4 Questions that still hover over the Washington Wizards during hiatus
By Ethan Smith
Who Will Be John Wall’s Backup?
Having time to think about things is always good. Having too much time, though, can lead to overthinking. And the future of the backup point guard position is something that you can turn over an infinite amount of times.
Early in the season, it seemed like the future backup role was Ish Smith‘s to lose. And it still is. He’s been the most consistent point guard on the roster all season and is the only one that is under contract for next season. Plus, his production has been worthy of a second-year leading the reserves.
His 10.5 points and 4.8 assists are more than serviceable, and he’s proven he can lead a high-scoring group of backups. Smith is the off-the-bench orchestrator for a bench unit that ranks second in points per game this season, per NBA.com.
However, while Smtih’s role as the future backup looked safe as the Isaiah Thomas experiment failed early in the season, Thomas’s eventual replacement, Shabazz Napier, has muddied the waters.
Napier hasn’t been in Washington long. He only arrived at the deadline. But in just 15 games, he’s made an impact.
As Wizards, Napier and Smith’s numbers are extremely similar:
- Ish Smith: 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 45% FG, 37% 3PT
- Shabazz Napier: 25.2 minutes, 12.0 points, 4.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 43% FG, 38% 3PT
Like I said, they’re close. But Smith has the advantage in two major categories: games played, and turnovers. Smith’s put up those numbers over 60 games, while Napier has done it for only 15. And with 2.3 turnovers per game, Napier looks careless compared to Smith, who only coughs it up 1.3 times per contest.
Napier’s made the backup decision a bit more difficult. One, because he’s competent, and even excels where Smith doesn’t — primarily around the three-point line. And two, because he’ll be a lot cheaper than Smith, who’s due to make $6 million next season. Napier, in the sixth year of his NBA career, has never made more than $2.3 million in a single NBA season. An upgrade for less money? That’s a no-brainer, and it makes Smith disposable via trade.
But Napier’s success has come in a limited sample size. The season was suspended just 15 games into his Wizards career. A short stint, despite some success, might not be enough to cause the Wizards to change course from their reliable long-term plan in Ish Smith.
And of course, there’s always the draft, which is fairly full of point guard talent. LaMelo Ball. Anthony Edwards. Killian Hayes. Cole Anthony. Tyrese Haliburton. The guard pool is deep. The possibilities are endless….