Every great team needs a great veteran.
The early 2010s Miami Heat had Udonis Haslem, a vocal mentor off the bench, keeping their locker room together. Shaun Livingston was an effective role model for the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty. Even this year’s New York Knicks had Jordan Clarkson, a steady hand with lots of playoff experience.
The Washington Wizards are far from reaching that point, coming off the second-worst season in franchise history. But the team is looking to follow a similar path through the signing of veteran forward Anthony Gill.
Gill has been a Wizard for seven seasons. He’s seen the relative highs of the 2020-21 playoff season, mixed with the lows of the 2023-24 season, when the team had one of the worst records in NBA history at 15-67.
Washington will lean on Gill to be a veteran voice both on and off the court, helping lead the squad into a new, more promising era of basketball.
Gill’s understanding of the system should help youth
Over the course of his long Wizards tenure, Gill has dealt with quite a bit of coaching turnover. He started his career with Scott Brooks at the helm, only for Wes Unseld Jr to take over a year later in 2021. Brian Keefe then became coach in 2024.
This year will mark 3.5 seasons with Keefe at the helm for Gill, tied for his longest tenure with a head coach. That has likely led to a deep understanding of the former Oklahoma City Thunder assistant's system on both ends of the floor.
The veteran will likely serve a key role in helping the young players in the locker room adjust to Washington’s style of play. The team will likely look to continue the more organized half-court play they adopted with Trae Young on the court, running through their new star.
With multiple young players accustomed to working on-ball, such as AJ Dybansta and Will Riley last season, there’s a chance frustration occurs early on. Gill can serve as the beloved locker room presence, smoothing over a complex situation.
The team could also use Gill’s expertise on defense, an area where they struggled mightily last season. The 33-year-old, despite some of his physical limitations, has always shown effort in crashing the glass, a serious weakness for the Wizards last season.
Neither Deandre Ayton nor Alex Sarr has a history of consistently attacking the boards, and Anthony Davis’s effort has often waned with his health. If Gill can inspire improved rebounding from this squad, his presence will be well worth the roster spot.
By serving as a positive influence, the Wizards’ latest acquisition can make a big difference while rarely touching the floor.
The veteran can help mold a complex locker room
Even with lots of excitement surrounding Washington in 2026-27, there are certainly questions about how it will come together.
The team is dealing with a bit of a cultural divide. Older superstars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis take up much of the salary cap, playing alongside a young unproven group in Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Riley, and others.
The differences in maturity both on and off the court, and the battle for who controls possessions, could create issues for the Wizards internally.
Young and Davis’s previous teams traded them away in part to clear up touches for their younger cores. But both will expect the ball in Washington and may be less than thrilled with the shot selection of some of their teammates.
Gill could be the mediator between the veterans and young core.
On the one hand, he's experienced and can relate to Young and Davis in that respect. On the other hand, his tenure as a Wizard has led to strong connections with the team’s youth.
If Gill can help the team mesh, he will be a great help to Keefe and his staff. It’ll be a tall task, but one that comes with being a beloved presence.
Washington will lean on Gill both on and off the floor as it looks for its first winning season since 2017-18.
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