Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards’ Trey Burke Finds Himself In Familiar, Awkward Position

By Ben Mehic

Dec 18, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trey Burke (33) dribbles the ball as LA Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (33) and Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) defend in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trey Burke (33) dribbles the ball as LA Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (33) and Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) defend in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards guard Trey Burke has found himself out of Scott Brooks’ rotation. Soon, he could find himself out of the NBA.

As a former lottery pick, Trey Burke was expected to fill the shoes once worn by All-Star Deron Williams with the Utah Jazz. Not only did Burke seem to have the skills to lead an NBA team, but he carried himself with confidence, as he was known for his clutch shooting at Michigan.

Averaging nearly 13 points per game in his rookie season, Burke struggled to score efficiently, making just 38 percent of his total shots and 33 percent of his 3-point attempts. In his second season in Utah, Burke’s shooting percentages dropped below 37 and 32 percent, respectively.

Then in his final season with Utah, Burke was placed on the bench, playing behind Shelvin Mack and Raul Neto. After starting in 68 of the 70 games he appeared in during his rookie season, Burke didn’t start a single game in 2016.

Burke found himself as Utah’s third string point guard with no way to climb into Quin Snyder’s rotation.

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Utah, wanting to move on from the experiment, acquired George Hill and traded Burke to the Washington Wizards for a heavily protected second round pick this past summer (which, in NBA terms, equates to nothing).

Washington had lost Ramon Sessions to the Charlotte Hornets during the free agency period and were willing to take back Burke’s $3.38 million salary, hoping that a change of scenery would reinvigorate his career.

Ernie Grunfeld, the team’s president, had made similar moves in the past. He dumped Andre Miller to the Sacramento Kings for Sessions and a trade exception, which he later flipped for Jared Dudley.

Burke, like Sessions, was a cheap alternative. Instead of digging for a long-term option in free agency, Burke was a low-risk, high-reward option.

During media day, Burke told Wiz of Awes that he wasn’t thinking about entering a contract season with the Wizards; that he was simply looking forward to playing with John Wall, Bradley Beal and being coached by Scott Brooks, a former point guard himself.

With roughly 20 games remaining in the season, Burke has found himself in a familiar, unfortunate situation with the Washington Wizards – on the bench with no way to get back onto the court.

Under Brooks, Burke has played a career-low 12 minutes per game, despite putting up career-high shooting percentages.

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Washington’s bench has been 29th in scoring and last in assists, making it difficult for Brooks to rely on the undersized guard, who hasn’t excelled at scoring nor passing the ball.

Tomas Satoransky manned the backup point guard spot in Washington for a few weeks, but that job has been handed over to Brandon Jennings, who the Wizards signed last week after he was waived by the New York Knicks.

As the Wizards inch closer to the playoffs, Brooks’ rotation will become tighter, adjusting the team to the postseason style.

Wall will continue to carry the heavy load, playing 33+ minutes virtually every game, with Jennings picking up the scraps.

Washington’s bench, with Jennings, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jason Smith and Ian Mahinmi leading the way, has started to form its identity. Behind Jennings and Bogdanovic, the Washington Wizards have multiple creators. Smith and Mahinmi have anchored the paint, giving them a gritty-feel inside.

Burke, once again, doesn’t fit into the team’s equation.

According to Liz Mullen, who covers sports labor, Burke has changed representation.

Before the NBA Trade Deadline, it was rumored that Washington was looking to deal Burke for a second round pick.

Since Otto Porter and Bogdanovic will become restricted free agents in the offseason, Burke’s status in the nation’s capital remains unclear. When the Wizards signed Jennings and needed to clear a roster spot, it was speculated that the team considered waiving Burke.

For Burke, his drawbacks will always be physical – something he doesn’t have control over. At 6-feet, Burke isn’t quick enough to make up for his lack of size.

Next: Scott Brooks Deserves Credit for Wizards' Historic Turnaround

Undersized shooting guards, which is what Burke really is, typically filter out of the NBA quickly. Unless something extraordinary happens, Burke will likely be looking for a new home once the season ends.

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