off the bench for South Sudan and provided a spark as a rebounder. Through three games in the Olympics, the 22-year-old forward averaged 6.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. He also shot 36.4% from the field and made all seven of his free-throw shots.
It’s unclear how big of a role Thor will play for the Wizards. However, when given the opportunity to play, he should be lining up as a power forward, providing depth in the frontcourt. The former Olympian joins a young roster including Bilal Coulibaly, No. 2 rookie pick Alex Sarr, and No. 14 rookie pick Carlton Carrington.
With only 23 games remaining on the schedule and likely out of playoff contention, the Wizards will hope for their young players to continue developing. Washington currently owns the worst record in the league and should be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery.
Rumors suggest the front office may shop veteran forward Khris Middleton around during the offseason in an effort to continue building around the young core. Guard Jordan Poole is another key player to watch for once the offseason begins later in the year. Veteran Malcolm Brogdon is due to hit free agency once the 2024-25 season concludes. Either way, Washington should have significant draft capital and some cap space to improve the roster for next season.
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