Predicting Stats for Every Washington Wizards Starter Next Season

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WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 12: Marcin Gortat #13 of the Washington Wizards dunks against Jaylen Brown #7 and Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics during Game Six of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals at Verizon Center on May 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Marcin Gortat

Projected 2017-18 Regular Season Stats: 8.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.7 BPG, 0.2 SPG, 54.2% FG, 59.8% FT,

If anyone were to ruin this article by not being in the starting lineup next year, it would be Marcin Gortat. The 33-year-old center could be traded this offseason in an effort to shed salary, or lose his starting spot to Ian Mahinmi. However, it’s more likely than not we see Gortat starting again next season.

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He’s a locker room favorite, who Ernie Grunfeld recently said was a, “big part of our future”. Gortat has his deficiencies, specifically athleticism as he continues to age. But he still brings value to the team. He’s a good rebounder, both defensive and offensive. He routinely tips offensive rebounds back out to teammates on the perimeter, which sets up scoring opportunities.

He’s also very good as a roll man in the P&R offense. He has good hands and is able to catch the ball in traffic and finish at the rim. His numbers should dip overall with a decline in minutes. Ian Mahinmi should play a much larger role if he can stay healthy. But expect Gortat to retain his spot and produce fairly well.

Next: Wizards Announce Final Summer League Roster

The Wizards seem poised to bring back the same starting lineup, while trading out the bench pieces, making it even more important that the starters take their games to new heights.

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