Washington Wizards: 3 Goals for Jerome Robinson next season

Goal #1: Build chemistry with the team

For a number of reasons, Jerome Robinson was never really able to build chemistry with the Washington Wizards.

He was traded right at the trade deadline, and then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Less than 40 days after Robinson joined the Wizards, the NBA suspended the season.

Robinson was averaging about 20 mins per game for his new squad before the season shut down on March 11. He didn’t start to build comradery with the team until they all entered the bubble in Orlando. It’s hard to fully assess his play there because the Wizards were without Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans, and John Wall. Someone had to pick up the scoring. But it was encouraging to see Robinson was the one to heat up.

The key will be whether Robinson can continue playing like he did without Wall and Beal once they return. Those two, along with Davis Bertans (if he returns), will garner a lot of attention from opposing defenses. If they choose to leave Robinson open, he must make opposing teams pay like he did in the bubble.

After finishing the season 25-47, it’s clear that Washington needs to improve in a lot of areas. Surprisingly though, the Wizards actually had one of the top-ranked bench units last year. They were second in the entire league behind the Clippers in total bench points per game. The only person who spent time on both of those benches was Jerome Robinson.

Washington averaged an impressive 48.3 points per game off the bench this past season. Jerome Robinson, who came off the bench for 16 of his 21 games with Washington, averaged 9.4 points in his short time with the team. He’ll be looking to boost that average next year.

The league has not declared an official start date for the upcoming season yet. Many people are predicting the 2020-2021 season will start sometime in January or February. That gives the Wizards two to three full months to gel as a team before things get going again. This time will be crucial for Jerome Robinson to integrate himself, especially on the second unit. Robinson won’t get as many looks as he did in the bubble once Washington’s offense brings backs its big guns. But Robinson’s smooth scoring touch, especially from behind the three-point line, can still be utilized off the bench. He just has to continue to stay confident and fire whenever he’s open. Whether he’s off or not, the Wizards need Robinson to keep shooting and not worry about percentages.