Awful Wizards performance shows why Gallinari shouldn’t be the backup center
By Jay Hanson
Danilo Gallinari should not be the primary backup center off the bench for the Washington Wizards as the downside outstrips the upside.
First, the upside with Gallinari. In the game against the Indiana Pacers, Gallinari had a great statistical outing. He had 16 points on 57% shooting from the field and 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. Gallinari’s excellent shooting stroke is a skill that few other players possess. In addition, he was the only Wizards player with significant minutes to have a positive +/-.
However, being the primary backup center behind a foul-prone Daniel Gafford requires more than just scoring. It requires rebounding, interior defense, and the ability to get out in the perimeter and contest three-point shooters. Gallinari was not good at any of those things against the Pacers.
He only grabbed 3 total rebounds, 2 offensive, and 1 defensive in 17 minutes of play. He had zero blocks.
When watching Gallinari during the Pacers game, as well as in the preseason, his inability to move up and down the court with speed is noticeable. His quickness from the paint to the three-point line is anemically slow, which gave the Pacers wide-open three-point shots whenever Gallinari was on the floor.
Gallinari has never been known as a great rebounder and that was clearly on display in the game against the Pacers. Only one defensive board from your primary backup center is not sufficient.
The question for the Wizards coaching staff is simply this: “What do you really need from your backup center?” If it’s scoring, then Gallinari is clearly the answer. If it’s anything else, then Gallinari is not the answer.
The second unit for the Wizards has Corey Kispert and Delon Wright, both are capable of getting shots up, and Kispert needs to continue to develop into a go-to scoring option. In 2022-23, Kispert shot 42.4% from three-point range on 5.2 attempts, making him the 10th-best shooter from deep in the entire NBA.
Given that Kispert is so great with his three-point shot, the Wizards should focus on a big who can stretch the floor with a serviceable three-point shot and can do all the other things such as rebound and defend, as opposed to a big who is just excellent at the three-point shot.
The question is, if not Gallinari, then who? Mike Muscala may be a better fit, but he’s not going to be dramatically better. He should still be able to close out to the three-point shooters better than Gallinari and he will be marginally better on the glass.
In the Pacers game, Muscala played just 8 minutes compared to Gallinari’s 17. A full swap of minutes or an evening out of minutes between the two should pay dividends. But the true answer to the backup center problem can only really be addressed via a trade.
