Washington Wizards: 4 players to watch when NBA season resumes
By Ethan Smith
Washington Wizards Player to Watch: Moritz Wagner
There’s a saying from the college football world: If you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have any. The idea being, if nobody is good enough to establish himself firmly as the number one option, then you don’t have anyone you can really rely on.
The same thing is going on at the center position for the Washington Wizards. While Ian Mahinmi has been serviceable at times this season, this will likely be his last season in D.C., and he’s certainly not the answer at center. That leaves Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner.
Both have been ok this season, but neither have been great. And considering Bryant just signed an extension with the team last summer, it’d be surprising to see them punt on the young center just one season later. Especially when you consider the injuries Bryant has dealt with this season.
This leaves Wagner in a weird position. He’s obviously valuable to the team, averaging nearly 20 minutes per game this season. Plus, he’s quite productive when he’s out there. Among players who have played at least 12 games for the Wizards this season, Wagner has the second-best effective field goal percentage. Per 36 minutes, he ranks second in rebounds and sixth in points. But he also ranks first in fouls and third in turnovers.
And it doesn’t help that Wagner and Bryant kind of do the same things on the court. While both are efficient around the rim (each shooting at least 64 percent on two-point field goals this season), they can’t stretch the floor offensively. Neither Bryant nor Wagner average even a single made three-pointer per game. While their shooting percentages from deep are respectable, they’re only pulling it if they’re wide open.
This offseason, the Wizards need to add something to their frontcourt. Keeping Wagner and Bryant might make things a little crowded and a little redundant. Wagner’s contract, though, is extremely team-friendly. He’s set to make $2.16 million next season and has a $3.89 million team option for the season after that.