Washington Wizards: Orlando Bubble Was Made For Troy Brown Jr.

Nobody can benefit more from playing in the bubble for the Washington Wizards than Troy Brown Jr.

The Washington Wizards just barely squeaked in when it came time to decide who would get the chance to play in the season restart in Orlando. As the worst team (by record) to make it into the bubble, expectations aren’t high for the Wizards. Some people think they shouldn’t even be there.

Without Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans and believe a playoff appearance is virtually impossible. But the Wizards won’t necessarily be focusing on a playoff run when the seeding games start.

Without their top two scorers, the Wizards will instead focus on development. As they should.

Troy Brown Jr will have a chance to prove himself in Orlando.

The Wizards now have eight games to get an early start on next year. Their Orlando roster is currently constructed of mostly young prospects who need additional reps before the 2020-2021 season.

And nobody could use the reps more than former 1st round pick, Troy Brown Jr.

Opportunity Knocks

Troy Brown’s ride in the NBA has been rather bumpy, and a majority if not all of it, has not been his fault.

Opportunities have not been easy to come by for Brown in his two season with the Wizards. He was mostly restricted to garbage time minutes in his rookie year and then got hurt heading into training camp this season.

The emphasis on his missed training camp cannot be understated here. That second training camp is crucial for a young prospects’ development, and Brown wasn’t able to take full advantage of his.

After missing training camp, Brown flip-flopped between the starting lineup and bench as the coaching staff experimented with where he fit best.

Regardless of the odd way they tinkered with his play, the Wizards think highly of Brown and believe he can be an integral part of this team moving forward. Now, without some of their top talent in Orlando, the Wizards have no choice but to set him free.

What’s the Move?

So why are these upcoming games in Orlando so important for Brown?

For starters, this is the first time in his brief NBA career that Brown will be able to play without having to look over his shoulder.

In Orlando, Brown will have plenty of opportunities to showcase the full range of his abilities. And he’ll be able to do so without worrying about playing perfectly. In the bubble, Brown will have the freedom to operate and make mistakes like he never has before.

Usually not a primary option on offense, Brown will have the opportunity to put more shots up and work on his weaknesses, like outside shooting. Like most of the wings not names Davis Bertans, Brown simply isn’t a three-point threat.

This season, Brown is averaging less than one made three-pointer each game. The extended break and move down to Orlando didn’t help Brown find his shot, either. He made one of his eleven three-point attempts during the scrimmages.

With the ball in his hands a lot more, though, he’ll also be able to showcase his playmaking strengths more than ever.

Getting the chance to run the show (to an extent) should help Brown get confident and comfortable. It could be exactly what he needs to take that type of next step in his development.

Already a competent ballhandler and defender, Brown will be a force to be reckoned with if he can figure out that three-point shot.

However, as Brown nears the end of his second season, the Wizards might want to look for another solution at the wing if he can’t figure things out soon.

The Future is Bright

With the NBA restart ready to kick off, the Wizards, have a lot to gain down in Orlando even if they don’t make the playoffs. The young guys desperately need the reps, and nobody needs them more than Troy Brown Jr.

Troy clearly has a very valuable skillset and his ability to slide into so many different schemes and matchups could make him invaluable moving forward. But he hasn’t put it all together for the Wizards. As such a young prospect with such a promising game, Orlando is the perfect place for TBJr. to set up his future in Washington.

With the inevitable return of John Wall and Bradley Beal next year, the Wizards plan to compete at the highest level that they can while the Wall/Beal window begins to close.

With John Wall approaching his 30th birthday and coming off of an Achilles injury, the Wall/Beal window is closing. In order to get back to 2017 form (or better), the Wizards will need the right cast around their backcourt stars.

In Orlando, the Wizards will be able to see who should be a part of that cast, and who shouldn’t. It’s an audition for all the young guys on the fringes to see if they’ll make the rotation on a more competent team next year. Nobody has a better opportunity to prove they belong during this time than Troy Brown Jr. Who knows, he could turn about to be a secret weapon down in the bubble.