Washington Wizards Need Brandon Jennings To Increase Production

Washington Wizards hoped that Brandon Jennings would provide a spark off the bench, but the point guard has struggled to find himself in D.C.

Some NBA players carry themselves with an unwarranted amount of confidence, making them intolerable – unless they’re on your team. Brandon Jennings is one of those players.

The Washington Wizards have a unique history with Jennings, whom they signed two weeks ago after he was waived by the New York Knicks.

Jennings has had battles with John Wall, both in the NBA and in professional-amateur summer leagues. During preseason, Jennings got into a scuffle with Casper Ware, which was enough for Scott Brooks to make a public comment about the way he acted.

Washington, desperately needing a backup point guard after Trey Burke failed to solidify his role on the team, signed Jennings, putting their history with him aside.

Jennings, who averaged 19 points with the Milwaukee Bucks, has built a reputation of taking shots with confidence.

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Despite his inefficiency – Jennings is a career 39 percent shooter – Washington opted to add Jennings, thinking he has the tools to bolster their bench.

Six games into his career with the Washington Wizards, Jennings has done little to change the way the team’s bench operates.

Jennings has made just 5 of his 25 shot attempts in Washington, missing all 11 of his 3-point tries.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Jennings hasn’t played with the confidence that enticed Washington in the first place.

He’s appeared hesitant, choosing not to shoot when open – something he rarely did before coming to Washington.

Following last week’s one-point victory over the Orlando Magic, Brooks noticed the hesitancy in Jennings’ game.

“He doesn’t feel comfortable taking open shots, and I got on him a little bit during the game,” Brooks said. “I need players that are being aggressive, that are making the right basketball play, and I don’t like guys passing up shots if they work on it all day long, everyday in the gym. Why do it? If you’re not going to shoot the shot then just don’t work on it in practice.”

Every team needs a “gunner” on their roster – someone who looks to shoot, even when it’s not feasible. Jennings’ court vision separates him from Burke, but his shot making is what separates him from most point guards. He has an innate ability to find and make difficult shots, and the Wizards need him to do exactly that.

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As the seasons winds down, Brooks will likely begin to rest the starters. Jennings will be a part of the 8 or 9-man rotation in the postseason. Before that begins, the Washington Wizards need him to find a rhythm. And the only way he’ll do that is if he plays like himself.