Washington Wizards: Four numbers from the preseason opener
By Ethan Smith
Zero
The number of healthy, available players that didn’t play last night.
Preseason isn’t the best barometer for the regular season. Teams are shuffling through two-way players, 10-day contracts, and undrafted free agents to figure out who will fill out the bottom of the roster. It’s time to see who can add value to this team and who still needs some seasoning in the G-League or elsewhere.
The Washington Wizards certainly made sure to get a good look at all of their guys in the preseason opener. Everyone that could play did play. Of course, the studs (Bradley Beal, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant) all saw 20 minutes or more. But Jemerrio Jones and Phil Booth also got five minutes as they fight to stay on the final roster. Two-way sharpshooter Garrison Mathews got 14 minutes of play and was able to shoot four three-pointers in that time, sinking two.
When the final buzzer sounded, 14 different Wizards players had gotten playing time. Comparatively, the Knicks only played ten guys.
It’s no secret that there are roster spots open for the taking on this Wizards team. They are using the preseason to see who works where and who’s worth keeping around. Those final spots are truly up for grabs.