There's no denying that Bub Carrington's sophomore season hasn't exactly gone to plan.
The former lottery pick entered the regular season with high expectations and hopes that he could emerge as the long-term answer at the point guard position Washington has desperately been searching for since the departure of John Wall.
Instead, the Pittsburgh product's abysmal shooting start to the season put the team in a position where when the opportunity presented itself to land four-time All-Star Trae Young ahead of the NBA trade deadline, they had to pull the trigger.
Young's arrival though immediately turned the attention to Carrington.
The acquisition of the star guard clearly wasn't made in hopes of filling the void in the backcourt for the short-term, but for the long-term vision of the team.
But where does that leave Carrington?
Honestly, the answer to that question is up to the guard himself.
The talent is there, and he's shown that on several occassions. On Tuesday though, he showed just how good he can be when he's able to put everything together for one complete game.
Bub Carrington sends Wizards a reminder of his potential
With Washington shorthanded yet again in Tuesday's matchup against the top seeded Detroit Pistons, Carrington heard his number called to step in the starting lineup in place of injured Trae Young in the backcourt.
The 20-year-old didn't just seize the opportunity, but he was able put together one of the most complete performances offensively of his young career.
Finishing with 30 points, while shooting 12-for-16 from field goal range and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc, the versatile playmaker proved just how impactful he can be when given the opportunity to be the top option on offense.
And what makes this performance even better, is understanding that this wasn't just a hot night for the young guard, but instead clarity that Carrington has the talent to do this on a nightly basis
The only thing stopping him from doing it is him.
Carrington has to find consistency
Averaging 10.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, while shooting 41.3% from the field and 39.4% from three, Carrington's numbers may not scream 'star,' but they do suggest there's more to his game than just being a role player.
The flashes suggests Carrington has everything needed to succeed, but the only thing dseperating him from role player to building block is doing it on a consistent basis.
Perhaps a third-year leap could be in store moving forward and after Tuesday's performance reeled fans back in on his potential, there should be plenty of excitment about the player he could become.