Washington Wizards: Tomas Satoransky should still be a starter

Since the recent trade for Trevor Ariza, Tomas Satoransky has been moved to the Washington Wizards bench once again. This wasn’t a smart choice for Scott Brooks and the team.

Acquiring Trevor Ariza was a good move by the Washington Wizards. Giving up Kelly Oubre Jr. was not. In addition, moving Tomas Satoransky to the bench wasn’t the most wise decision by Brooks.

Otto Porter has been out due to injury. A recent MRI revealed a Grade II strain of the right Vastus medialis, which will cause him to miss some time. This forced Brooks to move Jeff Green in the starting lineup.

Don’t get me wrong, Green has played solid and can always be counted on, but he brings more firepower than Satoransky. Since the bench is somewhat depleted with Oubre and Austin Rivers gone, Green is best option to bolster the second unit. Markieff Morris and Green would be a nice 1-2 punch off the pine. And if Sam Dekker continues performing the way he currently is, then the Wizards will have a nice 8 man rotation.

The easy solution is to slide Ariza to the 4 position and insert Satoransky back at the 3. Washington’s ball movement was so much better with with him in the lineup. John Wall’s play as been inconsistent. It’s safe to say that he hasn’t been focusing on being a true point guard. Scoring is more important to him, which is why Satoransky needs to be a starter. Not to mention that he plays well with Bradley Beal.

While Satoransky was in the starting lineup, the Wizards were 4-4. He was averaging 7.8 points, and 3.9 assists per game. At first glance, these aren’t the best numbers, but the team was staying afloat.

So far this season, the Wizards have failed to grasp the concept of team basketball. Satoransky brings that aspect to the game. As I’ve said before, he’s the ultimate role player and puts the team first in every decision that he makes on the court, which is exactly what Washington needs right now.

Ariza might have to bang down low at times, but he’s one of the best defenders in the league. Washington has gone 0-2 since moving Satoransky back to a reserve role. Once Porter returns, Brooks will move him back to the bench anyway, might as well get the most out of him now.

Bottom line, Satoransky provides an element to the team that can’t be calculated on a stat sheet. it makes no sense why a versatile wing man that provides both a defensive and offensive presence shouldn’t be in the starting lineup. On top of this, he has a high basketball IQ.

Make the right move Brooks and insert Satoransky back into the starting unit.