The Final Washington Wizards Roster Looks a lot More Clear

On Wednesday, the Washington Wizards cut three players. The final roster for opening day next week looks at lot more clear.

The Washington Wizards have cut Phil Booth, Jemerrio Jones, and Justin Anderson Wednesday afternoon.

Booth was never expected to make the Wizard’s final roster. The Baltimore native and guard out of Villanova University went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. He signed with the Wizards to an exhibit 10 contract. This means Booth will receive $50,000 if he signs with the Wizard’s G-League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, which he is reportedly expected to do.

Jones was also not expected to make the team. The Wizards acquired Jones over the summer in a trade with the Lakers. The six-foot-five small forward only played six games with the Lakers last season. However, he was able to become a Lakers’ fan favorite due to his great rebounding and solid defense. In his six games last season, Jones averaged 4.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 23.8 minutes per game.

Jones was just not a good fit with the Wizards. However, there is a chance he receives interest from other teams around the league. Many Lakers fans have already begun pleading for him to return to Los Angeles.

Justin Anderson being cut was the most surprising of the three players. Anderson, a former 2015 first round pick, was seeking to revitalize his career in the nation’s capital after. He played in four preseason games with the Wizards, averaging 9.8 points per game, and even started in some of the games.

Anderson would have been able to provide some much needed depth at Small Forward as Troy Brown and C.J. Miles are both dealing with injuries. Anderson being waived could be a sign that the Wizards no longer need extra Small Forward depth, as Brown and Miles could be returning to the court shortly.

With Anderson being cut, Justin Robinson’s odds for making the team have significantly improved. Robinson is an undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech, signing with the Wizards to a non-guaranteed deal last summer.

Robinson will be able to provide the Wizards with point guard depth as John Wall is out for the year and Isaiah Thomas is expected to miss the start of the season, both due to injuries. Robinson could be an option for backup point guard as Ish Smith will likely start the season in the starting lineup.

The Washington Wizards final 15 man roster must be set by October 21 by 5:00 p.m.