3 things to watch in the Wizards preseason finale

The Washington Wizards will host the New York Knicks on Friday to conclude their preseason. With the regular season less than a week away, Washington has shown what to expect from Brian Keefe's young team ahead of the long year ahead.

However, the Wizards will have one more game to showcase their early development. Assuming the starters play extended minutes, this will be the first game we can take something from.

Alex Sarr has shown promise in his first few games with the Wizards. After his miserable Summer League performance, there seemed to be early doubts about how impactful the rookie could be in his first season in Washington.

Nonetheless, the big man has shown his versatility on offense and his ability to be a game-changer on defense. Given his size, Sarr is a threat as a shot blocker and willing defender. Additionally, his ability to handle the ball as a seven-footer could be a huge boost to the Wizards' adoption of a mix of lineups in various matchups.

If Sarr can show he's ready to be the cornerstone for the Wizards in year one, it could clear up any issues for general manager Will Dawkins as he continues to rebuild the team.

Corey Kispert was selected in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. Since joining the Wizards, the forward has demonstrated his talent as a nerd shooter and a high IQ basketball player. However, the Gonzaga product has yet to catch on as the Washington player was hoping he could get out of college.

However, Kispert had shown impressive performances up until the start of the preseason. Whether due to his offseason work ethic or a greater opportunity, the 25-year-old appears primed for a big year.

Jordan Poole received an early commitment to be the Wizards' primary ballplayer to start the season. The Michigan alum impressed at times, but at other times his inefficiency and unwillingness to involve his teammates seemed to hinder his development as a starting point guard.

The playmaker has shown that he has the skills necessary to do the job, and to do it effectively, Poole just needs to do it every night. With Keefe's confidence in his starting guard and the opportunity to learn and grow in a rebuilding year, the combo guard could emerge by the end of the season.
On Friday he will have a longer opportunity to show what he has to offer.